- Bluish color in lips and nailbeds: This is a sign of lack of oxygen in the blood and may be related to diminished lung function associated with pneumonia. If you notice that your nailbeds or lips have a blue tinge to them, seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is common with more severe cases of bacterial pneumonia.
- Clammy skin or sweating: Again, this might seem like a flu symptom, but excessive sweating and/or clamminess can indicate pneumonia. Seek medical advice and treatment if you experience this symptom.
Diagnosing and Treating Pneumonia
Unfortunately, there is no way to self-diagnose pneumonia. It requires a medical exam and appropriate testing, so waiting it out or self-diagnosing is never a good idea. You can decrease the duration of your illness greatly with proper treatment and reduce the likelihood that you will experience a relapse or related complications.
Diagnosis is made after your doctor completes a physical exam that includes listening to your lungs for any crackling, wheezing or rumbling sounds, a chest x-ray and possible blood tests.
Possible treatments for pneumonia include home therapies such as plenty of fluids and bed rest, hospitalization and intravenous antibiotics and fluids, breathing treatments and/or oxygen therapy.
If you are diagnosed with pneumonia of any kind or severity, be sure to follow all of your doctor’s directions and take all medications as prescribed. It can take several weeks for a patient recovering from pneumonia to regain full strength and stamina, so be kind to yourself until you feel like you are operating at 100 percent again. Older patients or patients who were hospitalized or suffered from severe pneumonia may require an extended recovery period. As noted previously, relapses are possible, so it is important for anyone diagnosed with pneumonia to take the recovery period seriously.