Pneumonia Symptoms

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can cause many different symptoms that are similar to a cold, including:

• sneezing,
• cough,
• sore throat, and
• fatigue.

High fever (up to 104 F or 40 C), shaking, and chills follow. If you have pneumonia, you may also cough up mucus (sputum) that may be discolored or bloody. Sometimes there is sharp chest pain and shortness of breath, and you also may have a headache and muscle aches.

Mild cases of pneumonia are often referred to as "walking pneumonia," and symptoms include:

• cough with little mucus,
• mild flu-like symptoms,
• sore throat,
• headache, and
• tiredness.

Walking pneumonia is usually an infection with a mycoplasma bacterium or other atypical infectious causes. If you have walking pneumonia you may feel well enough to go to work and carry out daily activities.

Children, toddlers, and infants with pneumonia may not show signs of a chest infection but can have fever, lethargy, and will look ill. Elderly people may have mild symptoms, but confusion or delirium may occur. If you think your child or senior may have pneumonia, see a health care professional.