pneumonia symptoms
Pneumonia is one of the most common diseases that affects your lung tissue. A lung infection that causes inflammation of the tissue in one or both lungs can be cured on its own.
And in some cases, especially in people with underlying disease and illness or in people with weak immune systems and in case of lung infection with special infectious agents, which doctors call opportunistic factors, lead to serious complications and even death in the affected person.
What are the clinical manifestations of pneumonia?
What symptoms should we be concerned about if we have pneumonia?
In the following, we will talk about “pneumonia symptoms”
Definition of pneumonia
Inflammation of the air sacs and tissue of one or both lungs that causes swelling of the air sacs and airways of the lungs. In this condition, the airways and lung sacs become full of purulent or infectious secretions. And generally shows fever and chills, loss of appetite and other symptoms of inflammation in the body such as weakness, lethargy.
What can be the causes of pneumonia?
Most cold and flu viruses can cause lung tissue infection in children under the age of five or the elderly and cause viral pneumonia, but most viral pneumonias are not severe and dangerous, but can be life-threatening in some cases.
If a person has a common viral cold during which he or she does not rest well or has a weak immune system, some bacteria, such as pneumococci, may be present in the lungs when the body is very weak with a viral cold. Both lungs become dormant and cause a lung infection or pneumonia. At these times, the person feels that the viral cold has not only not healed in a week, but has also worsened, and now suffers from fever, chills, weakness, whooping cough, and chest pain when breathing.
In people with AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, in people with chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy for the treatment of underlying cancer, people taking drugs that weaken or suppress the immune system, such as patients with chronic rheumatic disorders, there will be a very weak immune system. For fungi, which are considered opportunistic agents of infection, it provides a favorable environment for the growth and development of infection. Pneumonias caused by Aspergillus and ... are in this category.
What are the risk factors for pneumonia?
The following groups are more likely than others in the community to develop pneumonia, especially dangerous and complicated pneumonias:
- Children under five years
- Adults older than 2 years
- People with long-term hospitalization
- People with chronic lung disease
- People with chronic cardiovascular disease
- People with immunodeficiency or weakness
- Smokers and users of tobacco and nicotine in any form and amount
- People with structural abnormalities of the respiratory system
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
Depending on the type of factor that caused your pneumonia (virus, bacteria, or fungus), your age, the disorder, and the underlying disease, the strength of your immune system, the symptoms of pneumonia are different, and the list of symptoms may be completed in a few days and not all symptoms may be present at first.
But in general, these symptoms are:
- Pleurisy is characterized by chest pain when breathing
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Ague
- Shortness of breath
- Decreased appetite
- Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea or vomiting or sometimes diarrhea
- Sputum cough (mixed with sputum or pus)
Symptoms in children
The above symptoms are almost general, but infected children cannot play with toys or their peers as before, and show no desire to eat and become excused and restless. In the elderly or immunocompromised adults, the above symptoms may be accompanied by excessive fatigue, dizziness, and changes in the level of consciousness.
These people may not have a fever and their overall body temperature may be below normal
Symptoms in infants
In neonates with the flu, the clinical manifestations or symptoms of pneumonia will still be different. The symptoms of pneumonia in infants and young infants can be from the above symptoms or in the form of fever and vomiting and cough or fatigue and desire to sleep and restless.
Other types of pneumonia
Pneumonia sometimes occurs in people who have been hospitalized for a long time. Doctors call this category Hospital acquired pneumonia.
Pneumonia can also occur in hospitalized people who are under a ventilator. Doctors call this category Ventricular associated pneumonia.
But the most common type of pneumonia occurs with common infectious agents in the general population and doctors call this category Community acquired pneumonia
Final words:
These days, when the world is plagued by the Covid19 Pandemic, it is recommended that if you have recently had the following symptoms, inform your doctor about your symptoms in accordance with the health principles:
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Cough
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Muscle pain
- Decreased appetite
- Olfactory or taste changes
Be aware that Covid19 can also cause inflammation and infection of lung tissue or pneumonia.
Sometimes people who have a cough for a long time may see streaks of blood in their vomit.