How to Spot the Early Differences Between Pneumonia and the Common Cold

News Desk, News Nation 360 : Respiratory infections like the common cold, flu, and pneumonia can have overlapping symptoms but differ significantly in severity and treatment urgency. Pneumonia is an infection causing inflammation in the lungs’ air sacs, which fill with pus or fluid, impairing oxygen exchange and making breathing difficult, unlike the common cold, which mainly affects the nose and throat. Dr Sujan Bardhan – Consultant, Pulmonology, Narayana RN Tagore Hospital, Mukundapur has distinguished between Pneumonia and the Common Cold easily for everyone. According to him, while colds present with a runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, low-grade fever, and sore throat, pneumonia shows more severe signs such as persistent high fever that does not subside with basic medication, chest pain during breathing or coughing, shortness of breath, and the production of thick yellow or green mucus sometimes with blood. Pneumonia's symptoms develop quickly and require prompt medical evaluation to prevent complications like respiratory failure. Flu symptoms like high fever and body aches affect the whole body but rarely cause lung infection unless complications occur. Early signs of pneumonia that need urgent care include rapid breathing, difficulty speaking due to breathlessness, bluish lips, and constant chest pain. Preventive care includes good hygiene, hydration, balanced nutrition, and vaccinations for flu and pneumococcal pneumonia, especially for vulnerable groups. Recognising these differences is critical for timely treatment and full recovery, and when in doubt, consulting a healthcare professional is safer than self-diagnosis.

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