Is It Pneumonia or the Common Cold?
It’s tough to tell the difference between pneumonia and the common cold. The most common symptoms include, coughing, sneezing and fever. It is essential to be informed about the symptoms of both, how they manifest, and identifying symptoms in the earliest stages. Recognizing these symptoms pre-examination will help your doctor prescribe a tailored treatment option. Pneumonia Known to begin suddenly with high fever and chills, followed by a period when the patient feels better and symptoms seemingly dissipate, only to worsen again. Breathing becomes labored, accompanied by dyspnea and tachypnea. Bacterial pneumonia can cause certain symptoms to occur such as sweating and productive cough with yellow/green mucus. Viral pneumonia causes different characteristic symptoms; muscle pain, fatigue, fever, headache, and a nonproductive cough. There is also a type of pneumonia known as “walking pneumonia” which is most commonly diagnosed in children with mild symptoms, similar to bacterial and viral pneumonia. Pneumonia can be easily treated. In most cases there is no need for medications to be prescribed. A doctor will recommend rest, plenty of fluids and natural remedies to cure pneumonia. However, if the condition has reached a serious stage, the doctor will prescribe specific medications to treat the condition. Common cold – cause, symptoms, and treatment The common cold is a mild viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. The nose, throat, sinuses, and upper airways are affected, and can be caused by over 200 types of viruses. The most common of which is the rhinovirus. The common cold has characteristic symptoms that reveal themselves in many ways. The main symptoms are sore throat, blocked or runny nose, sneezing and coughing. There are other symptoms that could be present as well including headache, fever and muscle pain. However, if these symptoms are present the condition is usually defined as the flu. The treatment of the common cold is similar to that pneumonia. It requires rest and plenty of fluids. You can choose from a variety of natural remedies in order to relieve symptoms. As for the blocked nose, your doctor can advise you in choosing the most beneficial brand of decongestants. Recognize the difference The symptoms of pneumonia and the common cold are quite similar. Although these conditions are not considered as serious and remain easily treatable, it is essential to be informed about their symptoms so that you can recognize their presence and tell the difference between them. The distinction between the common cold and pneumonia is in the present symptoms, and the cause for those symptoms in first place. If any aforementioned symptoms are felt it is advised to make an appointment with your doctor immediately.