How do you get pneumonia

Goldman L, et al. Overview of pneumonia. In: Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed April 18, Schauner S, et al. Journal of Family Practice. Attridge RT, et al. Health care-associated pneumonia: An evidence-based review. American Journal of Medicine.

Hunter JD. Ventilator associated pneumonia. Dockrell DH, et al. Pneumococcal pneumonia: Mechanisms of infection and resolution. Reynolds RH, et al. Pneumonia in the immunocompetent patient. British Journal of Radiology. Remington LT, et al.

Community-acquired pneumonia. Current Opinion Pulmonary Medicine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adults: Protect yourself with pneumococcal vaccines. Marrie TJ, et al. Pneumococcal pneumonia in adults.

Care following hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia pediatric. Barson WJ. Community-acquired pneumonia in children: Outpatient treatment. File TM. Community-acquired pneumonia is when someone develops pneumonia in the community not in a hospital. Healthcare-associated pneumonia is when someone develops pneumonia during or following a stay in a healthcare setting.

Healthcare settings include hospitals, long-term care facilities, and dialysis centers. Ventilator-associated pneumonia is when someone gets pneumonia after being on a ventilator, a machine that supports breathing. The bacteria and viruses that most commonly cause pneumonia in the community are different from those in healthcare settings. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Causes of Pneumonia. Cool compresses can work to relieve a fever. Drinking warm water or having a nice warm bowl of soup can help with chills. Here are more home remedies to try. You can help your recovery and prevent a recurrence by getting a lot of rest and drinking plenty of fluids.

Take any prescribed medications as directed. If your symptoms are very severe or you have other health problems, you may need to be hospitalized. At the hospital, doctors can keep track of your heart rate, temperature, and breathing.

Hospital treatment may include:. Pneumonia may cause complications, especially in people with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions, such as diabetes. The first line of defense against pneumonia is to get vaccinated. There are several vaccines that can help prevent pneumonia. These two pneumonia vaccines help protect against pneumonia and meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Your doctor can tell you which one might be better for you.

Prevnar 13 is effective against 13 types of pneumococcal bacteria. The CDC recommends this vaccine for:. Pneumovax 23 is effective against 23 types of pneumococcal bacteria. The CDC recommends it for:. Pneumonia can often be a complication of the flu, so be sure to also get an annual flu shot.

The CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older get vaccinated, particularly those who may be at risk of flu complications. This vaccine protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b Hib , a type of bacterium that can cause pneumonia and meningitis. Together with vaccination and additional prevention steps, you can help reduce your risk of getting pneumonia. Here are even more prevention tips.

A variety of infectious agents cause pneumonia. With proper recognition and treatment, many cases of pneumonia can be cleared without complications. For bacterial infections, stopping your antibiotics early can cause the infection to not clear completely. This means your pneumonia could come back. Stopping antibiotics early can also contribute to antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic-resistant infections are more difficult to treat.

Viral pneumonia often resolves in 1 to 3 weeks with at-home treatment. In some cases, you may need antivirals. Pneumonia that occurs during pregnancy is called maternal pneumonia. Pregnant people are more at risk of developing conditions like pneumonia. This is due to the natural suppression of the immune system that happens during pregnancy.

However, you may notice some of them more later on in your pregnancy due to other discomforts you may be encountering. Maternal pneumonia can lead to a variety of complications, such as premature birth and low birth weight.

Pneumonia can be a rather common childhood condition. The causes of childhood pneumonia can vary by age. For example, pneumonia due to respiratory viruses, Streptococcus pneumoniae , and Haemophilus influenzae is more common in children under 5 years old.

Pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae is frequently observed in children between the ages of 5 and Mycoplasma pneumoniae is one of the causes of walking pneumonia. Pneumonia can become dangerous quickly, particularly in young children. Most people respond to treatment and recover from pneumonia.

Like your treatment, your recovery time will depend on the type of pneumonia you have, how severe it is, and your general health. A younger person may feel back to normal in a week after treatment. Others may take longer to recover and may have lingering fatigue. If your symptoms are severe, your recovery may take several weeks.

Consider taking these steps to aid in your recovery and help prevent complications from occurring:. Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.