Sometimes a cough can be completely harmless – for instance, when it’s caused by an itchy throat due to allergies or a common cold. However, a cough can also be a sign of serious health conditions that require antibiotic treatment, such as pneumonia.
Although it can be difficult to distinguish between a cough caused by pneumonia and one caused by a cold, allergies, or simple irritation, there are certain characteristics that can help you decide if you need to visit a doctor as soon as possible.
What Does a Pneumonia Cough Sound Like?
The symptoms of pneumonia can vary slightly depending on whether the infection is caused by a virus or bacteria. Specifically, the symptoms of pneumonia may include:
- Green or yellow mucus in the cough, possibly mixed with pink blood
- Fever
- Heavy sweating
- Chills
- Poor appetite
- Feelings of exhaustion and fatigue
- Rapid or shallow breathing
- Severe chest pain, worsened by physical activity, with increased pain when attempting to take deep breaths or cough
- Delirium or confusion in older adults.
The initial symptoms of viral pneumonia are quite similar to those of the flu, which include: headache, fever, dry cough, muscle aches, fatigue, progressively worsening cough, and shortness of breath.
Sometimes a cough can be completely harmless – for instance, when it’s caused by an itchy throat due to allergies or a common cold (Image: Internet)
Experts say: “The cough itself may not necessarily be distinctive, but a cough that occurs in the context of other pneumonia-like symptoms is concerning.”
Thus, it can be understood that to initially determine whether a cough is due to pneumonia, you need to consider the accompanying symptoms that are characteristic of pneumonia, as well as the stage of the pneumonia you may be experiencing. It is crucial for patients to observe the context of the cough, how the severity of the cough changes (whether it is a new cough, a worsening cough, or a change from their usual cough, etc.) to aid doctors in making a diagnosis.
For instance, if you have viral pneumonia, you might not cough in the early stages. However, as the viral pneumonia progresses or if it is bacterial pneumonia, you are likely to cough up more mucus that is green or slightly yellow. In addition to mucus, pneumonia-related coughs may also contain blood – this is explained by the fact that during a severe coughing fit, blood vessels can rupture, causing the mucus to be tinged with blood.
Moreover, a cough due to pneumonia is typically described as having a “deeper” sound compared to a regular cough.
Treatment for Cough Caused by Pneumonia
Firstly, if you suspect that you are coughing due to pneumonia or any other reason that affects your daily life and your symptoms are worsening, you need to see a doctor promptly, especially if the cough is accompanied by high fever and difficulty breathing.
Medications
Bacterial pneumonia may be treated with antibiotics. If your cough is due to a virus, antiviral medications may be effective, or if it’s a fungal infection, antifungal medications will be necessary.
Of course, these medications are used to treat underlying infections, and you need to use them for a period of time to fully alleviate the cough.
Bacterial pneumonia may be treated with antibiotics. (Image: Internet).
Home Treatment
While waiting for healthcare from medical facilities, you can help reduce your cough at home by resting to allow your body to recover and gain the energy to fight off the infection. Additionally, coughs that cause throat discomfort and soreness can be alleviated with honey, which can also effectively combat bacteria.
Don’t forget to drink plenty of fluids, as any type of liquid helps produce mucus. Moisturizing the air can prevent your nasal passages and throat from becoming dry, which leads to irritation.
In general, coughing is among the symptoms associated with pneumonia, and the type of cough due to pneumonia will depend on the underlying cause of the illness as well as what stage you are in. And, once again, it is emphasized that regardless of whether you suspect your cough is due to pneumonia, if you are experiencing severe coughing, you should see a doctor as soon as possible for appropriate treatment.
