The symptoms of walking pneumonia are typically mild and look like the common cold. Symptoms may be gradual at first showing up about two weeks after exposure and get worse over the course of a month. Symptoms include:. Symptoms can also vary based on where the infection is. For example, an infection in the upper respiratory tract will cause more labored breathing , while an infection in the lower respiratory tract, including the lungs , may cause nausea , vomiting , or an upset stomach.
Symptoms in children : Children, infants, and toddlers may show the same symptoms as adults. But even if your child feels okay enough to go to school, he should stay at home until his symptoms improve. Read more: Walking pneumonia in children ». Walking pneumonia symptoms differ from those of bronchitis. Bronchitis affects the bronchial tubes, not the small airways of the lungs. With bronchitis , you typically experience a productive cough. A productive cough is one that brings up mucus that is clear, white, green, or yellowish-grey in color.
You may also experience a runny nose, fatigue, and sneezing. If you suspect you have bronchitis instead of walking pneumonia, click here to learn more about the condition. Walking pneumonia is commonly brought home by children from school.
Families who contract the infection will show symptoms two to three weeks later. There are three types of bacteria that cause walking pneumonia. Chlamydial pneumonia: Children who are in school are more likely to be infected with Chlamydia pneumoniae bacterium. But Dr. Such illnesses are treated with time, rest and symptom-relieving medication. Chaisson cautions that antibiotic overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance and an outbreak of Clostridium difficile.
Although walking pneumonia may go away on its own, antibiotics may be necessary. Walking pneumonia can be confirmed by a chest X-ray, which will show an area of infection in the lung. Regular pneumonia, on the other hand, is often more severe, Dr. Chaisson says. Understand how it differs from regular pneumonia.
Learn more about vaccine availability. Thank you! You will now receive email updates from the American Lung Association. Select your location to view local American Lung Association events and news near you. Our service is free and we are here to help you. What Is Walking Pneumonia? Back to Each Breath Blog. To reduce your risk of infection, follow these tips and learn more about avoiding pneumonia : Get a flu vaccine each year to help prevent getting pneumonia caused by the flu.
Talk to your doctor about getting a pneumonia vaccine there is no vaccine for viral or mycoplasma pneumonia, but certain individuals should get vaccinated for pneumococcal pneumonia. Cough suppressants stop the lungs from clearing mucus, which might not be helpful for lung infections like walking pneumonia.
If your child has chest pain, try placing a heating pad or warm compress on the area. Take your child's temperature at least once each morning and each evening. With treatment, most types of bacterial pneumonia go away within 1 to 2 weeks. Coughing can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to stop. Reviewed by: Rachel S. Schare, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Walking Pneumonia?
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