What is pneumonia?
09 Nov 2009
Pneumonia is an inflammation of part of the lung due to an infection.
- The infection can be caused by viruses or bacteria.
- The immune system tries to get rid of the bacteria or viruses.
- There is swelling of the lining of the small airways in the lungs and an increase in mucous, causing problems in oxygen getting to the blood.
Symptoms of pneumonia include:
- Cough, often with mucous
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever
- Feeling unwell, tired and sick
- Stomach pain due to sore muscles from coughing
- Sometimes, vomiting at the end of a coughing spell.
People used to freak out about pneumonia, because in the past it caused death in older people, and sometimes healthy younger people. This is no longer the case, and pneumonia is rarely a cause of death, as it can be treated with antibiotics.
So, does being in the rain cause pneumonia? No. But colds happen more in winter, and often people who develop pneumonia have a cold first.
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