New to Pneumonia? Start Here
Pneumonia: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
Infection of the lung tissue, most often bacterial, causing cough, fever and breathlessness.
Key takeaways
- Typical symptoms: cough with sputum, fever, breathlessness, chest pain on breathing
- Pneumococcal vaccine: usually a single dose at 65, and earlier for some conditions
- Most useful single change: Take up pneumococcal and annual flu vaccination if eligible.
- Commonest mistake: Delaying assessment for breathlessness with fever.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
It remains a leading cause of death in older adults, and vaccination prevents a meaningful share of it.
Start here
Just these two to begin with. The rest can wait.
- Take up pneumococcal and annual flu vaccination if eligible
- Stop smoking, which impairs lung clearance
Then add these
Next, once the first two have stopped feeling like effort.
- Complete any antibiotic course as prescribed
- Seek review if not improving within 48 to 72 hours of starting treatment
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Typical symptoms | cough with sputum, fever, breathlessness, chest pain on breathing |
| Pneumococcal vaccine | usually a single dose at 65, and earlier for some conditions |
| Flu vaccine | annually; influenza commonly precedes pneumonia |
| In older adults | confusion may be the main presenting sign |
Common early mistakes
- Delaying assessment for breathlessness with fever
- Assuming confusion in an older person is unrelated to infection
- Stopping antibiotics early because you feel better
Where to go next
- The Evidence on Pneumonia, Without the Hype
- What Pneumonia Is, and Why It Matters
- Pneumonia — the reference entry
- Breathing Exercises: What Published Guidance Supports
- Hay Fever: What Published Guidance Supports
When to speak to a doctor
Call 999 for severe breathlessness, blue lips, confusion, a rash that does not fade under pressure, chest pain, or coughing up blood. Seek same-day assessment for fever with breathlessness, for any new confusion in an older adult, or if you are immunosuppressed. Sepsis can develop quickly.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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