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Patient Meals. Pay My Bill Online. Financial Assistance. Medical Records. Events Calendar. How Is Pneumonia Diagnosed? Medical history Your doctor will ask you questions about your signs and symptoms, and how and when they began. To help figure out if your infection is caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi, you may be asked some questions about possible exposures, such as: Any recent travel Your occupation Contact with animals Exposure to other sick people at home, work or school Whether you have recently had another illness Physical exam Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope.
Diagnostic Tests If your doctor suspects you may have pneumonia, they will probably recommend some tests to confirm the diagnosis and learn more about your infection. These may include: Blood tests to confirm the infection and to try to identify the germ that is causing your illness. Chest X-ray to look for the location and extent of inflammation in your lungs. Pulse oximetry to measure the oxygen level in your blood. Pneumonia can prevent your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your bloodstream.
Sputum test on a sample of mucus sputum taken after a deep cough, to look for the source of the infection. If you are considered a high-risk patient because of your age and overall health, or if you are hospitalized, the doctors may want to do some additional tests, including: CT scan of the chest to get a better view of the lungs and look for abscesses or other complications.
Arterial blood gas test , to measure the amount of oxygen in a blood sample taken from an artery, usually in your wrist. This is more accurate than the simpler pulse oximetry. Pleural fluid culture , which removes a small amount of fluid from around tissues that surround the lung, to analyze and identify bacteria causing the pneumonia. Bronchoscopy , a procedure used to look into the lungs' airways. If you are hospitalized and your treatment is not working well, doctors may want to see whether something else is affecting your airways, such as a blockage.
They may also take fluid samples or a biopsy of lung tissue. Previous: What Causes Pneumonia? Next: Pneumonia Treatment and Recovery. If you are diagnosed with pneumonia, it is important to follow your treatment plan, take steps to help your body recover, monitor your condition, and take steps to prevent your infection from spreading to others.
It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better and are able to return to their normal routines in one to two weeks.
For others, it can take a month or longer. Most people continue to feel tired for about a month. Talk with your doctor about when you can return to your normal activities. Watch the video below to learn about managing your recovery at home. This video shows what to expect as you recover from pneumonia and how you can improve your recovery. It is important that you take all your medicines as your doctor prescribes.
If you are using antibiotics, continue to take the medicine until it is all gone. You may start to feel better before you finish the medicine, but you should continue to take it. If you stop too soon, the bacterial infection and your pneumonia may come back.
It may also become resistant to the antibiotic, making treatment more difficult. The following steps can help your body recover from pneumonia. Ask your doctor when you should schedule follow-up care. If your symptoms have not improved, your doctor may use a chest X-ray to help diagnose other conditions that may be causing your symptoms. Your doctor may suggest pulmonary rehabilitation to help you breathe better as your lungs recover. You may also need physical therapy to help you regain your strength.
Physical activity can help improve your recovery. Pneumonia can have long-term effects such as depression, and worsening heart and blood vessel diseases. Call your doctor if you develop these conditions, if your symptoms suddenly get worse, or if you have trouble breathing or talking.
The following steps can help you prevent spreading the infection to others around you. Some people get pneumonia again and again. Tell your doctor if this happens. Return to Prevention to find more strategies to help prevent pneumonia. We lead or sponsor many studies on pneumonia. See whether you or someone you know is eligible to participate in our clinical trials and observational studies. Learn more about participating in a clinical trial. View all trials from ClinicalTrials.
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This Symposium will highlight important scientific advances in pulmonary health and disease since the creation of t Pneumonia, caused by bacteria. Figure A shows pneumonia affecting part of the left lung.
Figure B shows healthy alveoli air sacs. Figure C shows alveoli filled with mucus. Causes - Pneumonia. Bacteria Bacteria are a common cause of pneumonia in adults.
Viruses Viruses that infect your lungs and airways can cause pneumonia. Fungi Fungi such as Pneumocystis jirovecii may cause pneumonia, particularly in people who have weakened immune systems.
Risk Factors - Pneumonia. Age Pneumonia can affect people of all ages. Babies and children, 2 years old or younger, because their immune systems are still developing. The risk is higher for premature babies.
Older adults, age 65 or older, because their immune systems generally weaken as they age. Older adults are also more likely to have other chronic long-term health conditions that raise the risk of pneumonia. Environment or occupation Most people get pneumonia when they catch an infection from someone else in their community. Your risk is also higher if you regularly breathe in air pollution or toxic fumes.
Lifestyle habits Smoking cigarettes can make you less able to clear mucus from your airways. Using drugs or alcohol can weaken your immune system.
You are also more likely to accidentally inhale saliva or vomit into your windpipe if you are sedated or unconscious from an overdose. Other medical conditions You may have an increased risk of pneumonia if you have any of the following medical conditions.
These conditions can affect your ability to cough or swallow. This can lead to food, drink, vomit, or saliva going down your windpipe instead of your esophagus and getting into your lungs.
Chemotherapy, which is used to treat cancer, and long-term use of steroid medicines can also weaken your immune system. Critical diseases that require hospitalization. Receiving treatment in a hospital intensive care unit raises your risk of hospital-acquired pneumonia. Your risk is higher if you cannot move around much or are sedated or unconscious. Using a ventilator raises the risk of a type called ventilator-associated pneumonia. Lung diseases, such as asthma , bronchiectasis , cystic fibrosis , or COPD.
Other serious conditions, such as malnutrition, diabetes , heart failure , sickle cell disease , or liver or kidney disease. Screening and Prevention - Pneumonia. Vaccines Vaccines can help prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcus bacteria or the flu virus. Pneumococcus vaccines are especially important for people at high risk of pneumonia, including: Adults age 65 or older Children age 2 or younger People who have chronic ongoing diseases, serious long-term health problems, or weak immune systems.
This may include people who have cancer, HIV, asthma , sickle cell disease , or damaged or removed spleens. Flu influenza vaccine Your yearly flu vaccine can help prevent pneumonia caused by the flu. This chest X-ray shows an area of lung inflammation indicating the presence of pneumonia. Your doctor will start by asking about your medical history and doing a physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal bubbling or crackling sounds that suggest pneumonia.
Your doctor might order additional tests if you're older than age 65, are in the hospital, or have serious symptoms or health conditions. These may include:. Treatment for pneumonia involves curing the infection and preventing complications. People who have community-acquired pneumonia usually can be treated at home with medication.
Although most symptoms ease in a few days or weeks, the feeling of tiredness can persist for a month or more. Specific treatments depend on the type and severity of your pneumonia, your age and your overall health. The options include:. You may be admitted to the intensive care unit if you need to be placed on a breathing machine ventilator or if your symptoms are severe. Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
You may start by seeing a primary care doctor or an emergency care doctor, or you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases or in lung disease pulmonologist. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Diagnosis Chest X-ray showing pneumonia Open pop-up dialog box Close.
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