Respiratory disease - Asthma, COPD, Pneumonia
Pneumonia Symptoms At Night: 5 Warning Signs Your Lungs Are Damaged And Filled With Fluid
Pneumonia Symptoms At Night: 5 Warning Signs of Severe Lung Infection That Appear After 10PM. Pneumonia Symptoms At Night: 5 Warning Signs Your Lungs Are Damaged And Filled With FluidPneumonia Symptoms At Night: Pneumonia is a serious inflammatory lung condition marked by infection in the alveoli, the tiny air sacs essential for breathing. Different pathogens can cause this infection, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. The seriousness of pneumonia can range from mild ailments to life-threatening situations, especially affecting young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems.
On World Pneumonia Day, let's understand how to spot this condition early and prevent the lungs from getting damaged completely.
What Causes Pneumonia?Pneumonia can arise from various pathogens. The most frequently involved bacteria is Streptococcus pneumoniae, while others, such as Haemophilus influenzae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, can also cause infections. Viral pneumonia, frequently triggered by the influenza virus or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is another common form. Though less prevalent, fungal pneumonia can occur, particularly in people with compromised immune systems due to fungi like Aspergillus or Cryptococcus. Grasping these causes is vital for effective treatment and preventive actions.
5 Warning Signs of Pneumonia At NightHere are the top 5 warning signs and symptoms of pneumonia that appear at night:
Persistent CoughOne of the first signs of pneumonia is a persistent cough. It might start out dry but can turn into a wet cough that brings up mucus over time. At night, this cough can become more intense, interrupting your sleep and causing fatigue. If your cough has a wheezing sound or is so bad that it's hard to breathe, it's important to see a doctor. This could mean your lungs are having difficulty clearing excess fluid, a common issue with pneumonia.
Difficulty BreathingAnother critical sign of pneumonia is trouble breathing, known as dyspnea. This can feel worse at night, especially when you're lying down. You might notice you are breathless even during light activity. This happens due to fluid building up in the lungs, making it tough for oxygen to get into your bloodstream. If you find yourself struggling to breathe or gasping for air, particularly at night, it's crucial to reach out to a healthcare provider right away.
Chest Pain At NightChest pain is another concerning symptom linked to pneumonia. This discomfort may worsen with coughing or deep breaths and can be more pronounced at night. It might feel sharp or dull, creating a pressure sensation in your chest. This pain arises from inflammation in the lungs and their surrounding areas. If the pain is severe or comes with symptoms like a rapid heartbeat or sweating, it could indicate a serious infection that needs urgent medical attention.
Sudden Fever and ChillsFever and chills are common signs of an infection like pneumonia. During the night, these symptoms can greatly disrupt your sleep. You might experience a high fever paired with chills, leading to excessive sweating and discomfort. This is your body's response to fighting off the infection, but it could also mean the pneumonia is serious. If you have a fever that doesn't improve with over-the-counter medications, it's vital to get medical help.
Extreme Fatigue and WeaknessWhile often ignored, fatigue and weakness are significant symptoms of pneumonia. As the body battles the infection, you may feel extremely tired, especially at night. This exhaustion can interfere with daily activities and might be made worse by a lack of sleep from other symptoms. If you are feeling unusually drained and not getting better with rest, it could be a sign of a serious lung infection that needs prompt medical evaluation.
Beware of the signs and symptoms of pneumonia mentioned above. Although these indicators are not restricted to only being visible at nighttime, they are most common after 10pm.
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Walking Pneumonia On The Rise: What You Need To Know
Walking pneumonia is on the rise, especially in kids. Learn the signs, spread, and why it's different from the common cold. Highlights:
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What is Walking Pneumonia? Walking pneumonia is a less severe kind of pneumonia, according to Michael Chang, M.D., an infectious disease specialist at UTHealth Houston. Every year, there are an estimated 2 million infections in the United States. However, Chang stated that without a national reporting mechanism to track these diseases, it is difficult to ascertain the exact number (1✔ ✔Trusted SourceMycoplasma Pneumoniae Infections Have Been IncreasingGo to source).Advertisement
Who Can Develop Walking Pneumonia and How Does It Spread? Walking pneumonia can affect anyone, but it is more prevalent among school-aged children, teenagers, and young adults (2✔ ✔Trusted SourceMycoplasma pneumoniae Infection: Causes and How It SpreadsGo to source). It is infrequently identified in preschool-aged children, who are far more likely to develop viral lower respiratory tract infections, viral pneumonia, or "classic" bacterial pneumonia.Walking pneumonia, like other respiratory illnesses, spreads via respiratory droplets when people come into close contact, when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, bacteria in the droplets can be ingested by others, resulting in illness (2✔ ✔Trusted SourceMycoplasma pneumoniae Infection: Causes and How It Spreads
Go to source).
