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Beauty and Anti-Aging

Walking Pneumonia vs. Pneumonia

31 de enero de 2024

3 min de lectura

The terms “walking pneumonia” and “pneumonia” are often used interchangeably, even though they have certain differences.

Walking pneumonia is a milder case of pneumonia with symptoms that do not require hospitalization. Also known as atypical pneumonia, walking pneumonia is caused by bacteria, viruses, or mold and can take longer to recover than regular pneumonia.

In contrast, regular pneumonia is a more severe form of lung infection characterized by high fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

While people with severe pneumonia need several days of bed rest and even hospitalization, those with walking pneumonia may simply have symptoms of cold or viral illness.

What are their symptoms?

The symptoms of walking pneumonia are less severe than those of regular pneumonia.

Some of the symptoms of walking pneumonia are:

Mild fever below 110℉
Dry cough that lasts more than a week
Chest pain
Chills
Labored breathing
Headache
Sore throat
Loss of appetite

Symptoms of severe pneumonia are:

High fever (110 to 105)℉
Phlegm or mucus-producing coughs
Headache
Chills
Fatigue
Sore throat
Shortness of breath
Loss of appetite
Chest pain with prolonged cough

What causes them?

Both walking pneumonia and severe pneumonia are respiratory tract infections, even though they are caused by different germs.

Walking pneumonia

Walking pneumonia is commonly caused by bacteria like:

Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Legionella pneumoniae, a bacteria that causes a severe form of walking pneumonia called Legionnaire’s disease
Chlamydophila pneumoniae

Pneumonia

Regular pneumonia is a severe lung infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. While the most common pneumonia-causing bacteria is Streptococcus pneumoniae, the second most common is Haemophilus influenza.

Commonly, viral pneumonia is caused by the Influenza virus. In rare cases, fungal pneumonia occurs from the fungi in the soil or bird droppings.

Who gets them?

Both walking pneumonia and pneumonia can occur if you :

Are 2 years of age or below
Are 65 years of age and above
Have a weakened immune system or take immunosuppressant drugs
Have asthma
Smoke or use tobacco products
Live in highly polluted areas
Use inhaled corticosteroids regularly
Have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Have emphysema.

Diagnosis

Walking pneumonia

Your medical provider will diagnose walking pneumonia based on the symptoms. They may also perform blood and sputum tests or chest X-rays to identify the organism causing it.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is diagnosed using more extensive tests like:

A chest X-ray to determine how the disease affects the lungs
Sputum and blood cultures to identify the organisms causing pneumonia
Pulse oximetry monitoring that measures the fluctuating oxygen levels in a person’s blood

Treatment

Walking pneumonia

A doctor may recommend antibiotics for walking pneumonia, depending on the severity of the symptoms.

Home remedies include:

Medications, like acetaminophen and ibuprofen for fever
Antihistamines to reduce the symptoms

People with walking pneumonia must stay hydrated and take plenty of rest.

Pneumonia

The doctor may recommend additional treatments for pneumonia and severe forms of walking pneumonia, like:

Oral or intravenous antibiotics
Corticosteroids to reduce inflammation
Oxygen to assist breathing
Intravenous IV fluids

Severe pneumonia may require oxygen therapy as intubation or breathing therapy from a ventilator for supplemental oxygen.

Recovery time

While walking pneumonia has a longer recovery period of 6 weeks, most people take about one week to recover from regular pneumonia.

People with bacterial pneumonia recover after starting antibiotics, while those with viral pneumonia typically improve after one to three weeks of antiviral treatment.

Prevention

You can prevent walking pneumonia and pneumonia by:

Getting flu vaccines and pneumonia vaccines to improve immunity
Regular washing of hands with soap and water
Covering nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing
Avoiding sick people
Avoiding smoking or drinking alcohol

Sources

Información general, no consejo médico

Este artículo no puede tener en cuenta tu historial de salud ni tu tratamiento actual. Habla con un profesional sanitario cualificado antes de cambiar nada de tu cuidado.

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What are their symptoms?