The Signs and Symptoms of Pneumonia

In the beginning of this century, Pneumonia was responsible for the death of a large number of people.  It affects the very important respiratory organ of our body, the lungs.   Pneumonia causes inflammation in lungs, which is very dangerous to this vital organ.  Thanks for the discovery of antibiotics. They are efficient in killing the viruses and bacteria which cause this major problem in human beings.  Pneumonia generally affects the elderly people and young children with a weak immune system.

Pneumonia Symptoms

The symptoms of pneumonia vary based on the root cause of the disease.  The common symptoms of pneumonia are coughing, high fever and chest pain.  If the viruses are responsible for causing pneumonia, then it is known as viral pneumonia.  In that case, the viral pneumonia symptoms are weakness, dry cough, high fever, headache and exhaustion.  If bacteria are responsible for causing pneumonia, then the pneumonia symptoms are bluish tinge in skin, high fever, a cold, chills, escalated heart beat and cough that in turn releases a greenish liquid.   

Pneumonia Is Contagious 

Mostly this disease affects small children and aged people, which is why it is important for people of all ages to have health insurance and to visit the doctor on regular occasions. Especially those with a weak defense system are often the common targets of this disease.  Elderly people normally get affected by bacterial or viral pneumonia, but the people below 40 years age suffer from mycoplasmal pneumonia.  This category of the disease quickly gets transmitted from one person to another in the family.  It has to be treated instantly. Otherwise it will create innumerous complications.   

Mycoplasmal Pneumonia Symptoms

The symptoms of mycoplasmal pneumonia are joint pain, sore throat, general weakness, tiredness, dry cough and fever.  When the illness affects the small children it changes the skin of the children into bluish color.  This is the indication of irregular blood circulation.  The child also experiences breathlessness and high fever.  This pnuemonia is otherwise known as walking pneumonia because it transmits quickly in schools, hostels, army barracks and work places.  The chances are more in those regions where people stay tend to stay close together.

Early Treatment is always better

If anybody in your family has one or more pneumonia symptoms, take them to the doctor immediately.  By giving antibiotics, the treatment can be done at home itself.  While coughing, if the patient expels blood, then the problems are at its worse.  In case of any complication, the patients are asked to get admitted in the hospital for further tests. 

Pneumonia is an illness that anybody can get because it spreads through the air easily.  The infected person coughs and sneezes instantly.  This is often mistaken with influenza infection that some opt for the wrong medication.  Coughing is the first symptom of pneumonia. Many tend to take cough syrups with the aim of suppressing the cough. But go ahead with lab tests and get to know what the real problem is. If the treatment is not given on time, the situation can become worse and intolerable.