Pneumonia Is The No. 1 Cause Of Hospital Admission In Kids And Adults. Watch For These Signs And Symptoms

In those with pneumonia, however, lung tissue becomes bulkier “with all those inflammatory cells that come in,” which makes the tissue more dense, he adds.

In a lung X-ray of a person with pneumonia, “the pneumonia part appears white,” he says—hence the nonmedical term “white lung pneumonia” currently trending online. 

“I think that’s what the name is in reference to,” he says, “although, unfortunately, it sounds very scary.”

How is pneumonia diagnosed?

In those suspected to have the condition, a health care provider will perform a physical exam and order tests like a chest X-ray. Such tests will help to determine what type of pneumonia they have and how to treat it.

What is the treatment for pneumonia?

Depending on the type of pneumonia, it may include an antibiotic, antiviral, or antifungal medication. If the pneumonia is severe, IV antibiotics and oxygen, administered in a hospital setting, may be required. Very serious pneumonia may require ventilation, a machine that breathes for someone, and/or a breathing tube, as well as surgery to remove an infected or damaged part of the lung.

How severe can pneumonia get?

While pneumonia involves the lungs specifically, other organ systems can be affected, Dr. Clayton Cowl, a pulmonologist with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., recently told Fortune.

“Someone who becomes very ill with pneumonia may have fluid shifts and also have issues with their kidneys or with their liver or with their heart,” Cowl says. What’s more, if the bacteria causing pneumonia spread to the bloodstream, sepsis could result—a life-threatening condition prompted by an infection that triggers a chain reaction throughout the body.

“It can cause a whole kind of downstream effect, a bucket brigade,” he adds. “It’s like the juggler with the sticks spinning the glass plates. If one of those sticks starts wobbling and a plate suddenly falls, all of the others can go in a hurry.”

Is there a vaccine for pneumonia?

Yes, two kinds. But they’re only recommended for those age 4 and younger, and 65 and older. A doctor may recommend that people between those age groups receive one or more of those vaccines if they have a medical condition—like diabetes, heart disease, chronic lung disease, or immunodeficiency—that puts them at higher risk for severe outcomes.

Adults ages 19 to 64 who don’t have a health condition that puts them at higher risk, but who want the pneumonia vaccine, should talk to their doctor about it. If they end up receiving it, they may have to pay cash price, even if they have insurance, Horn says.

What else can I do to protect myself from pneumonia?

Pneumonia vaccines aside, Horn’s best recommendation for all ages is to get the flu and COVID vaccines “to prevent serious lung infections going into the winter season.” Both conditions can lead to pneumonia, in severe cases. What’s more, RSV vaccines are now available for infants at high risk of severe disease, pregnant women from 32–36 gestational weeks, and adults 60 years of age and older.

If you have chronic medical conditions, make sure they’re well managed, she advises: “The better controlled they are, the better you will do if you get sick in general.”

Handwashing and staying away from sick individuals can also help prevent infections that may lead to pneumonia.