{"id":5145,"date":"2019-03-20T10:31:37","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T10:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=5145"},"modified":"2021-05-31T22:22:10","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T22:22:10","slug":"10-typical-signs-of-pneumonia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/10-typical-signs-of-pneumonia\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Typical Signs of Pneumonia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pneumonia is an inflammatory infection affecting the \u201calveoli,\u201d the tiny air sacs found at the end of your bronchial tubes. In patients with pneumonia, the air sacs become blocked with fluid and mucus, interrupting normal breathing.
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The disease occurs due to bacterial, viral, or fungal infection of the airways. It\u2019s also possible for people to progress from a milder condition, such as the flu or bronchitis, into full-blown pneumonia. Symptoms of the disease begin to show up anywhere from 24 to 96-hours after infection. If left untreated, pneumonia can be fatal.
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Due to the similarity between symptoms of the flu and pneumonia, many people wait too long before receiving a diagnosis of their condition. This lack of action leads to the advancement of the disease into both of the lungs. Here are eight typical signs of pneumonia. If you experience any of the symptoms, arrange a consultation with your doctor to halt the progression of the disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Coughing
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Coughing <\/a>is a symptom common in many different diseases affecting the health of the respiratory system. The flu and bronchitis may both produce coughing symptoms requiring treatment. However, flu coughs are generally dry and raspy, with phlegm appearing a few days after contracting the disease.
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Patients with bronchitis also receive coughing symptoms that are more similar to what you can expect from a pneumonia infection. Coughing produces a sticky mucus that contains traces of green of brown flecks signaling bacterial or fungal infection. However, bronchitis coughs typically dry up within a few days after receiving the necessary antibiotics.
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Pneumonia coughs are different in the sense that they feel much more \u201cwet.\u201d As the air sacs fill with mucus, the patient receives violent coughing fits, followed by a crackling noise as they inhale. Coughing symptoms persist and eventually affect normal breathing, requiring immediate medical assistance to eliminate the bacteria causing the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Fever
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A high fever <\/a>is another typical sign of pneumonia attributed to other diseases like the flu and bronchitis. Increasing the temperature is the body\u2019s way of ridding itself of invading pathogens \u2013 it turns up the heat to kill off the virus, fungi, or bacteria causing the infection.
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Fevers occur when the body releases pyrogens, a biochemical that binds to receptors in the hypothalamus, and responsible for regulating body temperature. As the pyrogens bind to receptors, the hypothalamus increases body temperature, and fever starts to develop.
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The pyrogens responsible for the rise in body temperature is, \u201cInterleukin-1 (IL-1).\u201d These macrophages form from white blood cells when they come into contact with viruses and bacteria. Their primary purpose is to signal other T-cells into attacking the invading pathogens.
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Fevers are easy to break with the assistance of medication. However, since the body’s natural defense to infection is to raise body temperature, medical experts are divided on whether or not to stop a fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Chest Pain
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Contracting pneumonia, results in a host of symptoms that affect the respiratory system. While the flu and bronchitis produce coughing symptoms, they\u2019re entirely different from those associated with pneumonia. Some patients suffering from the disease may experience sharp chest pains during coughing.
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Medical practitioners refer to this chest pain<\/a> as, “pleuritic chest pain,” or breathing that causes significant amounts of pain. As the lungs draw in air, it irritates the airways and causes the fluid in the air sacs to move, inducing a cough. However, coughing fits may be so violent that they strain the bronchial tubes and the bronchial stems attached to the larynx.
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This strain has the potential to scar the air sacs and bronchial tubes, especially during intense coughing fits. Patients with chest pain often receive relief by using a diffuser to moisten the air in the room, making breathing more comfortable by reducing irritation to the airways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Sweating and Chills
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Anyone dealing with a bout of the flu will tell you that it\u2019s the strangest thing to feel freezing and experience chills <\/a>while you\u2019re dealing with a fever. Bacteria and viruses begin to lose their ability to replicate when your body temperature rises above 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. That\u2019s the reason why the body releases pyrogens to turn up the heat on the invading pathogens.
