June 19, 2011
Pneumonia
From PubMed Health:
Pneumonia is a respiratory condition in which there is infection of the lung.The most common symptoms of pneumonia are:
» Cough (with some pneumonias you may cough up greenish or yellow mucus, or even bloody mucus)
» Fever, which may be mild or high
» Shaking chills
» Shortness of breath (may only occur when you climb stairs)Additional symptoms include:
» Confusion, especially in older people
» Excessive sweating and clammy skin
» Headache
» Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
» Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
If you suspect you have pneumonia, get to a doctor as soon as possible. If they don’t suggest it, be sure to ask for an X-ray. This is the quickest way to determine whether there is an infection in your lungs.
The next step is antibiotics and a recovery that can take weeks.
(This public health bulletin on pneumonia is brought to you by someone who wishes he didn’t have it.)