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Why Are Walking Pneumonia Cases Rising? It's unknown why instances are increasing right now, but warm weather, children returning to school, and adults returning to in-person employment could all have a role, according to Sharon Nachman, M.D., Chief of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Children's Hospital."It is also possible that our ability to rapidly test for this pathogen via PCR testing may have contributed to the spike of recognized cases," Nachman informed Verywell through an email.
Chang suggested that cyclical tendencies could potentially explain the growth. Walking pneumonia surges every three to seven years, but they are difficult to foresee without a national surveillance system. These surges often occur in late summer or early fall. Because symptoms can take 2-3 weeks to show, people can unintentionally spread the virus, making transmission easier.
"Furthermore, some patients can shed Mycoplasma for months even after receiving appropriate antibiotics," according to Chang. Chang also suggested that immunity gaps may be contributing to the surge. During the COVID-19 pandemic, children were exposed to fewer pathogens, which could impair their immune systems. "This immunity gap may make children more susceptible to infections now, coinciding with a seasonal epidemic," according to him.
While some immunity develops following a walking pneumonia infection, Chang said it is unclear how long that protection lasts, and people can be infected numerous times in their lives.
What are the Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia? Walking pneumonia symptoms are similar to those of common upper respiratory illnesses, such as fever, runny nose, and cough, and are not caused by a specific virus or bacteria.However, Nachman observed that Mycoplasma infections are frequently accompanied by a persistent cough that can endure for weeks or even months. This occurs because the infection damages the lungs' cilia, which normally help clear mucus and bacteria.
Chang stated that the illness in younger children is usually moderate or asymptomatic, but it can cause major breathing problems in individuals with compromised immune systems. The CDC also reports weariness, cold, and shortness of breath as typical symptoms (3✔ ✔Trusted SourceAbout Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infection
Go to source). In rare situations, M. Pneumoniae can cause acute central nervous system (CNS) infections, probably due to antibodies that wrongly attack brain cells.
How does Walking Pneumonia Differ from the Common Cold? Observing how walking pneumonia spreads throughout a family can help separate it from the ordinary cold. "Viral infections often spread quickly from person to person within a household, so if siblings or family members get sick within a few days of each other, it's more likely to be a virus that is causing the symptoms," Chang told CNN. If the infection spreads slowly, with a week or two between cases, Mycoplasma could be the culprit.Mycoplasma pneumoniae is characterized by coughing in bursts or "fits," during which patients struggle to breathe. This cough can last for a month or more, unlike other viral illnesses, which recover quickly.
Nachman encouraged parents to look for indicators of laborious breathing in their children, such as neck or rib muscle tightness or trouble with strenuous activity like climbing stairs.
How Does a Pneumonia Cough Sound and Feel? A pneumonia cough can differ based on the type of infection. Chang explained that in most cases of bacterial pneumonia, the cough is "wet," producing mucus, phlegm, or pus. Chest pain is also common, especially after deep breaths, and it can worsen depending on your position, such as sleeping down.Chang observed that M. Pneumoniae typically causes a dry cough, which is frequently accompanied by chest tightness and difficulties taking deep breaths. Wheezing occurs more frequently, and continuous coughing might cause muscular or rib pain.
Nachman underlined that pneumonia does not create the distinctive "whoop" of whooping cough or the "barking" sound of croup. Some youngsters cough so intensely that they vomit mucus, while others swallow it, reducing their appetite.
