What are the symptoms of Pneumonia?

Symptoms of pneumonia caused by bacteria usually come on quickly. They may include:

• Cough. You will likely cough up mucus (sputum) from your lungs. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood.
• Fever.
• Fast breathing and feeling short of breath.
• Shaking and "teeth-chattering" chills. You may have this only one time or many times.
• Chest pain that often feels worse when you cough or breathe in.
• Fast heartbeat.
• Feeling very tired or feeling very weak.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Diarrhea.

When you have mild symptoms, your doctor may call this "walking pneumonia."

Older adults may have different, fewer, or milder symptoms. They may not have a fever. Or they may have a cough but not bring up mucus. The main sign of pneumonia in older adults may be a change in how well they think. Confusion or delirium is common. Or, if they already have a lung disease, that disease may get worse.

Symptoms caused by viruses are the same as those caused by bacteria. But they may come on slowly and often are not as obvious or as bad.