Fatima was a university student balancing classes, work, and late-night study sessions. When she caught a cold, she brushed it off. “Just a cough,” she told herself.
Days passed, and instead of improving, her condition worsened. The cough deepened, her chest ached, and she felt exhausted after climbing just a few stairs. One night, she woke up drenched in sweat, struggling to breathe.
At the hospital, a chest X-ray confirmed the diagnosis: pneumonia.
What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, filling them with fluid or pus. It can be caused by:
- Bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae)
- Viruses (e.g., influenza, COVID-19, RSV)
- Fungi (common in immunocompromised individuals)
- Common symptoms include:
- Persistent cough with mucus or pus
- Fever, chills, and sweating
- Chest pain when breathing or coughing
- Shortness of breath and fatigue
Management and Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause:
- Bacterial pneumonia: Treated with antibiotics.
- Viral pneumonia: Managed with rest, fluids, and antiviral medications.
- Severe cases: May require hospitalization, oxygen therapy, or intravenous antibiotics.
Prevention Strategies
- Vaccination: Pneumococcal and flu vaccines reduce pneumonia risk.
- Good hygiene: Regular handwashing to prevent infections.
- Avoiding smoking: Smoking damages the lungs, making infections worse.
- Staying hydrated and resting: Strengthens the immune system.
Fatima’s pneumonia was bacterial, so she recovered after two weeks of antibiotics. But she learned an important lesson—a persistent cough is never “just a cold.”