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Pneumonia - Symptoms

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pneumonia.

Symptoms:

General Symptoms. The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia develop very quickly and typically include:

A single episode of shaking chills followed by fever
Chest pain on the side of the infected lung. Severe abdominal pain sometimes occurs in people with pneumonia in the lower lobes of the lung
Cough, which may be dry at first, but eventually produces sputum
Nausea, vomiting, and muscle aches
Rapid breathing and heartbeat
Shortness of breath

Emergency Symptoms. Symptoms of pneumonia indicating a medical emergency include the following:

Blood in sputum
Bluish-toned (cyanotic) skin
High fever
Labored and heavy breathing
Mental confusion or reduced mental function in the elderly
Rapid heart rate
Weight loss

Symptoms in the Elderly. It is important to note that older people may have fewer or different symptoms than younger people. Symptoms may come on much more slowly. An elderly person who experiences even a minor cough and weakness for more than a day should seek medical help. Some elderly people may be confused, lethargic, and show general deterioration.

Symptoms of Atypical Pneumonia

General Symptoms for Atypical Pneumonias. Atypical pneumonia is most commonly caused by mycoplasma, Legionnaires' disease, or chlamydia and usually appears in children and young adults.

The disease progresses gradually:

General flu-like symptoms often occur first. They may include fatigue, fever, weakness, headache, nasal discharge, sore throat, earache, and stomach and intestinal distress.
Vague pain under and around the breastbone may occur, but the severe chest pain associated with typical bacterial pneumonia is uncommon.
Patients may have a severe hacking cough, but it usually does not produce sputum.

Resources

www.lungusa.org -- American Lung Association
www3.niaid.nih.gov -- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
www.cdc.gov -- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

References

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Chan EY, Ruest A, Meade MO, Cook DJ. Oral decontamination for prevention of pneumonia in mechanically ventilated adults: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2007. Mar 26; [Epub ahead of print].

Christ-Crain M, Soltz D, Bingisser R, et al. Procalcitonin guidance of antibiotic therapy in community-acquired pneumonia. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2006;174:84-93.

Galobardes B, McCarron P, Jeffreys M, Davey-Smith G. Medical history of respiratory disease in early life relates to morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Thorax. 2008;Epub.

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Reviewed last on: 3/21/2008
Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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