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When your hypothalamus re-sets the temperature point, it takes your body a while to catch up. During the resultant lag, your body will feel cold, and you begin to shiver, even though your temperature is rising. When you sweat during this temperature change, it makes your skin feel cold and clammy.
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As your body adjusts to the new temperature set point, the chills dissipate, and you\u2019re left feeling the effects of the fever. During a temperature increase, it\u2019s common to experience an increase in the amount of sweat you produce. Sweating keeps the body cool and prevents damage to your organs in the midst of a fever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Feelings of Malaise
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Pneumonia is a severe infection that requires medical treatment for recovery. In the early stages of the disease, it\u2019s possible to confuse symptoms with those attributed to bronchitis or the flu. However, the infection won\u2019t clear by itself in the same manner. The flu is a viral infection, and when it works its way out of your system, you begin to experience a fast recovery.
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However, pneumonia will continue well past the 72-hour mark, with symptoms intensifying as the disease progresses. When we don\u2019t know what’s causing our illness, our body and mind begin to run wild with negative emotions because we\u2019re uncertain about our future health.
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These feelings of dread and depression are known as \u201cmalaise.\u201d Malaise <\/a>is not curable through drug therapy or surgery. It\u2019s a mental health issue you need to address through a diagnosis of the disease that\u2019s affecting your health and well-being. However, after diagnosis and early treatment, feelings of malaise will fade away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Fatigue
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Individuals suffering from pneumonia infection also experience feelings of extreme fatigue<\/a>. The disease affects the lung’s ability to process carbon dioxide returning to the lungs. The gaseous exchange in the air sacs becomes inefficient as they fill with phlegm and pus. This blockage results in feelings of lethargy and fatigue that are far beyond sensations of laziness.
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A lack of oxygen in the blood makes the muscular system tired and unable to draw in the necessary oxygen it needs to maintain physical movement. As a result, people suffering from pneumonia find it challenging to get out of bed and visit the doctor. Instead, they make the mistake of deciding to get more rest in the hope that the disease will work its way out of their system.
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Pneumonia is treatable, but it requires an early diagnosis to avoid the worst symptoms and effects. If you notice any early warning signs of pneumonia, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Rapid Heartbeat and Loss of Appetite
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Pneumonia <\/a>can increase your heart rate. Patients in the advanced stages of infection notice they have a racing heartbeat, and it often feels like the heart is going to explode because it’s beating so hard. Patients report a thudding feeling from the chest that doesn\u2019t go away, even when they\u2019re lying down.
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The stress caused by the infection increases the number of adrenaline hormones produced by the adrenal glands \u2013 the tiny, peanut-shaped glands that sit on top of your kidneys. This surge in adrenaline activates the \u201cfight-or-flight\u201d response and makes the heart beat faster than it usually would.
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At the same time, lower oxygen levels in the blood exacerbate the situation, causing the heart to beat faster. Patients suffering from pneumonia, report abnormally fast rhythms and experience \u201catrial fibrillation,\u201d an irregular heartbeat rhythm that feels like a flutter in the heart. These conditions occur due to higher blood pressure resulting from dilation of the vessels in the right side of the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Oxygen Deficiency
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Pneumonia interrupts your ability to breath, disrupting the amount of oxygen entering the bloodstream. Various health conditions arise from not receiving enough oxygen. Headaches <\/a>are a common sign of pneumonia infection, as the body struggles to absorb oxygen through the fluid-filled air sacs in the lungs.
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Some patients report waking up with a headache first thing in the morning. This symptom is a sign of lungs that are no longer able to draw enough air into the body, and these affected individuals should seek medical treatment immediately.
