Pneumonia is a condition that causes the tissue in the lungs to become inflamed, according to the NHS. It’s usually caused by a bacterial infection, from the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Left untreated, pneumonia can develop some deadly complications, including blood poisoning and respiratory failure. You could be at risk of pneumonia symptoms if you have a simple cough, it’s been revealed.
A bad cough could be caused by pneumonia, revealed patient Louise Wright, 44.
Wright developed a bad cough in the winter of 2010, before having night sweats and weight loss.
After two weeks, she put the Lemsip down and saw a GP, who subsequently referred her to hospital, where she was diagnosed with pneumonia.
She was told to rest at home for three weeks, and she was prescribed antibiotics to get rid of the infection.
“The scariest part of those weeks at home was how tasks I would normally do without a thought, such as walking up the stairs, would leave me completely and utterly fatigued,” said Wright.
“Being a very fit and active person, suddenly having such a reduced lung capacity was a shock to the system.”
Over the next eight years, Wright would be diagnosed with pneumonia another two times.
After it became apparent that Wright was more susceptible to the infection than some other people, she enquired about the pneumonia vaccine.
But, she was told she wasn’t the right age to receive the vaccination on the NHS, as it’s only available to people over 65 years old.
But, Boots offers a £70 pneumonia vaccine that’s available to anyone over 18 years old, it said.
“I’m over the moon to discover I can get my pneumonia jab at Boots this winter,” said Wright.
“I’ve found that after my third bout of pneumonia, I now have difficulty regulating my breath whilst running, especially during cold weather, so I want to do everything I can to prevent coming down with the infection again as it such has a big impact on my day-to-day life.”
You can receive the Boots pneumonia vaccine at any time of the year, and you could have it at the same time as another vaccination – the flu, for example.
Around one in every 125 people are diagnosed with pneumonia every year, said the NHS.
It can affect people of any age, but is more likely to be diagnosed in the very young, the elderly, or those with an underlying medical condition.
The most common pneumonia symptoms include having a rapid heartbeat, chest pain, loss of appetite, sweating, a high fever, and difficulty breathing.
You should speak to a doctor if you’re worried about the symptoms of pneumonia.
