How to Determine if You Have Pneumonia
Identify symptoms of pneumonia., Go to the doctor if you think you have pneumonia., Describe your symptoms to your doctor., Let the doctor listen to your lungs., Get additional tests if your doctor recommends it.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Identify symptoms of pneumonia.
If you think you might have pneumonia, it is important to treat it promptly before it gets worse.
The symptoms may worsen gradually over several days or suddenly be very severe from the onset.
Signs of pneumonia include:
Fever Sweating and shivering Discomfort in your chest when you cough or breathe, particularly breathing when breathing deeply Fast, shallow breathing.
This may occur only when you are physically active.
Fatigue Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
These are common symptoms in infants.
Coughing.
You may even cough up yellow, green, rust-colored, or pink and bloody mucus.
Headache Lack of hunger White fingernails Confusion.
This commonly occurs in elderly people who have pneumonia.
A lower body temperature than normal.
This is most likely to occur in the elderly or people with weakened immune systems.
Joint pain, rib pain, upper abdominal pain, or back pain Accelerated heartbeat -
Step 2: Go to the doctor if you think you have pneumonia.
All people who think they may have pneumonia should go immediately to the doctor.
Pneumonia can be deadly if left untreated.
You are particularly likely to be vulnerably to rapidly developing a severe infection if you belong to one of the following high risk groups:
Children younger than two People over 65 People with other health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, heart, or lung problems People getting chemotherapy People taking medications which suppress their immune systems , This will help him understand how long you have been sick and how severe your infection might be.
Your doctor may want to know:
If you feel out of breath or breathe rapidly even when you are resting How long you have been coughing and whether it is getting worse If you are coughing up mucus that is yellow, green, or pink If your chest hurts when you inhale or exhale , The doctor may ask you to lift up or remove your shirt so he or she can use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs.
This doesn't hurt, and the only discomfort you may feel is because the stethoscope often feels cold when it touches the bare skin.
The doctor will ask you to take deep breaths while he or she listens to the front and back of your chest.If your lungs rattle or crackle, this is a sign of an infection.
Your doctor may tap on your chest while listening.
This can help detect lungs that are filled with fluid. , There are several things the doctor can do to identify if you have a lung infection and what exactly might be causing it.
Possible tests include:
A chest X-ray.
This will help the doctor to see if you have an infection in your lungs and if so, which side it is in and how widespread it is.
This test does not hurt.
The doctor will use X-rays to create an image of your lungs.
You may be asked to wear a lead apron to protect your reproductive organs.
If you think you might be pregnant, tell your doctor, because X-rays may be dangerous for your baby.Blood or sputum cultures.
During this test, the doctor will either take blood or ask you to cough sputum into a vial.
The blood or sputum will be tested in the lab to determine exactly what pathogen is causing the infection.
If you are already in the hospital and/or your health is severely compromised, other tests may be done.
This could include a test of your arterial blood gases to determine if your lungs are supplying your blood with enough oxygen, a CT scan if you are in the ER, or thoracentesis, during which a highly trained specialist uses a needle to go through the skin and muscles of your chest and remove a small amount of fluid for testing. -
Step 3: Describe your symptoms to your doctor.
-
Step 4: Let the doctor listen to your lungs.
-
Step 5: Get additional tests if your doctor recommends it.
Detailed Guide
If you think you might have pneumonia, it is important to treat it promptly before it gets worse.
The symptoms may worsen gradually over several days or suddenly be very severe from the onset.
Signs of pneumonia include:
Fever Sweating and shivering Discomfort in your chest when you cough or breathe, particularly breathing when breathing deeply Fast, shallow breathing.
This may occur only when you are physically active.
Fatigue Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
These are common symptoms in infants.
Coughing.
You may even cough up yellow, green, rust-colored, or pink and bloody mucus.
Headache Lack of hunger White fingernails Confusion.
This commonly occurs in elderly people who have pneumonia.
A lower body temperature than normal.
This is most likely to occur in the elderly or people with weakened immune systems.
Joint pain, rib pain, upper abdominal pain, or back pain Accelerated heartbeat
All people who think they may have pneumonia should go immediately to the doctor.
Pneumonia can be deadly if left untreated.
You are particularly likely to be vulnerably to rapidly developing a severe infection if you belong to one of the following high risk groups:
Children younger than two People over 65 People with other health conditions such as HIV/AIDS, heart, or lung problems People getting chemotherapy People taking medications which suppress their immune systems , This will help him understand how long you have been sick and how severe your infection might be.
Your doctor may want to know:
If you feel out of breath or breathe rapidly even when you are resting How long you have been coughing and whether it is getting worse If you are coughing up mucus that is yellow, green, or pink If your chest hurts when you inhale or exhale , The doctor may ask you to lift up or remove your shirt so he or she can use a stethoscope to listen to your lungs.
This doesn't hurt, and the only discomfort you may feel is because the stethoscope often feels cold when it touches the bare skin.
The doctor will ask you to take deep breaths while he or she listens to the front and back of your chest.If your lungs rattle or crackle, this is a sign of an infection.
Your doctor may tap on your chest while listening.
This can help detect lungs that are filled with fluid. , There are several things the doctor can do to identify if you have a lung infection and what exactly might be causing it.
Possible tests include:
A chest X-ray.
This will help the doctor to see if you have an infection in your lungs and if so, which side it is in and how widespread it is.
This test does not hurt.
The doctor will use X-rays to create an image of your lungs.
You may be asked to wear a lead apron to protect your reproductive organs.
If you think you might be pregnant, tell your doctor, because X-rays may be dangerous for your baby.Blood or sputum cultures.
During this test, the doctor will either take blood or ask you to cough sputum into a vial.
The blood or sputum will be tested in the lab to determine exactly what pathogen is causing the infection.
If you are already in the hospital and/or your health is severely compromised, other tests may be done.
This could include a test of your arterial blood gases to determine if your lungs are supplying your blood with enough oxygen, a CT scan if you are in the ER, or thoracentesis, during which a highly trained specialist uses a needle to go through the skin and muscles of your chest and remove a small amount of fluid for testing.
About the Author
Jeffrey Thomas
Committed to making lifestyle accessible and understandable for everyone.
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