Lung Disease & Respiratory Health Center

Understanding Pneumonia -- Symptoms

What Are the Symptoms of Pneumonia?

The symptoms of viral pneumonia usually include these symptoms:

• Low fever
• Chills
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
• Chest pain
• Sore throat
• Coughing that usually brings up only a small amount of mucus

Bacterial pneumonia usually includes these symptoms:

• High fever
• Cough with thick greenish or rust-colored mucus
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid breathing
• Sharp chest pain that is worse with deep breaths
• Abdominal pain
• Severe fatigue

You may also notice chills, profuse sweating, and mental confusion.

Bacterial pneumonia in children may include the following symptoms:

• Labored and rapid breathing (more than 45 breaths a minute)
• Sudden onset of fever
• Cough
• Wheezing
• Bluish skin, lips, or fingertips

Mycoplasma pneumonia, one common type of infection, usually goes away without treatment. Symptoms may include the following:

• Violent attacks of coughing that bring up only a small amount of mucus
• Chills and fever
• Nausea or vomiting
• Weakness for up to a month

When to Call Your Doctor About Pneumonia

Call your doctor if you notice any of the symptoms of pneumonia. In many instances, you will need immediate treatment to recover and avoid complications. In addition, call your doctor if:

• Your sharp chest pain does not get better with prescribed treatment; you have increased shortness of breath; or your fingernails, toenails, or skin becomes dark or develops a bluish tinge after diagnosis. This may mean that you are not getting enough oxygen into your blood and you need medical assistance.
• You cough up blood; you may need additional treatment for a worsening infection.