Pneumonia is never silent and is accompanied by brutal symptoms. It is urgent to consult, especially if you have a chronic illness, asthma or bronchitis that persists.
YOU cough ? You have fever ? Is your bronchitis untreatable? Perhaps this is a pneumoniaa lung infection caused by bacteria – pneumococcus most often – or by a virus. “THE onset of pneumonia is often very sudden (a few hours). Pneumonia is not linked to characteristic symptoms per se. In other words, the general public won’t really be able to tell the difference between pneumonia or bronchitis.”, indicates in the preamble Dr Cécilia Nocent-Ejnaini, Pulmonologist-Allergist at the Basque Coast Hospital Center in Bayonne, member of the College of Pulmonologists of General Hospitals. THE Pneumonia symptoms may vary depending on the bacteria involved and the condition of the affected person.
1. A fever above 39°C
“Often in the case of pneumonia there is a rise in temperature around 39-40°Cdescribes our interlocutor. A high fever is a warning sign. You should not tell yourself that it will pass and you should consult a doctor. Self-medication with anti-inflammatories or antibiotics is really not recommended because there is a risk of complications”
2. Difficulty breathing
“There may be shortness of breath at the start of pneumonia which results in difficulty breathing or breathless“, reports the doctor.
3. Chest pain
“Pneumonia can be characterized by chest pain, which is however not systematic“, describes the pulmonologist. These pains generally increase upon inspiration. Chest pain is observed particularly when the infectious site is in contact with the pleura.
4. An expectorant cough
“Cough is one of the most characteristic signs of pneumonia. In general, it is a cough that rejects sputum“, she emphasizes.
5. Spit
There may sometimes be sputum, which is not a typical sign of pneumonia but which can raise suspicion. Here again, this is not not systematic.
6. Significant fatigue
“In general, in the case of pneumonia, we observe significant fatigue and a general state of unease. This sign is common to many diseases and is not specifically characteristic of pneumonia“, wants to restore our doctor.
7. Intense chills
Pneumonia can sometimes be associated with intense chills.
Can pneumonia be silent or asymptomatic?
“No. Pneumonia is always symptomatic. Anecdotally, we can read in the scientific literature that pneumonia is like “a clap of thunder in a serene sky“, evokes our interlocutor.
Can you have pneumonia without fever?
Pneumonia without fever can still exist,”but she is not classic“, indicates Dr Nocent-Edjnaini.
Who to consult if you have symptoms suggestive of pneumonia?
You should quickly consult your GP if you have a fever, a cough that releases yellow, green, rusty or blood-tinged mucus, difficulty breathing and if you have muscle, abdominal or chest pain, particularly if you are elderly or if you have a chronic illness (COPD, asthma, etc.). It is also urgent to consult if you have bronchitis that seems to be getting worse. The diagnosis of pneumonia is first suggested by questioning the patient and auscultation of the lungs. It is confirmed by the x-rayshowing opacity (white area of a lobe or lung segment).
Thanks to Dr Cécilia Nocent-Ejnaini, Pulmonologist-Allergist at the Basque Coast Hospital Center in Bayonne, member of the College of Pulmonologists of General Hospitals.