Walking Pneumonia Diagnosis

Walking pneumonia is a term used for the less severe or mild pneumonia, caused by the mycoplasma bacteria. The mycoplasma infection of the lungs is usually milder, and so, it does not require bed rest or hospitalization.

The term 'walking pneumonia' simply means that the pneumonia is not severe, and so, the affected individual can walk around or carry out his or her daily activities.

The condition can appear very similar to common cold and flu, and is found to be more common in toddlers and children of school-going age. More commonly, the infection is so mild that it can heal on its own without any medical intervention. But occasionally, medications, mainly antibiotics can be required to treat this infection.

This condition is also known as atypical pneumonia, and is caused by the bacteria mycoplasma. There are several types of mycoplasma bacteria, of which the one that is mainly responsible for causing pneumonia is Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This bacterial infection is usually characterized by an incubation period of 7 to 21 days.

The bacteria can usually spread from one individual to another through close contact with the mucus or phlegm of the infected individual. The symptoms of this condition resemble the symptoms of flu or common cold, and these symptoms can last for a few days to weeks.

The most common signs and symptoms of this condition are, dry cough, a sore throat, mild fever, stuffy nose, muscle pain, chest pain, headaches, and tiredness. Occasionally, one can also experience ear pain, eye soreness, joint stiffness, skin rash, and breathing difficulty.

The diagnosis of this condition usually begins with the physical examination of the patient. During a physical examination, the physician usually checks for the vital signs, such as the temperature and blood pressure of the individual. The physician also evaluates the symptoms of the condition thoroughly.

The patient is asked various questions related to the symptoms or discomforts he or she is experiencing. A stethoscope is then used to listen to the sounds generated in the lungs. Any unusual sound, such as a rumbling or crackling sound produced in the lungs while breathing, can be a sign of pneumonia.

To diagnose this condition, the physician can also carry out an X-ray of the chest. The X-ray provides an image of the inside of the lungs, and thus enables the physician to find out any kind of abnormalities. Apart from a chest X-ray, blood tests and a blood culture can be required to confirm the presence of an infection, and to find out the infectious agent.

Usually, the count of white blood cells is determined by testing a sample of blood. An elevated level of white blood cells is considered an indicator that the body is fighting an infection.

A blood culture, on the other hand, helps find out the bacteria responsible for causing the infection. In addition to the aforementioned tests and procedures, a sputum test can also be performed to determine the type of bacteria associated with the infection.

Once the condition is confirmed, physicians may recommend different types of antibiotics for treating the infection. The antibiotics that are usually prescribed for the treatment of this condition are, azithromycin or clarithromycin, and erythromycin.

The antibiotics of the penicillin group are usually not used, as they are not very effective for treating this condition. Penicillin or the drugs of the penicillin group work by inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial cell wall, but the bacteria mycoplasma do not contain a cell wall.

Disclaimer: This post is for informative purposes only, and should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice.