5 Signs Your “Flu” Is Actually Pneumonia

With fall and winter approaching, we know it’s the time when colds, flu, and other illnesses make an unwelcome appearance. Congestion, fever, coughing, and other uncomfortable symptoms can prevent you from working, going to school, and generally enjoying life.

But how do you know exactly which illness is affecting you if many of them have overlapping symptoms? This matters because it impacts what treatments will actually help you move past being sick and how to know whether you’re dealing with something serious.

For example, if an illness is bacterial, antibiotics can knock it out, but if it’s viral, like the flu, other treatments are called for — as well as time and patience. 

Two illnesses that often get mistaken for each other are the flu and pneumonia. 

By seeking competent care at one of our four conveniently located Primary Care Walk-in Clinic offices, our compassionate care team can help you by assessing your symptoms and arriving at an accurate diagnosis — so you can get the treatment that can knock your symptoms out as quickly as possible. 

Flu and pneumonia, defined

The flu is a common but potentially serious viral illness, and it’s easily spread through sneezing and coughing. 

Pneumonia is a concerning infection that can affect one or both lungs and cause inflammation. The air sacs of the lungs become filled with pus and other liquids, which prevents oxygen from getting to the bloodstream. If the deficit becomes too great, death can occur, since oxygen is necessary for our cells to work properly.

Five symptoms that point to pneumonia, not flu

Although the flu and pneumonia share challenging symptoms like fever, cough, fatigue, and chills, there are significant symptoms that are distinct to pneumonia. 

It’s also important to know that flu can turn into pneumonia — though for most people, this doesn’t happen — but it still makes it vital that you visit your Primary Care Walk-In Care provider.

We’ve compiled the differences so that you can’t get enough air; you may want to keep in mind that these indicate you have pneumonia, as opposed to the flu. It’s critical to seek care if you notice these symptoms, because pneumonia can be deadly.

1. Chest pain with congestion

It shouldn’t hurt when you cough or breathe, and your chest shouldn’t feel tight. Still, if you’re experiencing pneumonia, breathing becomes difficult and painful, and coughing feels awfully labored and uncomfortable. These symptoms outstrip the cough that accompanies flu.

2. Challenges breathing

Feeling it’s difficult to breathe is both uncomfortable and downright frightening. If you feel like your breathing is labored and like you just can’t seem to get enough air, you’re likely dealing with pneumonia. You might also notice rapid breathing, and that’s not normal either.

3. Your cough produces mucus

When you cough, are you noticing yellow, green, or even blood-tinged mucus? If so, this is a key pneumonia indicator.

4. High fever that arrives later than when you have the flu

With pneumonia, your fever can reach as high as a worrisome 105℉, and typically arrives after you’ve been dealing with other symptoms. In contrast, fever with flu generally doesn’t get that high and comes on right away, suddenly. 

5. Symptoms fail to improve with time

When you have the flu, you feel better over time, even though the symptoms are no fun. 

However, with pneumonia, your symptoms don’t improve — in fact, they worsen as time goes on.

This list alone is enough to convince anyone that pneumonia is nothing to be trifled with. If you experience any combination of these symptoms, call the Primary Care Walk-In Clinic office that’s closest to you and make an appointment with one of our providers so you can get the best care. 

They may perform breathing tests and prescribe antibiotics or antiviral medications, depending on whether your pneumonia’s root cause is viral or bacterial. Other medications can help keep your airways open, and inhalers also provide relief. 

As you recover, your provider will want to see you regularly to make sure that your treatment is continuing to be successful. At Primary Care Walk-In Clinic, we’re known for our close partnerships with our patients, so we’re there for you whenever you need us.

Contact our Gilbert, Fountain Hills, Mesa, or Scottsdale office to schedule an appointment if you suspect you may have pneumonia, or use our convenient online booking tool.