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Pneumonia is swelling (inflammation) of the tissue in one or both lungs. It's usually
caused by a bacterial infection.

At the end of the breathing tubes in your lungs are clusters of tiny air sacs. If you
have pneumonia, these tiny sacs become inflamed and fill up with
fluid.

Symptoms of pneumonia

The symptoms of pneumonia can develop suddenly over 24 to 48 hours, or they

may come on more slowly over several days.

Common symptoms of pneumonia include:

list of 8 items
a
cough
which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus
(phlegm)
difficulty breathing
your breathing may be rapid and shallow, and you may feel breathless, even
when resting
rapid heartbeat
fever
feeling generally unwell
sweating and shivering

 loss of appetite
chest
pain
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which gets worse when breathing or coughing
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Less common symptoms include:

list of 7 items
coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
headaches
fatigue
nausea or vomiting
wheezing
joint and muscle pain
feeling confused and disorientated, particularly in elderly people
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When to see your GP

See your GP if you feel unwell and you have typical symptoms of pneumonia.

Seek urgent medical attention if you're experiencing severe symptoms, such

as rapid breathing, chest pain or confusion.

Who's affected?

In the UK, pneumonia affects around 8 in 1,000 adults each year. It's more
widespread in autumn and winter.

Pneumonia can affect people of any age, but it's more common and can be more
serious in certain groups of people, such as the very young or the elderly.

People in these groups are more likely to need hospital treatment if they develop
pneumonia.

What causes pneumonia?

Pneumonia is usually the result of a

pneumococcal infection,
caused by bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Many different types of bacteria, including Haemophilus influenzae and

Staphylococcus aureus, can also cause pneumonia, as well as viruses and, more
rarely,
fungi.

As well as bacterial pneumonia, other types include:

list of 4 items
viral pneumonia most commonly caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
and sometimes
influenza
type A or B; viruses are a common cause of pneumonia in young children

 aspiration pneumonia caused by breathing in vomit, a foreign object, such as a

peanut, or a harmful substance, such as smoke or a chemical
fungal pneumonia rare in the UK and more likely to affect people with a
weakened immune system
hospital-acquired pneumonia pneumonia that develops in hospital while being
treated for another condition or having an operation; people in
intensive care
on breathing machines are particularly at risk of developing ventilator-associated
pneumonia
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Risk groups

The following groups have an increased risk of developing pneumonia:

list of 5 items
babies and very young children
elderly people
people who smoke
people with other health conditions, such as
asthma,
cystic fibrosis,
or a heart, kidney or liver condition
people with a weakened immune system for example, as a result of a recent
illness, such as
flu,
having
HIV or AIDS,

having
chemotherapy,
or taking medication following an organ transplant
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Diagnosing pneumonia

Your GP may be able to diagnose pneumonia by asking about your symptoms and
examining your chest. Further tests may be needed in some cases.

Pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose because it shares many symptoms with

other conditions, such as the
common cold,
bronchitis
and
asthma.

To help make a diagnosis, your GP may ask you:

list of 3 items
whether you feel breathless or you're breathing faster than usual
how long you've had your cough, and whether you're coughing up mucus and
what colour it is
if the pain in your chest is worse when you breathe in or out
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Your GP may also take your temperature and listen to your chest and back with a
stethoscope to check for any crackling or rattling sounds.

They may also listen to your chest by tapping it. Lungs filled with fluid produce a
different sound from normal healthy lungs.

If you have mild pneumonia, you probably won't need to have a chest
X-ray
or any other tests.

You may need a chest X-ray or other tests, such as a sputum (mucus) test or
blood tests,
if your symptoms haven't improved within 48 hours of starting treatment.

Treating pneumonia

Mild pneumonia can usually be treated at home by:

list of 3 items
getting plenty of rest
taking
antibiotics
drinking plenty of fluids
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If you don't have any other health problems, you should respond well to treatment
and soon recover, although your cough may last for some time.

As pneumonia isn't usually passed from one person to another, it's safe to be
around others, including family members.

However, people with a weakened immune system should avoid close contact with
a person with pneumonia until they start to get better.

For at-risk groups, pneumonia can be severe and may need to be treated in
hospital.

This is because it can lead to serious complications, which in some cases can be
fatal, depending on a person's health and age.