Pneumonia often causes symptoms of cough with phlegm, fever, chills and difficulty breathing. Not all patients need to be hospitalized for treatment but can take care of themselves at home. Therefore, many people wonder if pneumonia can go away on its own?
Can pneumonia go away on its own?
Can pneumonia heal on its own and how long it takes will vary between each patient. These depend on the following factors:
- Causes of pneumonia (mainly due to three agents: virus, bacteria or fungus)
- Age and overall health of the patient
- Severity of pneumonia symptoms
- Accompanying chronic diseases or complications, if any.
As you begin to recover from pneumonia, your fever will go away and your cough will produce less phlegm. You can resume normal activities if your symptoms have subsided.
Whether pneumonia can go away on its own depends on the cause
Whether pneumonia can go away on its own depends on the cause of the infection, usually bacteria, viruses or fungi. As follows:
- Viruses. Viral pneumonia is usually mild and goes away on its own in about 1 to 3 weeks without treatment. However, some serious cases still require hospitalization.
- Bacteria. Most cases of bacterial pneumonia are more serious than those caused by viruses but can still go away on their own. How long does it take for pneumonia to cure in this case? If your immune system is healthy, most symptoms improve within 24 to 48 hours after starting antibiotic treatment.
- Mushroom. Fungal pneumonia is more common in people with pre-existing chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems. The disease is difficult to cure on its own and requires antifungal medication.
It depends on the patient’s age and overall health condition
Can pneumonia go away on its own? The answer is YES if you have a good immune system. At this time, pneumonia symptoms are mild and can quickly improve with timely care.
However, pneumonia can become severe and even life-threatening if left untreated, especially when the patient belongs to one of the following groups:
- Children 2 years old and under
- Adults 65 years of age and older
- People who are regularly exposed to certain chemicals, polluted air or cigarette smoke
- People smoke, drink a lot of alcohol and have poor nutrition
- People with chronic lung diseases such as COPD , bronchiectasis or tuberculosis…
- People with other serious chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and sickle cell disease…
- People with weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDs infection, organ transplant, chemotherapy treatment or long-term use of steroid drugs
- People with difficulty swallowing due to stroke, dementia, Parkinson’s disease or other neurological conditions are susceptible to aspiration pneumonia from inhaling food, vomit or saliva
- Have had a recent viral respiratory infection, such as a cold, laryngitis, flu, etc.
- People must be hospitalized and stay in the intensive care unit, using a ventilator.
In these cases, do not think that pneumonia can go away on its own, but should go for examination and treatment early to avoid dangerous, life-threatening complications.
How long does it take for a person with pneumonia to recover? In most cases it is 2 to 4 weeks . If you are in good health, you can recover from the disease in just about a week , but for people with weak immune systems, it may take a month or more .
Can pneumonia go away on its own if complications arise?
The answer is NO . Pneumonia will not go away on its own and needs to be treated in hospital if there are serious complications such as:
- Sepsis , which occurs when bacteria move into the bloodstream, can lead to septic shock
- A lung abscess is a collection of pus (fluid) contained in the cavities of the lungs
- Pleural effusion , fluid that accumulates in the thin space between the layers of tissue lining the lungs and chest cavity (pleura)
- Respiratory failure .
If the illness is serious enough to require hospitalization, how long does it take to cure pneumonia? It takes at least 6 to 8 weeks or more to fully recover.
Understand whether pneumonia will go away on its own so you can take self-care measures at home
Most cases of viral pneumonia are mild and can go away on their own. People can take measures to control symptoms at home to help the disease recover quickly. As follows:
- Use over-the-counter pain relievers and fever reducers
- Drink a lot of water
- Use cough medicine if your doctor tells you to
- Drink warm drinks, take warm baths, and use a humidifier
- Rest much
- Stay away from cigarette smoke and other stimulants.
When should I see a doctor?
You will never know if in your case the pneumonia will go away on its own. If unfortunately the disease progresses seriously and leads to complications, treatment will be difficult and even life-threatening.
Therefore, see a doctor as soon as you see unusual signs appearing in your body such as:
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, wheezing
- Persistent cough, especially when there is yellow or green phlegm, or coughing up blood
- Tired, pale
- Muscle pain
- Chest pain
- Loss of appetite
- Prolonged high fever
- Young children are lethargic, not alert, and refuse to breastfeed.
