Olson, M.D. Walking pneumonia is an informal term for pneumonia that isn't severe enough to require bed rest or hospitalization. You may feel like you have a cold. The symptoms are generally so mild that you don't feel you need to stay home from work or school, so you are out walking around.
Most walking pneumonia symptoms usually go away within 3 to 5 days, but a cough can linger for weeks or months.
Walking pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Other bacteria that can cause walking pneumonia include: Chlamydophila pneumoniae. Legionella pneumoniae, which causes Legionnaires' disease, a more severe type of walking pneumonia.
Walking pneumonia refers to a case of pneumonia that is so mild that you can go about day-to-day activities throughout the course of the illness. It can feel like a very bad cold and may go away with self-care, but your doctor can help you decide if you need additional treatment.
Just like typical pneumonia, walking pneumonia spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. To reduce your risk of infection, follow these tips and learn more about avoiding pneumonia: Get a flu vaccine each year to help prevent getting pneumonia caused by the flu.
Walking pneumonia is usually treated with antibiotics. Your cough may last for 2 to 3 weeks after the infection has been treated. You may have some wheezing too. These symptoms will go away over time.
Bacterial pneumonia is more serious and often results in a gurgling sound when breathing and mucus or phlegm when coughing.
Bronchitis can also, however, bring on chest discomfort and wheezing. While symptoms for either bronchitis or pneumonia can range from mild to serious enough to require hospitalization, symptoms such as fever, breathing problems, and chest pain tend to be more severe with pneumonia.
Is It Contagious? Walking pneumonia spreads through sneezes or coughs. But it spreads slowly. If you get it, you could be contagious (which means you could spread it to other people) for up to 10 days.
Untreated pneumonia can also lead to a lung abscess, where part of the lung tissue dies. And, in very rare cases, respiratory failure can occur. These complications can be reduced, or avoided altogether, with prompt diagnosis and proper treatment. Your doctor relies on several tools to help diagnose pneumonia.
You need to take the full course of antibiotics. Ask your doctor if you can take an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), or naproxen (Aleve).
Anyone who is having trouble breathing or other severe symptoms should immediately be taken to the ER. Additionally, people in these groups who are experiencing pneumonia-like symptoms should come to the ER: Infants and small children. Seniors over age 65.
Pneumonia can be life-threatening if left untreated, especially for certain at-risk people. You should call your doctor if you have a cough that won't go away, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a fever. You should also call your doctor if you suddenly begin to feel worse after having a cold or the flu.
Drinking warm fluids, breathing in steam, and trying deep breathing and controlled coughing techniques may all help you clear mucus in the lungs without medication.
However, if you have other respiratory illnesses such as bronchitis or pneumonia with COVID-19, you may have a wet cough that contains mucus. Does coughing up mucus mean you're getting better? In most cases, coughing up mucus means your body is working to fight off an infection, and it is in the healing stages.
Walking pneumonia, or atypical pneumonia, is a less serious form of the lung infection pneumonia. It's caused by Mycoplasma bacteria, and causes cold-like symptoms, a low-grade fever, and a hacking cough.
Walking pneumonia is an informal term for pneumonia that isn't severe enough to require bed rest or hospitalization. You may feel like you have a cold. The symptoms are generally so mild that you don't feel you need to stay home from work or school, so you are out walking around.
Walking pneumonia usually indicates a more mild pneumonia caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma pneumoniae. If you have walking pneumonia, your symptoms will be mild and you'll probably function normally. Walking pneumonia symptoms include: Dry cough that's persistent and typically gets worse at night.
Common symptoms of pneumonia include: 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.