10 Symptoms of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a lower respiratory tract infection, most often caused by viruses. The condition usually starts as a continuation of an upper respiratory tract infection. A week or two after an episode of acute bronchitis or flu, symptoms can suddenly kick in. Unlike upper respiratory infections (common cold, flu, bronchitis, sinusitis, etc.) that are routinely and easily treated, pneumonia requires close medical examination and carefully planned treatment. Those with chronic pulmonary diseases and smokers are particularly prone to severe pneumonia. Not all cases of pneumonia are dangerous, however those acquired whilst in a hospital tend to be more aggressive, as germs in hospitals are more resistant to treatment compared to those outside. Severity of symptoms can vary greatly from patient to patient. There is also “silent pneumonia” which can last for months causing just mild symptoms such as fever and occasional mild cough episodes. Timely diagnosis is crucial for the successful treatment. Common symptoms of pneumonia include: 1. High fever. Temperatures can go extremely high with pneumonia, often above 39°C. High fever isn't particularly dangerous in healthy adults, however in children it can lead to febrile convulsions and dehydration. The best way to urgently reduce body temperature is to have a cold/cool shower. 2. Sweating. Pneumonia patients usually sweat profusely, and is the result of a high intensity systemic inflammatory response and the body’s efforts to cool down. Profuse sweating leads to significant water loss. Just like high fever, it won’t affect otherwise healthy adults too much, however it could cause dehydration in children and elderly reasonably quickly, so care must be taken to reduce the risks. The sweating should stop once the body temperature goes down. More symptoms on next page... 3. Cough. Pneumonia related coughs can be particularly excruciating. In the beginning it's a non-productive cough as no sputum is produced. Usually, 7-10 days after the onset of symptoms, the cough becomes productive with a lot of sputum and is a sign of recovery. To speed up the drainage process, it is essential to take sufficient amounts of water, as this waters down the thick mucus in the lungs. 4. Shortness of breath. As pneumonia develops and the lungs get filled with mucus, ventilation becomes inefficient and the blood oxygenation level drops. This causes a shortness of breath which can be so severe that patients may feel they are going to suffocate. Patients usually describe the feeling as “trying to breathe through the straw.” All pneumonia patients have shortness of breath to some extent, some during physical activity (walking), while others have it even at rest. Once the mucous start to drain out, breathing will resort to normal levels. 5. Chest pain. Chest pain occurs because of sore ribcage muscles from coughing, and partially because of pleural inflammation (pleurisy), which is the tissue between the lungs and ribcage. Severity of this symptom can vary, with some patients perceiving it as a mild inconvenience, while others report not being to sleep at night or move without excruciating pain. Sometimes patients interpret it as a heart attack, which can be traumatic. 6. Nausea, Vomiting, Abdominal cramps. Intense coughing may trigger a gag reflex causing vomiting and nausea. Also, due to water loss through sweating and fever, some patients complain of abdominal cramps. These symptoms can last up to 7 days, but typically resolve faster. 7. Dehydration. As mentioned above, profuse sweating and fever can dehydrate the body relatively quickly, particularly with a child or an elderly person. Also, as the amount of water in the body reduces, mucus becomes thicker and even harder to drain. Dehydration can also cause muscle cramps. Oral re-hydration is the best way to prevent it. These solutions are commercially available, and are special mixtures of salts and minerals which are lost while sweating, vomiting or having diarrhea. Some patients avoid drinking water because of a severe cough, but maintaining water intake should be a priority in such situations. 8. Change of colour in lips and nails. A change of colour to a pale blue or purple in the lips and/or nails is the result of insufficient oxygenation, and is a sign that the blood oxygen level is dropping. Known medically as cyanosis, this is only evident in severe cases of pneumonia, and the patient should seek immediate medical examination and treatment (oxygen mask). 9. Confusion, Altered Mental Status. Depending on the severity, some patients become mildly confused, while others develop serious psychiatric conditions due to the lack of oxygen. In severe cases, because of high fever and overall exhaustion, the patient may not be aware of his or her surrounding, time of the day, other people and may become disoriented. As soon as the disease intensity subsides, the patient should regain clarity once again. 10. Low body temperature. The body normally responds to infection by increasing its temperature. Fever is a healthy response triggered by the immune system. In case of a severe infection, when all defense mechanisms of the body are drained, the temperature starts to drop. Usually, this symptom signals the finishing stages of a life-threatening condition, called shock.

7. Dehydration

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