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Wheezing is another frequently encountered symptom of pneumonia. The fluid in the alveoli bubbles as air passes through the sac and creates a wheezing or crackling sound that inspires the patient to cough. A lack of oxygen interferes with normal cognitive function as well, producing feelings of confusion and disorientation, especially after waking up in the morning. Seniors battling with a pneumonia infection are most affected by these symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Blueish Tinge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

That lack of oxygen <\/a>is technically referred to as \u2018hypoxia\u2019 (meaning low oxygen). Normally, the lungs in conjunction with the pulmonary circulatory system help to oxygenate blood, and thereby to carry it around the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Far from being solely responsible for fueling movement and providing energy, this blood also has many other jobs: such as modulating body temperature and more. In many areas of the body, the blood runs very close to the surface of the skin, which in turn is what gives us a slightly reddish complexion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, when you suffer from hypoxia, this can cause the blood to look more blue-ish, which is simply due to the lack of oxygen content. That in turn means that your skin will not look so pink and might have a slightly blue tinge to it.
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10. Brain Fog and Confusion<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another common symptom of hypoxia is brain fog<\/a> and confusion. This is caused by the low oxygen supply to the brain, and this might also cause the appearance of \u2018stars\u2019 in front of the eyes, as well as a feeling of dizziness, or of being a little detached from your surroundings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason this happens is of course that the brain cells are not getting the energy they need to function properly. This is also why gas and air makes us feel faint and light-headed, and why you feel the same way when you hyperventilate. In those cases, you actually flood the blood with oxygen but this prevents the body from utilizing <\/em>that oxygen, seeing as we need CO2 to extract oxygen from the erythrocytes (red blood cells). In this case, you simply lack that oxygen in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another possible explanation for brain fog is that the body will be producing pro-inflammatory cytokines to try and increase inflammation and drive out the infection. This can also affect the brain, which in turn causes brain fog.
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11. Nausea and Vomiting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you have an infection of any kind, the body will often try and drive it out in any way it can. This can include forcing you to be sick, which is of course an attempt to try and drive the bacteria out of the system and to empty the gut in case any is residing in there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, nausea <\/a>can also be caused indirectly by the immune response. This is due to the body driving blood away from the stomach and the digestion, and instead sending it towards the immune system. This leaves the stomach operating less effectively, and that can cause the feeling of \u2018butterflies\u2019 in the stomach. This is actually the same thing that happens when we experience the stress response.
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12. Low Body Temperature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, one of the jobs of the circulatory system is to help manage body temperature<\/a>. Many different processes aid with this \u2013 for instance, the muscles will often try to generate heat by shivering, which creates heat as a byproduct<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blood vessels attempt to do the same thing by moving the blood where it is needed to heat different areas. When it is very warm, the blood vessels move to the surface of the skin, which is why we appear more vascular in hot weather. When it is cold, they move inwards toward the organs to protect them. This is controlled by \u2018vascular smooth muscle\u2019 tissue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the case of hypoxia, there is less blood to go around and so the organs are prioritized. Blood is directed deeper beneath the surface therefore, and the result is that your extremities and the surface of your skin may feel very cold to touch.
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13. High Blood Pressure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As mentioned, pneumonia can cause an increased heart rate as the body tried desperately to circulate more oxygen where it is needed. This, in turn, will increase the heart rate, which will lead to elevated blood pressure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason for this is that the pumping of the heart is what creates blood pressure<\/a>: by forcing more blood into the circulatory system, it increases the intravenous pressure. This is also why our systolic pressure is higher than our diastolic pressure: as the body is pushing the blood during this point.
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14. Panic and Anxiety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, you might feel anxious and even be more prone to panic attacks<\/a> if you have pneumonia. The reason is because the heart rate has been elevated, which sends a signal via the vagus nerve that \u2018all is not well\u2019 in the body. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result, your brain will elevate the production of the neurochemicals adrenaline, norepinephrine, cortisol, dopamine, and others. This is effectively creating a \u2018fight or flight\u2019 response. The only difference is that rather than seeing something dangerous and then having the physiological response, the physiology is in this case triggering the psychological experience of stress.
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