Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Your lungs have 2 main parts: airways (also called bronchial tubes) and alveoli (also called air sacs). When you breathe, the air moves down through your airways and into your alveoli (say: al-vee-oh-lie). From the alveoli, oxygen goes into your blood while carbon dioxide moves out of your blood. When you have pneumonia, your alveoli get inflamed (irritated and swollen) and fill with fluid. This makes it difficult for you to breathe.
Pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria or a virus. It can also be caused by fungi or irritants that you breathe into your lungs.
Types of Pneumonia
What is pneumonia?
What are the different types of pneumonia?
There are 4 types of pneumonia:
- Community-acquired pneumonia is the most common type of pneumonia. You can catch it in public areas (such as work, school, the grocery store or the gym). Bacteria, virus, fungi or irritants in the air can cause community-acquired pneumonia. The bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of this type of pneumonia. This type of pneumonia can also develop after you have a cold or the flu.
- Hospital-acquired pneumonia (also called institution-acquired pneumonia) is a type of pneumonia that you can catch while you are staying in the hospital, especially if you are staying in an intensive care unit (ICU) or are using a ventilator to help you breathe. This type of pneumonia also includes pneumonia that develops after you have major surgery (such as chest surgery) and pneumonia that develops while staying in or receiving treatment in kidney dialysis centers and chronic care centers. It can be very dangerous, especially for young children, older adults and people who have weakened immune systems.
- Aspiration pneumonia is type of pneumonia that develops after you inhale particles into your lungs. This occurs most often when small particles enter your lungs after vomiting and you are not strong enough to cough the particles out of your lungs.
- Opportunistic pneumonia is a type of pneumonia that affects people who have weakened immune systems. It is caused by certain organisms that do not typically make healthy people sick, but they can be dangerous for people who have conditions such as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or people who have recently had an organ transplant.
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
The symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe, depending on your risk factors and the type of pneumonia you have. Common symptoms are similar to the symptoms caused by a cold or the flu. They include the following:
- Cough
- Fever
- Bringing up mucus when you cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Chills
- Chest pain
If you have any of these symptoms, or if you suddenly start getting worse after having a cold or the flu, see your family doctor.
What is walking pneumonia?
Walking pneumonia is a mild case of pneumonia. It is often caused by a virus or the Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria. When you have walking pneumonia, your symptoms may not be as severe or last as long as someone who has a more serious case of pneumonia. You probably won’t need bed rest or to stay in the hospital when you have walking pneumonia.
How does my doctor know I have pneumonia?
Your doctor will diagnose pneumonia based on your medical history and the results from a physical exam. He or she may also need to do some tests, such as a chest X-ray or a blood test.
How is pneumonia treated?
Treatment depends on the type of pneumonia you have, how severe your symptoms are, how healthy you are overall and your age.
For pneumonia caused by bacteria, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Most of your symptoms should improve within a few days, although a cough can last for several weeks. Be sure to follow your doctor's directions carefully. Take all the antibiotic medicine that your doctor prescribes. If you don't, some bacteria may stay in your body. This can cause your pneumonia to come back. It can also increase the risk of antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics don't work to treat infections caused by viruses. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor will likely talk to you about ways to treat your symptoms. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are available to lower fever, relieve pain and ease your cough. However, some coughing is okay because it can help clear your lungs. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take a cough suppressant.
When you have any type of pneumonia, it's important to get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids.
For pneumonia caused by bacteria, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Most of your symptoms should improve within a few days, although a cough can last for several weeks. Be sure to follow your doctor's directions carefully. Take all the antibiotic medicine that your doctor prescribes. If you don't, some bacteria may stay in your body. This can cause your pneumonia to come back. It can also increase the risk of antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics don't work to treat infections caused by viruses. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor will likely talk to you about ways to treat your symptoms. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are available to lower fever, relieve pain and ease your cough. However, some coughing is okay because it can help clear your lungs. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take a cough suppressant.
When you have any type of pneumonia, it's important to get lots of rest and drink plenty of fluids.
This information was developed as part of an educational program made possible through support from Wyeth Vaccines.
Source
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff.
American Academy of Family Physicians
Created: 08/09