Pneumonia: Symptoms, Causes, Types, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

Last Updated on November 20, 2023 by Shabnam Sengupta

Pneumonia is a lung disease that causes the air sacs in one or both lungs to become inflamed. Cough with pus, fever, chills, and trouble breathing can result and the air sacs accumulate with fluid or pus. Different kinds of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi can cause pneumonia. The severity of this condition can be from minor to life-threatening and sometimes death occurs. Infants, young children, individuals over the age of 65, and people with health issues or weak immune systems are at greater risk. The most common type of pneumonia, bacterial pneumonia, is more serious than other types, with symptoms that need medical attention. Bacterial pneumonia symptoms can result gradually or unexpectedly. Fever can be of dangerously high temperatures of 105 degrees Fahrenheit, with excessive sweating and fast breathing and heart rate may also increase. 

Due to deficiency of oxygen in the blood, the lips and nail beds may become bluish. The mental condition of a patient might be confused or changed. The symptoms of viral pneumonia usually appear in a few days after the infection. The symptoms mostly worsen within a day or two, with an increasing cough and shortness of breath.

Symptoms of pneumonia

Pneumonia can range from moderate to life-threatening.

1. Coughing that produces phlegm is one of them (mucus)
2. Fever, sweating, or chills are all symptoms.
3. Chest discomfort that gets worse when you breathe or cough 
4. Shortness of breath that occurs when doing typical activities or even while resting
5. Emotions of exhaustion or weariness
6. Decrease in appetite
7. Headaches caused by nausea or vomiting
8. Infants may appear to be symptom-free, yet they may vomit, be tired, or have difficulty drinking or eating.
9. Children under the age of five may have rapid breathing or wheezing.
10. Symptoms in older persons may be milder. They may also feel disoriented or have a lower-than-normal body temperature.

Causes

The air sacs might eventually fill up with pus and liquids as a result of the inflammation, resulting in pneumonia symptoms. Streptococcus pneumonia is the most prevalent cause of bacterial pneumonia. Other causes of the condition include:

1. Mycoplasma pneumoniae
2. Haemophilus influenzae
3. Legionella pneumophila
4. Respiratory viruses frequently cause pneumonia. A variety of viral infections can cause pneumonia including:
   1. influenza virus
   2. RSV
   3. Viruses that cause rhinorrhea (common cold)
5. Infection with the human parainfluenza virus (HPIV) and the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection
6. Chickenpox, measles increase risk
7. Infection with the adenovirus
8. Infection with a coronavirus

Risk Factors

The following factors, which may or may not be related to your lifestyle choices, enhance your risk of having pneumonia:

1. Smoking: Smoking increases your chance of acquiring the condition compared to the general population because it weakens your immune system’s capacity to protect itself against the organisms that make you sick.
2. Drinking too much alcohol or using drugs increases your risk of pneumonia because you may aspirate food, drink, or vomit into your lungs while inebriated.
3. Malnutrition: It increases the chance of acquiring the condition and making it more severe, particularly in young children and the elderly.
4. Poor dental care can also be a cause, especially if you wear dentures.
5. Animals, chemicals, or environmental toxins: Being in close proximity to animals might expose you to infected droppings that end up in the soil. Pneumonia can also increase by exposure to certain chemicals and pollution.

Types of pneumonia

1. Hospital-acquired pneumonia: You can get it if any of the following is true:
   1. You’re hooked up to a respirator.
   2. You can’t cough hard enough to get the mucus out of your lungs. 
   3. To help you breathe, you have a tracheostomy tube. 
   4. An illness or therapy has weakened your immune system, which is your body’s fight against microorganisms.
2. Community-acquired pneumonia: This is a fancy way of stating you contracted the infection outside of a hospital or a long-term care institution. Bacteria, viruses, and fungus can all cause community-acquired pneumonia. Vaccines can protect you from the flu virus as well as some bacteria that can cause pneumonia.
3. Bacterial pneumonia: The majority of instances of community-acquired pneumonia in adults are caused by bacteria. When an infected person coughs or sneezes, you might get pneumonia. Bacteria-filled droplets enter the air and can be inhaled by the nose or mouth.
4. Walking pneumonia: Walking pneumonia is a kind of bacterial pneumonia that is less severe. It’s sometimes referred to as “atypical” pneumonia by doctors.

Complications

1. Pleural effusion: Due to the inflammation in the lungs, fluid collects between the pleura and the chest wall. Pleural effusion might lead to the collapse of the lungs if not treated properly.
2. Septicemia: Because bacteremia can occur in pneumonia, it can lead to septicemia. 
3. Endocarditis/Pericarditis: Because blood circulates through the heart muscles and pericardium, there is a greater risk of infection there if bacteremia is present.

Diagnosis

1. Doctor can use an X-ray to check for symptoms of inflammation in your chest. If inflammation is present, the X-ray can also tell your doctor where it is and how severe it is.
2. After you’ve coughed deeply, a sample of mucus is collected for a sputum culture. The sample is then sent to a lab to be tested in order to determine the source of the illness.
3. The amount of oxygen in your blood is measured via pulse oximetry. A sensor on one of your fingertips can tell you if your lungs are pumping enough oxygen into your circulation.
4. If your doctor detects fluid in your chest’s pleural area, they may obtain a sample using a needle inserted between your ribs. This test can help you figure out what’s causing your illness.

Treatment

1. Doctor may also prescribe over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to alleviate your discomfort and fever. 
2. Aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), and acetaminophen are among examples (Tylenol)
3. Respiratory treatment, entails injecting drugs directly into the lungs or teaching you how to conduct breathing exercises to improve your oxygenation oxygen therapy to keep oxygen levels in your bloodstream (received through a nasal tube, face mask, or ventilator, depending on severity)

Prevention of pneumonia

1. Pneumonia can be avoided in many circumstances. Getting vaccinated is the first line of protection against pneumonia. 
2. Several vaccinations are available to help prevent pneumonia. Pneumovax 23 and Prevnar 13 These two pneumonia vaccinations assist to protect against pneumococcal pneumonia and meningitis. 
3. Your doctor can advise you on which option is best for you. Prevnar 13 works against 13 different kinds of pneumococcal bacteria.
4.  For those who have had a bone marrow transplant, Vaccines for pneumonia will not prevent all cases of the disease, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood.

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