What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. Your air sacs may fill with fluid or pus, causing cough with phlegm, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia. The term “community-acquired” refers to someone catching an infection while in your daily life settings, not at a hospital or healthcare facility. The term “hospital-acquired” refers to a situation when you catch an infection in a healthcare facility, including hospitals.
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
The common symptoms of pneumonia include fever, trouble breathing, and cough that is typically associated with yellow or green mucus.
How do I know if I have pneumonia?
If your doctor suspected that you have pneumonia, they might order a chest X-ray and lab tests, including possibly a sputum culture, based on the symptoms described above.
What is the treatment for pneumonia?
Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial pneumonia. Antibiotics are medicines that kill the germs causing pneumonia. If your pneumonia is severe enough, you may need to be hospitalized to get these medicines in an intravenous form. You may also need oxygen for some time until your pneumonia improves.
Do you think you have pneumonia? Call our Pulmonary Clinic at (978) 254-4983 to get scheduled as soon as possible. Click here to Contact Us. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911.