Pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia means the tissue of the lung has become inflamed. It's usually caused by a bacterial infection. Your lungs are made up of clusters of tiny air sacs, and when you have pneumonia, these sacs become inflamed and fill up with fluid.
The symptoms can appear suddenly, developing over just 24 to 48 hours, or they may build up more gradually over several days.
Pneumonia tends to be more common during autumn and winter.
Common Symptoms
Symptom information is not available for this condition yet.
Emergency Warning Signs
When to get medical advice
Phone 999 or go to A&E if:
- you have severe difficulty breathing – for example, you struggle to speak without pausing, gasping or choking
- you have severe chest pain in the middle of your chest that isn’t going away – it may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing
- you have pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw
- you feel more drowsy than usual or find it more difficult to wake up
- your lips or skin are turning very pale, blue or grey – on brown or black skin this is easier to see on the palms of your hands
Information on breathing problems in children
Contact your GP practice urgently if you:
- are more short of breath than usual
- have pain when breathing in or coughing
- are feeling confused, dizzy, or lightheaded
- feel sick or are being sick – for example, you can’t keep food or fluids down
- are coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
- have heart palpitations – this may feel like your heart is racing, going too slowly or skipping a beat or like a fluttering feeling in your chest
- are peeing less than usual – this can be a sign of dehydration
- have a very high or low temperature – for example, you feel either hot or cold to touch or you’re shivering
If your GP practice is closed, phone 111.
Speak to your GP practice if:
- you have breathlessness which is not improving
- you have had a cough for more than 3 weeks
- your symptoms are not improving or they are affecting your daily life
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
When to See a Doctor
When to get medical advice
Phone 999 or go to A&E if:
- you have severe difficulty breathing – for example, you struggle to speak without pausing, gasping or choking
- you have severe chest pain in the middle of your chest that isn’t going away – it may feel like pressure, tightness or squeezing
- you have pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw
- you feel more drowsy than usual or find it more difficult to wake up
- your lips or skin are turning very pale, blue or grey – on brown or black skin this is easier to see on the palms of your hands
Information on breathing problems in children
Contact your GP practice urgently if you:
- are more short of breath than usual
- have pain when breathing in or coughing
- are feeling confused, dizzy, or lightheaded
- feel sick or are being sick – for example, you can’t keep food or fluids down
- are coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
- have heart palpitations – this may feel like your heart is racing, going too slowly or skipping a beat or like a fluttering feeling in your chest
- are peeing less than usual – this can be a sign of dehydration
- have a very high or low temperature – for example, you feel either hot or cold to touch or you’re shivering
If your GP practice is closed, phone 111.
Speak to your GP practice if:
- you have breathlessness which is not improving
- you have had a cough for more than 3 weeks
- your symptoms are not improving or they are affecting your daily life
Causes
What causes pneumonia?
Pneumonia is commonly caused by pneumococcal infection, which comes from a bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae. Other things that can cause pneumonia include:
- other types of bacteria, including Haemophilus influenzae and Staphylococcus aureus
- viruses
- fungi (rarely)
Besides bacterial pneumonia, there are other types too:
- viral pneumonia, caused by viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), coronavirus (COVID-19), and sometimes influenza type A or B. Viruses are a common cause of pneumonia in young children.
- aspiration pneumonia, which happens when someone breathes in vomit, a foreign object such as a peanut, or a harmful substance such as smoke or a chemical
- fungal pneumonia, which is rare and more likely to affect people whose immune system is weakened
- hospital acquired pneumonia, which develops while a person is in hospital being treated for another condition or having an operation. People in intensive care who are on breathing machines face a particular risk of this, known as ventilator associated pneumonia.
Who is most at risk of pneumonia?
Pneumonia can affect people of any age, but it tends to be more common, and can be more serious, in certain groups. People in these groups are more likely to need hospital treatment.
The groups with a higher risk of developing pneumonia are:
- 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, including those with undiagnosed HIV
Pneumonia occurs more often in people living with HIV. If you are diagnosed with pneumonia and are under the age of 65, you should be offered an HIV test. If you have been diagnosed with pneumonia but haven't been offered a test, you can:
- speak to your healthcare provider about getting tested for HIV
- get a free test using one of the available options
Testing for HIV when you have pneumonia can help with early diagnosis, timely treatment, and preventing the infection from being passed on to others.
Please don't include personal information such as your name, location, or any personal health conditions.
Diagnosis
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 has similar symptoms to other conditions. For example the common cold, bronchitis and asthma.
To help make a diagnosis, your GP may ask you:
- whether you feel breathless
- if you’re breathing faster than usual
- how long you’ve had your cough
- whether you’re coughing up mucus and if so, what colour it is
- if the pain in your chest is worse when you breathe in or out
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 may need a chest X-ray and some blood tests. You will not need a sputum sample unless you have recurrent infections, or persistent infections that don’t respond to treatments.
Treatment
Mild pneumonia can usually be treated at home.
Pneumonia doesn't usually spread from one person to another, so it's safe to be around others, including family members. But people with a weakened immune system should avoid close contact with someone who has pneumonia until that person starts to get better.
Treatment in hospital
You may need treatment in hospital if your symptoms are severe. You may be given antibiotics and fluids through a drip into a vein, and you may need oxygen if your blood oxygen levels are low.
In very serious cases of pneumonia, you may need breathing support from a ventilator in a high dependency unit (HDU) or an intensive care unit (ICU).
Follow-up
Your doctor may arrange a follow-up appointment for you. In some cases, they may also arrange follow-up tests if:
- your symptoms haven't improved
- your symptoms have come back
- you smoke
- you're over the age of 50
After recovering, some people may be advised to get a flu vaccine or a pneumococcal vaccine.