Treatment:

Your doctor must first decide whether you need to be in the hospital. If you are treated in the hospital, you will receive:

• Fluids and antibiotics in your veins
• Oxygen therapy
• Breathing treatments (possibly)

It is very important that you are started on antibiotics very soon after you are admitted.

You are more likely to be admitted to the hospital if you:

• Have another serious medical problem
• Have severe symptoms
• Are unable to care for yourself at home, or are unable to eat or drink
• Are older than 65 or a young child
• Have been taking antibiotics at home and are not getting better

However, many people can be treated at home. If bacteria are causing the pneumonia, the doctor will try to cure the infection with antibiotics. It may be hard for your health care provider to know whether you have viral or bacterial pneumonia, so you may receive antibiotics.

Your doctor may tell you to take antibiotics. Antibiotics help most people with pneumonia get better.

• Don't miss any doses. Take the medicine until it is gone, even if you start to feel better.
• Do NOT take cough medicine or cold medicine unless your doctor says it is okay. Coughing helps your body get rid of mucus from your lungs.

Breathing warm, moist (wet) air helps loosen the sticky mucus that may make you feel like you are choking. These things may help:

• Place a warm, wet washcloth loosely over your nose and mouth.
• Fill a humidifier with warm water and breathe in the warm mist.

Coughing helps clear your airways. Take a couple of deep breaths two or three times every hour. Deep breaths will help open up your lungs.

Tap your chest gently a few times a day and lie with your head lower than your chest. This can help bring up mucus from the lungs.

If you smoke any tobacco products, STOP. Do not allow smoking in your home.

Drink plenty of liquids (as long as your health care provider says it is okay):

• Drink water, juice, or weak tea
• Drink at least 6 to 10 cups a day
• Do NOT drink alcohol

Get plenty of rest when you go home. If you have trouble sleeping at night, take naps during the day.

Expectations (prognosis):

With treatment, most patients will improve within 2 weeks. Elderly or very sick patients may need longer treatment.

Those who may be more likely to have complicated pneumonia include:

• Older adults or very young children
• People whose immune system does not work well
• People with other, serious medical problems such as diabetes or cirrhosis of the liver

Your doctor may want to make sure your chest x-ray becomes normal again after you take a course of antibiotics. However, it may take many weeks for your x-ray to clear up.

Complications:

Possible complications include:

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
• Fluid around the lung (pleural effusion)
• Lung abscesses
• Respiratory failure (which requires a breathing machine or ventilator)
• Sepsis, which may lead to organ failure

Calling your health care provider:

Call your doctor if you have:

• A cough that brings up bloody or rust-colored mucus
• Breathing (respiratory) symptoms that get worse
• Chest pain that gets worse when you cough or breathe in
• Fast or painful breathing
• Night sweats or unexplained weight loss
• Shortness of breath, shaking chills, or persistent fevers
• Signs of pneumonia and a weak immune system (for example such as with HIV or chemotherapy)

Infants with pneumonia may not have a cough. Call your doctor if your infant makes grunting noises or the area below the rib cage is pulling in during breathing.