PICTURE: PEXELS/ UNDER THE WEATHER
Walking pneumonia frequently begins with minor symptoms, such as a cough or mild fatigue, that you might easily ignore. You may even go about your daily life without realizing you have an infection because it doesn’t manifest as aggressively as regular pneumonia.
If left untreated, can progressively worsen. Here are some ways that this “milder” kind of pneumonia can surprise you and why it’s critical to pay attention to the early warning symptoms.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, “Walking pneumonia is a mild form of pneumonia. Pneumonia is a lung infection that causes your airways to swell, the air sacs in your lungs to fill with mucus and other fluids, a high fever and a cough with mucus.”
The clinic also mentions that walking pneumonia differs from “regular” pneumonia only in that it is typically less severe and doesn’t necessitate hospitalization or bed rest.
Between one and four weeks after being exposed to the bacterium that causes walking pneumonia, you may begin to show symptoms. Walking pneumonia symptoms can include, sore throat, chronic cough, headache, weakness, exhaustion, fever, and chills, according to the health-focused publication Healthline.
The health hub also states, “Symptoms can also vary based on where the infection is. For example, an infection in the upper respiratory tract may be more likely to cause a sore throat, cough, and/or runny nose. A lower respiratory infection may cause symptoms like coughing, shortness of breath, and wheezing.”
Michael Chang, MD, an infectious disease physician at UTHealth Houston recommends seeking medical help immediately if you or someone you know has wheezing, shortness of breath, or trouble finishing sentences. Feeding difficulties in babies may potentially be an indication of a more serious viral infection. Parents should see a doctor if the fever gets worse after a week.
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