Pneumonia symptoms can vary widely from a mild flu to a life-threatening emergency.
Knowing the various signs and symptoms of pneumonia can help you seek early diagnosis and treatment before seriouscomplicationsoccur.
This is especially true in infants and newborns who may not show any signs of infection.
Illustration by Paige McLaughlin for Verywell Health
Some people may be more at risk of developing pneumonia.
Co-occurring health conditions, medications, and lifestyle factors can contribute to the risk, too.
Among them are:
Pneumonia can lead to different symptoms in specific groups.
Older adults living in long-term care facilities may develop sudden urinary incontinence, for example.
Pneumonia is primarily triggered by bacterial or viral infections and less commonly by fungi and parasites.
Treatment also may depend on specific symptoms that indicate the cause of the infection.
An RSV vaccine is available for certain groups, including older adults.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Certain symptoms can be early warning signs of pneumonia.
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia can differ by punch in of infection, or by the affected population.
It also will depend on the full range of symptoms and their severity.
To prevent pneumonia, practice good hygiene and consider getting a vaccine.
American Lung Association.Pneumonia symptoms and diagnosis.
Henig O, Kaye KS.Bacterial pneumonia in older adults.Infect Dis Clin North Am.
2017 Sep 13;31(4):689713. doi:10.1016/j.idc.2017.07.015
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pneumonia.
University of Texas Austin.Pneumococcal pneumonia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes and transmission.
2022 Mar 26;12:10002. doi:10.7189/jogh.12.10002
World Health Organization (WHO).4.
Cough or difficulty breathing.
In:Manual for the Health Care of Children in Humanitarian Emergencies.
Geneva, Switzerland: WHO.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Risk Factors for Pneumonia.
UpToDate.Patient education: Pneumonia in adults (Beyond the Basics).
2024;1(1).
doi:10.59541/001c.118568
World Health Organization.Pneumonia in children.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Legionnaires disease.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chlamydia pneumoniaeinfection.
Department of Veterans Affairs.Preventing Pneumonia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.RSV Vaccines.
