Pneumonia and Your Lungs

 Can You Get Pneumonia More Than Once?

Pneumonia is a lung infection. Pneumonia occurs when the microscopic air-filled sacs of the lungs (known as alveoli) become inflamed and flooded with fluid.

The term "double pneumonia" means that infection has occurred in both lungs.

Many people get pneumonia following an upper respiratory infection such as a cold or the flu. A person who's getting pneumonia may think their cold or flu has just gotten worse and may not realize they've developed pneumonia.

Pneumonia caused by bacteria usually lasts 1-2 weeks, depending on the severity of the infection. Viral pneumonia can last 2 weeks or longer.

Can get pneumonia more than once? Yes, absolutely, and the more often you get pneumonia the more likely you are to get it again. Each time you get pneumonia, your risk of contracting it again increases, and each new case is likely to be worse than the last.

Causes of pneumonia

Pneumonia can be caused by a number of different agents: viruses, bacteria, parasites or fungi.

The most common cause of pneumonia is a virus. Common viruses that most often lead to pneumonia are rhinovirus, flu, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), and adenoviruses.

Pneumonia symptoms

The signs of pneumonia usually appear two to three days after a cold or a sore throat.

Typical symptoms include

• fever,
• chills and shivering,
• coughing,
• difficult rapid breathing,
• breathing with wheezing or grunting sounds,
• chest pain possibly caused by pleurisy,
• vomiting,
• decreased energy, fatigue, lethargy,
• rapid heart rate,
• muscular pain and body aches,
• loss of appetite,

In some cases of pneumonia, the lips and fingernails will take on a grayish color. For additional detail, click on symptoms for pneumonia.

What is walking pneumonia? 

The term "walking pneumonia" refers a mild case of pneumonia that doesn't require hospitalization or keep the infected person from doing most activities of daily living.

You can tell the difference between walking pneumonia and a cold because a cold will get better in a week or so, but walking pneumonia tends to get worse. Walking pneumonia usually takes 1 to 3 weeks to reach full stage.

Preventing pneumonia

Pneumonia itself is not contagious. However, the bacteria and viruses that cause that cause can be. Pneumonia-causing agents can be spread through direct contact with an infected person or contact with the fluid from their mouth or nose. Additionally, bacteria and viruses are transmitted through airborne droplets, which disperse when the pneumonia sufferer talks, sneezes, coughs or laughs.

There are a number of steps you can take to prevent pneumonia.

The simplest way, of course, to avoid people who have it. If you live with someone or must care for someone with pneumonia, you can take extra careful precautions around them to be sure you don’t get it as well.

Vaccines are available that prevent certain types of pneumonia. Check with your doctor.

You can also prevent pneumonia by protecting yourself against colds and flu, which may lead to pneumonia. Get a flu shot every year.

There are also some antiviral medications available that can be given to people who have a high risk of contracting pneumonia.
 

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