Pneumonia is not caused by cold please...Stop saying that....Read

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can make you very sick. You may cough, run a fever, and have a hard time breathing. For most people, pneumonia can be treated at home. It often clears up in 2 to 3 weeks. But older adults, babies, and people with other diseases can become very ill. They may need to be in the hospital.

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You can get pneumonia in your daily life, such as at school or work. This is called community-associated pneumonia. You can also get it when you are in a hospital or nursing home. This is called healthcare-associated pneumonia. It may be more severe because you already are ill. This topic focuses on pneumonia you get in your daily life.
Germs called bacteria or viruses usually cause pneumonia.
Pneumonia usually starts when you breathe the germs into your lungs. You may be more likely to get the disease after having a cold or the flu. These illnesses make it hard for your lungs to fight infection, so it is easier to get pneumonia. Having a long-term, or chronic, disease like asthma, heart disease, cancer, or diabetes also makes you more likely to get pneumonia.
Symptoms of pneumonia caused by bacteria usually come on quickly. They may include:

• Cough. You will likely cough up mucus (sputum) from your lungs. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood.
• Fever.
• Fast breathing and feeling short of breath.
• Shaking and "teeth-chattering" chills.
• Chest pain that often feels worse when you cough or breathe in.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Feeling very tired or very weak.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea.

When you have mild symptoms, your doctor may call this "walking pneumonia."
Older adults may have different, fewer, or milder symptoms. They may not have a fever. Or they may have a cough but not bring up mucus. The main sign of pneumonia in older adults may be a change in how well they think. Confusion or delirium is common. Or, if they already have a lung disease, that disease may get worse.
Symptoms caused by viruses are the same as those caused by bacteria. But they may come on slowly and often are not as obvious or as bad. hehehe..so nothing like cold here...

How Is Pneumonia Diagnosed?

• Physical exam: Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale. You also may be wheezing, and it may be hard to hear sounds of breathing in some areas of your chest.
• Chest x-ray (if your doctor suspects pneumonia)
• Some patients may need other tests, including:
• CBC blood test to check white blood cell count
• Arterial blood gases to see if enough oxygen is getting into your blood from the lungs
• CT (or CAT) scan of the chest  to see how the lungs are functioning
• Sputum tests to look for the organism (that can detected by studying your spit) causing your symptoms
• Pleural fluid culture if there is fluid in the space surrounding the lungs
• Pulse oximetry to measure how much oxygen is moving through your bloodstream, done by simply attaching a small clip to your finger for a brief time
• Bronchoscopy, a procedure used to look into the lungs' airways, which would be performed if you are hospitalized and antibiotics are not working well

How Is Pneumonia Treated?
Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia you have and how severe it is, and if you have other chronic diseases. The goals of treatment are to cure the infection and prevent complications.
Most people can be treated at home by following these steps:

• Drink plenty of fluids to help loosen secretions and bring up phlegm.
• Get lots of rest. Have someone else do household chores.
• Do not take cough medicines without first talking to your doctor. Cough medicines may make it harder for your body to cough up the extra sputum.
• Control your fever with aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen), or acetaminophen. DO NOT give aspirin to children.

If your pneumonia becomes so severe that you are treated in the hospital, you may receive fluids and antibiotics in your veins, oxygen therapy, and possibly breathing treatments.
You are more likely to be admitted to the hospital if you:

• Have another serious medical problem
• Have severe symptoms
• Are unable to care for yourself at home, or are unable to eat or drink
• Are older than 65 or a young child
• Have been taking antibiotics at home and are not getting better