Pneumonia is caused by swelling in one, or even both, of the lungs, and it could be fatal. You’re more likely to be at risk of pneumonia if you’re coughing up more phlegm than you’re used to – particularly if it’s a certain colour.
Pneumonia is the name given to inflammation of the tissue in the lungs.
It’s usually caused by a bacterial infection, and has most recently been confirmed as a complication of the coronavirus.
If you develop pneumonia, the tiny air sacs in your lungs can fill up with fluid.
But, it may be difficult to notice that you have pneumonia, as the symptoms can be easily mistaken for the flu.
While many flu patients find that they’re coughing up phlegm, pneumonia patients usually produce even more.
The phlegm will most likely be a green or yellow colour, it’s been claimed.
There may even be streaks of red in the phlegm, which are caused by blood.
Coughing up excess phlegm is more likely to be a sign of pneumonia if it’s accompanied by any of the more common symptoms of the condition.
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“Cough is a common symptom [of pneumonia],” said medical website Patient.info. “You may also feel generally unwell and have a high temperature.
“All these symptoms are also seen in flu, so it is sometimes difficult to diagnose pneumonia in the early stages.
“Coughing up a lot of phlegm (sputum) is more likely to happen in pneumonia than in flu.
“The phlegm may become yellow-coloured or green-coloured. It may be streaked with blood or you may cough up more significant amounts of blood.”
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Pneumonia may also lead to a loss of appetite, excessive sweating, and shivering.
Patients have also reported developing painful headaches, and having general aches throughout the body.
Shortness of breath is one of the more serious signs of pneumonia, it added.
You may start to breathe faster than normal, and it could be accompanied by a tight chest.
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Meanwhile, pneumonia has been named as a deadly consequence of the COVID-19 viral infection.
If you think that you may have coronavirus, you should self-isolate straight away, for at least 14 days.
The most common coronavirus symptoms include a cough, fever, and loss of sense of smell or taste.
If you have any of these signs, and then develop shortness of breath, you should speak to a doctor straight away.
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