Pneumonia can develop:
- as a complication of other serious health conditions, such as cancer
- as a secondary bacterial infection after a viral infection, such as flu
- after surgery or an injury, particularly to the chest area, which makes you less able to breathe or cough fully, giving mucus the chance to build up
If you get repeated pneumonia infections, this may be a sign of other health problems, such as an existing lung condition or a weakened immune system.
Bronchopneumonia
Sometimes people can have bronchitis (infection of the main airways of the lungs) at the same time as pneumonia. This is called bronchopneumonia. For more information, see the Health A-Z topic on bronchitis
Pleurisy, pleuritic pain and pleural effusion
Pleurisy is inflammation of the pleura, the two thin linings between your lungs and your ribcage (the bones in your chest). It can be caused by lung conditions such as pneumonia. For more information, see the Health A-Z topic on pleurisy.
Sometimes, symptoms of severe pneumonia can include pleuritic pain, which is a sharp, stabbing pain in your chest in one place when you breathe in. This can also be a symptom of pleurisy.
Less commonly, fluid can build up in the space between your lungs and the wall of your chest. This is called a pleural effusion. If this fluid becomes infected (empyema), it will usually be drained using a needle or a thin tube.
Other complications
Other complications of pneumonia can include:
Blood infections can make you very ill and are normally treated in hospital.
Rarely, pneumococcal pneumonia can cause infection of the membranes covering the brain (pneumococcal meningitis).
People with weakened immune systems, for example, due to HIV or AIDS, sometimes develop a form of pneumonia called Pneumocystis pneumonia. This is caused by a fungus called Pneumocystis jiroveci (formerly Pneumocystis carinii).
Treatment in hospital
Young children or people over the age of 65 may need hospital treatment.
You may also need hospital treatment if:
- your symptoms are more severe
- your symptoms do not improve
- you have an existing lung condition, such as cystic fibrosis
If you are admitted to hospital, you may have a chest X-ray or other tests to help diagnose the condition and determine how severe it is.
If the level of oxygen in your blood is low (hypoxia), you may need extra oxygen. This can be given using a face mask. In severe cases, it may be necessary to use a ventilator (artificial breathing machine).
You may also be given fluids or antibiotics through a drip.
