Office of Dietary Supplements - Dietary Supplements for Immune ...

Pneumonia Treatment

Pneumonia is an acute lung infection in which the alveolar sacs become inflamed, filling with fluid or pus. These lung secretions cause deep coughing, labored breathing, and often limit proper oxygenation of the blood. Other symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, headaches, muscle aches, and chest pain.

Image Credit: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock.Com

For most of the population, pneumonia is highly treatable; however, in certain cases, pneumonia can develop into a severe medical condition that requires hospitalization, and if left untreated, can result in death.

The severity of disease, and therefore the necessary treatment regimen, is often associated with the general health and age of the patient prior to getting sick.

Treatment in normal healthy adults

For young and middle-aged adults who have contracted community-acquired pneumonia and who were in good physical health before getting sick, treatment typically occurs at home.

The general course of treatment includes fever reducers (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], acetaminophen, and aspirin), plenty of rest, and lots of fluids to loosen up mucous deposits.

In addition, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed if tests indicate that the causative agent is bacterial. A doctor will prescribe the antibiotic based on which species of bacteria are being targeted.

Patients with viral-induced pneumonia will not receive antibiotics since this form of medication is not effective against viruses. However, these patients may benefit from antiviral medications.

Cough suppressants are generally not recommended because the coughing reflex is necessary to break up and remove mucous deposits.

Suppressing this reflex can make matters worse. Young adults may begin to feel better after one week, while recovery in middle-aged and older adults may take several weeks.

Because pneumonia can recur, it is important for a patient to fully recover before resuming normal activities.

Pneumonia - causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, pathologyPlay

Treatment in at-risk populations

Pneumonia infection is especially dangerous in children under age 2, adults over age 65, and in patients with an underlying chronic disease such as heart, lung, or kidney disease or diabetes, or in those who have a weakened immune system due to chemotherapy treatment, HIV infection, or immune-based disorders.

Patients in these at-risk populations should seek immediate medical attention and often require hospitalization. Normal healthy adults may also require hospitalization if symptoms are severe or if previous rounds of antibiotic treatment were ineffective, causing symptoms to worsen.

Because of the serious nature of this type of pneumonia infection, strong-acting antibiotics combined with oxygen treatments are often necessary in order to fight infection and maintain proper blood oxygen levels. Recovery times for this population can be several weeks.

There are a number of preventative measures a person can take to decrease their chances of contracting pneumonia. First, a vaccine is available to protect against the bacteria Streptococcus pneumonia. It is strongly recommended that every child and all people in at-risk populations receive the pneumonia and the flu vaccine. Two varieties of vaccines are available.

The pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) is given to children, while most older adults (over age 65) receive the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV).  Also, frequent hand washing, not smoking, and getting good nutrition and rest to bolster the immune system are all ways to increase the chances of avoiding pneumonia.

References Further Reading

What Is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is the #1 infectious cause of preventable child deaths, claiming the lives of more than 800,000 a year.

Pneumonia is a form of acute respiratory infection that occurs when the lungs become inflamed from breathing in polluted air, like viruses, bacteria and other dangerous toxins. While pneumonia symptoms are similar to the common cold, it becomes life threatening when children are exposed to indoor and outdoor air pollution and lack access to clean water, nutrient-rich diets and affordable healthcare.

For countless millions more children, pneumonia is a source of distress, suffering and debilitating long-term health problems. Newborn babies and children under age two are the most vulnerable of all, sometimes forced to fight for every gasping breath before even learning to walk or talk.

Despite our effort and progress, pneumonia continues to kill over 800,000 children under the age of 5[i] each year.

Every 39 seconds, a child dies from pneumonia.

Pneumonia matters because it is preventable and treatable, yet it remains the main source of infectious child mortality year over year. If diagnosed accurately and early, pneumonia treatment can be accomplished with a three-to-five day course of antibiotics costing just $0.40. However, this disease thrives in impoverished settings or areas without nearby medical resources.

Due to the lack of cost-effective pneumonia treatment and diagnosis, nearly all pneumonia-related deaths in children occur in developing countries. Save the Children is active in the countries where it's most fatal to be a child with pneumonia. They include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria and Pakistan.

Without proper healthcare, children under age five will continue to die.

When Is World Pneumonia Day?

This year, World Pneumonia Day falls on November 12, 2023. Since 2009, the world annually observes World Pneumonia Day on November 12 to promote the awareness, prevention and protection from the primary infectious cause of child preventable deaths.

Save the Children recognizes that the threat of pneumonia for marginalized children requires more attention and action than just one day. Save the Children is a leader when it comes to combatting pneumonia. Child survivors of pneumonia, like Suleka and Hakaroom, highlight our success and response in fragile communities.

What Pneumonia Symptoms Feel Like

gpointstudio / Getty Images

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs spread through coughing, sneezing, touching, or breathing germy air or from inhaling foreign matter into the lungs. There are various types of pneumonia, but the three main types are bacterial, viral, and fungal.

It can be hard to know what pneumonia feels like since it typically presents with symptoms similar to other illnesses, such as coughing, difficulty breathing, and fever. Many types of pneumonia exist, and some symptoms can vary based on a person's age. However, pneumona symptoms are basically the same across multiple types.

