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Pneumonia is an infection caused by, fungi, bacteria, or viruses that affects one or both of the lungs. Years ago, before antibiotics, pneumonia could easily cause death. These days three million cases of pneumonia are diagnosed every year. The particular symptoms help doctors determine which type of pneumonia they are dealing with and what the organism causing the infection is.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of pneumonia resemble some of the symptoms of a cold or the flu; so many people do not realize that they have something more serious. In fact, pneumonia often starts because of an upper respiratory infection like a cold or the flu. The most common symptoms of pneumonia that is caused by bacteria are:
•A cough that may produce mucus in the lungs. This mucus can be green or a rusty color and may be spotted with blood.
•Fever (fever is not as common a symptom in older adults)
•Chills and shaking
•Shortness of breath and fast, shallow breathing
•Pain in the chest that may be worse when coughing or taking deep breaths
•Rapid heartbeat
•Fatigue and weakness
•Muscle soreness
•Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
If the infection is located in the part of the lung that is the farthest away from the airways, coughing may not be a major symptom of pneumonia. Some people with the disease even get discolored skin - either dusky or purple-colored. This occurs when there is not enough oxygen in the blood.
If something other than bacteria is the cause, the symptoms may be slightly different and include fever, cough, shortness of breath, but very little mucus when coughing. With this type of pneumonia, the symptoms often come on more slowly and are not as apparent or severe as with the bacterial type of pneumonia. In fact, because the symptoms of non-bacterial pneumonia are so mild, many people do not even realize they are sick. That is why doctors often refer to this type of the disease as “walking pneumonia.”
For children and babies the only symptoms that may be present are fever and lethargy and the general feeling of being sick. It may often take blood tests and chest x-rays to determine if pneumonia is what is causing their symptoms.
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What are common symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis?
There are different symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis. Some of the symptoms are a severe cough, an infection in the lungs that cause pain and fatigue.
What is Arthritis pneumonia?
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What are some common walking pneumonia symptoms?
Some symptoms of walking pneumonia include wheezing, coughing, fever, trouble breathing and rattling in the chest. If you have any of these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor for antibiotics.
Where did pneumonia come from?
Well Pneumonia comes from a bacteria, but the symptoms were first recorded by Hippocrates in ancient Greece.
What are the warning signs and symptoms of pneumonia?
Pneumonia is simply the buildup of fluid in the lungs. The symptoms are similar to those of the flu except accompanied by constant coughs with a lot of extra mucous.
What is the most common symptom of pneumonia?
Pneumonia normally starts off with flu like symptoms (a cough and fever).
How does pneumonia affect sarcoidosis?
The two main symptoms are shortness of breath and a persistent dry cough that will become worse with pneumonia.
How soon from developing symptoms of pneumonia does the full illness develop?
There are different types of pneumonia so there is no set standard as to when the full illness will develop. Some people never even realize they have pneumonia and the symptoms, common in a host of respiratory problems, simply disappear on their own.
Knowing Symptoms of Pneumonia Can Save a Life?
Every year there are news reports of flu epidemics all over the country, along with deaths from both the flu and pneumonia. Knowing the symptoms of pneumonia can not only help an individual receive prompt care and treatment but can also prevent further illness or death. Types of Pneumonia With the high cost of medical care, many put off going to the doctor for what they believe is simply a cold or the flu. In many cases, what they believed was a simple cold was actually pneumonia. Many people don't really that there are two types of pneumonia. This lack of knowledge often results in failure to seek proper medical treatment. There is bacterial pneumonia and nonbacterial pneumonia. In bacterial pneumonia, symptoms generally occur during or right after a cold or upper respiratory infection. In nonbacterial pneumonia, symptoms may come on suddenly or gradually. Often the patient doesn't even realize they're sick. Symptoms of Pneumonia Just as there are two types of pneumonia, there may also be different symptoms of pneumonia, depending on the type. Being familiar with symptoms of pneumonia can make the difference in getting fast treatment to prevent the pneumonia from escalating into something more serious. Patients with bacterial pneumonia generally have a mucus-producing cough. The mucus may be green or yellow or may have blood in it. They may also have a fever and the chills. Bacterial pneumonia patients may also experience chest pains, with additional pain when coughing. They may also experience difficulty breathing or feel short of breath. Other symptoms include tiredness, weakness, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea. Nonbacterial pneumonia, which may be referred to as "walking pneumonia", does not exhibit as many symptoms so many sick individuals go untreated for a long time. The most common symptoms of nonbacterial pneumonia are fever and cough. There may be mucus associated with the cough. Some individuals may also experience shortness of breath. What is Pneumonia? Pneumonia results from an inflammation of the lungs usually caused by an infection. However, pneumonia can develop from breathing some chemical fumes. It may affect one lung or both lungs. Although pneumonia may be a mild disease, it also has the potential of becoming a dangerous disease if untreated. If individuals become familiar with the symptoms of pneumonia, it can mean faster treatment and faster recovery.
How can one determine the symptoms of Pneumonia?
The best way to find the symptoms of Pneumonia is by asking your physician. If you do not have one or if it is after office hours, a trip to the emergency room may be in order. Web Md has a list of ailments and their symptoms in case you can't go to your doctor or the emergency room.
What are symptoms of congenital GBS infection?
Symptoms of congenital GBS infection include breathing difficulties; shock; sepsis; pneumonia; and, meningitis.
A Cold, the Flu or Walking Pneumonia?
Ever heard of Walking pneumonia? It�s actually the name given to a mild form of pneumonia, also known as atypical pneumonia. People who suffer from walking pneumonia don�t usually end up in the hospital or even confined to bed. Most report feeling as if they simply have a bad cold. Symptoms include:Fever and chillsCoughing in violent spasms/ no mucusHeadacheSore throatWeakness that holds on after other symptoms have vanished
