What are the symptoms of pneumonia

Pneumonia is also a relatively common disease in today's society. Sometimes it occurs very suddenly, and many people do not understand the specific symptoms of pneumonia. This may cause them to miss the best treatment period, which will bring great difficulties to future treatment. Therefore, we should plan ahead and understand the symptoms of pneumonia in advance so that we will not be in a panic when encountering sudden situations.

Pneumonia refers to inflammation of the terminal airways, alveoli, and lung interstitium. It can be caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, as well as physical and chemical factors such as radiation and inhaled foreign matter. The main clinical symptoms are fever, cough, sputum, blood in the sputum, which may be accompanied by chest pain or difficulty breathing. In children with pneumonia, the symptoms are often not obvious, and there may be a mild cough. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics and can be cured in 7 to 10 days. Viral pneumonia is a milder form of the disease that cannot be cured by antibiotics. The disease has an acute onset, often with triggers such as rain, cold, and fatigue. About 1/3 of patients have a history of upper respiratory tract infection. The natural course of the disease is 7 to 10 days.

1. Chills and high fever

Typical symptoms are sudden chills and high fever, with body temperature as high as 39℃~40℃, presenting as a prolonged fever type, accompanied by headache, muscle aches all over the body, and poor appetite. The fever pattern after using antibiotics is atypical, and the elderly and weak may only have a low fever or no fever.

2. Cough and sputum

In the early stage, it is an irritating dry cough, followed by coughing up white mucus or bloody sputum. After 1 to 2 days, mucus, bloody sputum, rust-colored sputum, and purulent sputum may be coughed up. During the dissipation period, the amount of sputum increases, and the sputum becomes yellow and thin.

3. Chest pain

There is often severe chest pain, which is like a needle, aggravated by coughing or deep breathing, and may radiate to the shoulders or abdomen. Lower lobe pneumonia can irritate the diaphragmatic pleura and cause abdominal pain, which can be misdiagnosed as an acute abdomen.

4. Difficulty breathing

Cyanosis, chest pain and dyspnea occur due to insufficient ventilation, gas exchange disorders and decreased arterial oxygen saturation caused by pulmonary consolidation.

5. Other symptoms

A few people have gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension or diarrhea. In severe cases, confusion, irritability, drowsiness and coma may occur.

Because pneumonia sometimes occurs very suddenly, it is best to go to the hospital for treatment as soon as possible when you feel unwell. Do not miss the best treatment period for fear of trouble or other reasons. This is irresponsible to yourself. Even if it is a minor illness, if it is not treated in time, it is likely to develop into a major illness, and then the gain will outweigh the loss.