Overall, healthcare providers will need to use risk factors and patient factors in addition to symptoms to confirm a diagnosis of pneumonia and what caused it. Here's what you need to know about pneumonia symptoms.

Common symptoms associated with pneumonia include: Chest pain Chills Coughing Difficulty breathing Fever Nausea or vomiting Sweating Chest Discomfort or Pain Chest pain is one of the most common pneumonia symptoms. You may experience sharp or stabbing pains in your chest. These pains can happen when you're breathing or coughing. Chills Chills may be a sign of pneumonia. If they also cause you to shake, the chills are known as rigors. Of note, walking pneumonia—which feels similar to a bad cold—may only result in mild chills, and chills may mostly happen in cases of viral pneumonia. Cough You can have a dry cough or a chesty, sputum-producing one. Sputum is thick mucus from your lungs, also known as phlegm. Bacterial pneumonia may present with a cough, including sputum that has pus or blood. People with viral pneumonia are likely to have sputum that is watery or comes with pus. Aspiration pneumonia happens when food, liquid, saliva, or vomit enters the lungs. Individuals with aspiration pneumonia may cough up foul-smelling, green, or dark sputum or sputum with pus or blood. Fever People with pneumonia can develop a fever, though it's more common in cases of viral pneumonia. At the same time, it's possible to not have a fever with the illness. Shortness of Breath If you have pneumonia, you may have difficulty breathing. If the infection is compromising your lung function, you may not be able to deliver enough oxygen to your blood. Some people require supplemental oxygen or treatments to help them breathe with pneumonia. Sweaty or Clammy Skin When your body tries to get rid of an infection like pneumonia, you can have profuse sweating or clammy skin. Even a person with aspiration pneumonia might sweat excessively. Pay attention if sweaty skin occurs with pneumonia: It can be a sign of sepsis. Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of pneumonia that occurs in response to bacteria in the blood. Much like adults, pneumonia in infants, toddlers, and young children may include fever, chills, or labored breathing. Signs of breathing problems for babies specifically include: Bluish skin and lips Grunting Inward muscle pulling between the ribs when breathing Nostril widening during each breath Rapid breathing While you should watch out for the symptoms listed above in children, there are several less-specific symptoms to know, including: Abdominal pain Lack of energy Loss of appetite Poor feeding in infants who may then become dehydrated Vomiting Diagnosing pneumonia requires healthcare providers' knowledge of your medical history, a physical exam, and diagnostic testing like blood or sputum tests and chest X-rays. Because pneumonia shares symptoms with other illnesses, it can be hard to tell which condition you may have. Below is a comparison of symptoms for pneumonia, bronchitis, colds, and the flu. What Does Pneumonia Feel Like? A Comparison to Other Similar Illnesses    Pneumonia Bronchitis Cold Influenza (Flu) Chest pain or discomfort Yes Yes Yes Yes  Chills  Yes  Yes No Yes Cough Yes  Yes Yes Yes Difficulty breathing  Yes  Yes No Sometimes, as a flu complication Fever Yes  Yes Rare Yes Nausea or vomiting  Yes, though more common in children  Rare No Yes, though more common in children Sweating Yes Yes No Yes Symptom onset Sudden or gradual  Gradual Gradual Sudden It can take one week to one or more months to recover from pneumonia. Many people may still experience tiredness for a month following recovery. Even when you feel better, consult a healthcare provider to determine your return to routine activities. If you believe you have symptoms of pneumonia, see a healthcare provider as soon as possible. Also, untreated pneumonia can be life-threatening. Seek medical attention for: Bluish lips or fingertips Chest pain Coughing that won't go away or gets worse Feeling worse following a cold or the flu High fever Shortness of breath There are many types of pneumonia, but they all share common symptoms, such as chest pain and difficulty breathing. Signs of the illness can vary across people of all ages, but it still takes time to recover from pneumonia. The lung infection can also look like bronchitis, a cold, or the flu. See a healthcare provider if you think you have pneumonia or if you experience serious symptoms like bluish lips or coughing that worsens.

19 Sources

Health.Com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Jain V, Vashisht R, Yilmaz G, Bhardwaj A. Pneumonia pathology. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.

MedlinePlus. Pneumonia.

American Lung Association. Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.

Grief SN, Loza JK. Guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of pneumonia. Prim Care. 2018;45(3):485-503. Doi:10.1016/j.Pop.2018.04.001

File TM. Patient education: pneumonia in adults (beyond the basics). In UpToDate. UpToDate; 2022.

American Lung Association. What is walking pneumonia?

MedlinePlus. Sputum culture.

Sattar SBA, Sharma S. Bacterial pneumonia. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2023.

MedlinePlus. Aspiration pneumonia.

American Thoracic Society. What is pneumonia?

American Academy of Family Physicians. Pneumonia.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What is sepsis?

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Pneumonia - symptoms.

Nemours Childrens Health. Pneumonia.

National Institute on Aging. Is it a cold, the flu, or COVID-19?

American Academy of Family Physicians. Acute bronchitis.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Bronchitis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The different between cold and flu.

American Lung Association. Pneumonia treatment and recovery.

---