When Should You Visit a Doctor? There are no vaccinations available to prevent Mycoplasma infection. If you or someone you know develops shortness of breath, wheezing, or difficulty completing words, Chang advises seeking medical assistance straight once. Trouble eating in newborns may potentially indicate a more serious viral infection. If a fever persists for more than a week, parents should seek medical attention.Chang points out that many doctors do not check for Mycoplasma or have testing accessible, making it difficult to establish the diagnosis. However, if a clinician suspects Mycoplasma, medications such as azithromycin or doxycycline are commonly administered.
"Antibiotics are most helpful if started within three to four days of the start of symptoms," according to Chang. "After that, it's unclear how much antibiotics help if people have already started coughing. It is unclear whether antibiotics help to resolve this faster."
References:
What We Know So Far About The Queen's Chest Infection
The Queen has been forced to withdraw from her engagements and is resting at home after being diagnosed with a chest infection.
Chest infections – an infection of the lungs or large airways – are common, especially after a cold or flu during autumn and winter.
Most chest infections are mild and clear up on their own, others can be severe and sometimes even life threatening.
The most common symptoms of a chest infection include a persistent cough, wheezing, breathlessness, a high temperature, coughing up phlegm, a rapid heart rate and chest pain or tightness.
The Queen recently returned from an official overseas tour to Australia and Samoa (Aaron Chown/PA)
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People may also experience headaches, aching muscles and tiredness.
To ease symptoms people are advised to get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids.
They can also use painkillers to relieve headaches and muscle pain as well as to bring down a fever.
Home remedies include sleeping with extra pillows to make breathing easier and a hot lemon and honey drink to soothe a sore throat.
The King and Queen attending the UK's national commemorative event for the 80th anniversary of D-Day in Portsmouth in June (Tim Merry/Daily Express/PA)
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Camilla, 77, is understood to be under doctors' supervision.
The main types of chest infections are bronchitis and pneumonia.
According to NHS Inform, most bronchitis cases are caused by viruses while most pneumonia cases are due to bacteria.
If The Queen has been diagnosed with a bacterial chest infection, then she will be treated with antibiotics.
These drugs work by killing the bacteria.
Camilla hosting a reception at Buckingham Palace for the Brooke charity in May (Daily Telegraph/Geoff Pugh/PA)
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Antibiotics can be prescribed with or without steroids, which help open the airways in the lungs and make breathing easier.
For viral chest infections, antibiotics are not advised. But people with viral chest infections can be prescribed steroids.
A number of groups can be at higher risk of developing serious chest infections, these include babies and very young children, children with development problems, people who are very overweight, elderly people, pregnant women, people who smoke and people with long-term health conditions.
Queen Camilla used to be a heavy smoker – a habit her husband Charles loathed – but she gave up many years ago.
Dr Andrew Whittamore, clinical lead at the charity Asthma and Lung UK, and a practising GP, said: "A chest infection is an infection that affects your lungs or airways and symptoms include a chesty cough, wheezing or shortness of breath, a high temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or above, and chest pains or discomfort.
Camilla gave up smoking many years ago (Aaron Chown/PA)
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"While most chest infections are not serious and last around three weeks, some can develop into more serious illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They can also worsen underlying health conditions such as asthma or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
"Pneumonia is a type of chest infection and a leading cause of emergency hospital admissions every winter, placing significant pressures on the NHS – symptoms can include a cough, difficulty breathing, a high temperature, chest pain and loss of appetite.
"The condition, usually caused by a bacterial infection or a virus such as flu, leads to the tissue in one or both lungs to swell or become inflamed. While mild pneumonia can be treated with medication at home, in some cases, pneumonia can be life-threatening and require hospital treatment.
"Bronchitis is inflammation of the airways in the lungs that may be caused by an infection, and it often gets better in around three weeks.
Dr Whittamore added: "Young children, those aged over 65 and those with existing lung conditions such as asthma or COPD, can be more prone to chest infections. They can also be more serious among these groups because the inflammation causes narrowing of the airways making it harder to breathe.
"Also, in young children and older people it may be harder for them to get rid of mucus because their body's defences may not be working as well in the lungs.
"It's important to see your GP if you think you have a chest infection, especially if you have a lung condition such as asthma."
He added: "The best way to safeguard against a chest infection is to stop smoking if you smoke, keep up to date with your vaccinations, try to prevent spread of infection by washing your hands often with warm water and soap, using tissues to trap germs when you cough or sneeze, and throwing away used tissues as quickly as possible."
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