How long you are contagious depends on what is causing the pneumonia and whether you get treatment. When you cough or sneeze, pneumonia is spread to others through infected air particles. If your pneumonia is caused by a virus or bacteria, you may spread the infection to other people while you are contagious. Your doctor may want to see you after a week of treatment to make sure you are getting better. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how much you can take every day. If they do, make sure the acetaminophen you are taking in your cold medicine plus any other acetaminophen you may be taking is not higher than the daily recommended dose. Be sure to use the dosing device if one is included.Īlways check to see if any over-the-counter cough or cold medicines you are taking contain acetaminophen. For children older than 6, always follow all the instructions carefully, which includes how much medicine to give and how long it can be used. Don't give cough or cold medicines to children under 6 years of age. Be careful with cough and cold medicines.Ĭheck the label before you give cough and cold medicines to a child.Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 18 because of the risk of Reye syndrome. These medicines can help reduce fever and make you feel more comfortable. Consider taking acetaminophen or aspirin.And you should not try to stop your coughing unless it is severe enough to make breathing difficult, cause vomiting, or prevent rest. Take care of your cough if it is making it hard for you to rest.Ī cough is one way your body gets rid of the infection.The following measures can help you recover and avoid complications. Home treatment is important for recovery from pneumonia. But a cough in which the mucus is definitely coming from the lungs rather than the nasal passages is a more serious problem, and you should contact your doctor. You cough up mucus that is running down the back of the throat from the nasal passages (post-nasal drip).You have mild cold or influenza (flu) symptoms (nasal stuffiness, mild body aches or headache, mild fever).If you get worse, you and your doctor will decide what to do next. If you get better on your own, you won't need treatment. Watchful waiting is a wait-and-see approach. Occurs with a fever and brings up yellow or green mucus from the lungs (not post-nasal drainage).Īlso call your doctor if you have new chest pain (more than just discomfort when you cough) that gets worse with deep breathing and if you have other symptoms of pneumonia, such as shortness of breath, cough, and fever.Don't confuse mucus from your lungs with mucus running down the back of your throat from your nasal passages (post-nasal drip). Often brings up yellow or green mucus from the lungs and lasts longer than 2 days.Difficult, shallow, fast breathing with shortness of breath or wheezing.A cough that produces blood-tinged or rust-coloured mucus from the lungs.Feel that you may faint when you sit up or stand.Have such bad trouble breathing that you are worried you won't have the strength or ability to keep breathing.Have chest pain that is crushing or squeezing, is getting more intense, or occurs with any other symptoms of a heart attack.Or other emergency services immediately if you: If pneumonia is caused by a virus, antibiotics don't help. You may need to go to the hospital if your symptoms are bad or you have a weak immune system. Pneumonia that is caused by bacteria is treated with antibiotics. You may need more tests if your symptoms are bad or you have other health problems. This is usually enough for your doctor to know if you have pneumonia. Your doctor may order a chest X-ray and blood tests. Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical examination. Or you may have chest pain that often feels worse when you cough or breathe in. Symptoms of pneumonia may include a cough, a fever, shortness of breath, or the chills. Having a chronic disease like asthma, COPD, heart disease, cancer, or diabetes also makes you more likely to get pneumonia. You may be more likely to get it after having a cold or influenza (flu). Pneumonia usually starts when you breathe the germs into your lungs. Germs called bacteria or viruses usually cause pneumonia. But some people, like older adults and babies, may need to go to the hospital. It often clears up in a few weeks with treatment. You may cough, have a fever, and have trouble breathing. Pneumonia is a lung infection that can make you very sick.
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