How Long Does It Take To Recover From Pneumonia (And Why)?

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Pneumonia (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 3 Months

There are many going on around the world, and some of them are old as time. Some infections are there since the advent of humans and while some go away on their own easily without any sort of long-lasting effects, while some can be severely fatal. Some infections, illnesses and diseases, that should go away on their own if treated properly, can get severe if they are not taken care of in the starting stage of the issue. One such illness is pneumonia and how long it lasts depends on the individual and many other factors.

When one has pneumonia, it is necessary to find the infection that caused pneumonia in the first place. The treatment given by the doctor must be followed properly and there are many things that one should follow so a speedy recovery happens. There are many things a person must know about pneumonia so that they can follow the recovery and treatment plan provided by the doctor, also while understanding the reason. Pneumonia is just an infection that affects the lungs, and the infection can be caused by fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Pneumonia

How Long Does It Take To Recover From Pneumonia?

SymptomsTime
High temperature1 week
Chest pain and mucus production4 weeks
Cough and breathlessness6 weeks

Just like every other infection, pneumonia also has its means of spreading and once it is diagnosed as pneumonia, with the right treatment, there will be good recovery. Normally, pneumonia can last for just days, but sometimes it can also last for weeks and months. Every symptom stays for a certain while and it takes quite a while for all the symptoms to disappear.

Since pneumonia is a lung infection, it can spread through cough, sneeze, touch, and even breathing near someone unaffected. Sometimes, people who have pneumonia, might not exhibit symptoms. The infection caused by pneumonia affects the lungs and causes the alveoli to inflame. Alveoli is the lungs’ air sacs and it gets filled with pus or fluid, which can affect the regularity of breathing. This also affects the process of oxygen entering the bloodstream, and since oxygen is necessary for the good and healthy flow of blood, it can lead to disastrous consequences.

Why Does It Take That Long To Recover From Pneumonia?

The symptoms of pneumonia include fever, cold, cough, chills, respiratory problems, and some others. How hard pneumonia affects the person depends on various factors, like the type of germ that caused pneumonia, the age of the affected, and their physical health conditions. Young children, infants, and adults older than 65 are at high risk if they ever get infected with pneumonia. When the person is diagnosed with pneumonia and if it’s severe, it is better to hospitalize them without treating them at home.

This is because, even with the right treatment and recovery plan, the patient can take a while, normally weeks to recover. People who already have other health problems, infants below the age of 2, and old people are more prone to getting pneumonia and it doesn’t go away soon because the infants’ immune system is underdeveloped while the immune system of the elderly is weak. People who have a strong immune system can survive pneumonia easily without any issues. Usually, the symptoms go away one by one, not altogether. That is why it takes a while to recover from pneumonia.

Conclusion

The temperature rises at the start of the infection, and it goes down in about a week. The chest pain and the mucus production get reduced around the fourth week and the cough and breathlessness start to go away in about six weeks. After three months, most of the symptoms will be either reduced or gone and sometimes the affected person will experience fatigue and a bit of tiredness. In 6 months, most people start feeling normal.

Medicines to reduce fever, pain, and infection will be prescribed, and they must be taken regularly for the infection to go away. Although, cough medicines are not advised because the medical experts think they might not be that effective in the case of pneumonia. Avoid dehydration by drinking fluids regularly and the cough might still be there after two to three weeks of antibiotics.

References

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140673610614596
  2. https://www.jstor.org/stable/4457743
dot 1
One request?

I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️

Avatar of Nidhi

AboutNidhi

Hi! I'm Nidhi.

Here at the EHL, it's all about delicious, easy recipes for casual entertaining. So come and join me at the beach, relax and enjoy the food.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *