Have I got a cough or is it pneumonia?

DON'T UNDERPLAY YOUR SYMPTOMS - YOU MIGHT NEED PROMPT TREATMENT.

- BY CAMILLA FOSTER

DIAGNOSIS: Don't delay in seeing a doctor if you are very unwell

COUGHS and colds are rife this time of year, but how can you tell when they might be a sign of something more serious, like pneumonia?

Recognising the difference between an ordinary cough and a potentially dangerous lung infection can play a crucial role in ensuring timely treatment and a smooth recovery.

To help clarify the signs, we spoke to Dr Claire Agathou, co-founder of the AZ General Practice at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, who explained exactly what pneumonia is, what its key symptoms are, and when to seek medical advice.

"Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs which causes inflammation in the tiny air sacs in the lungs, which are called alveoli, which then fill with fluid or pus," explains Dr Agathou.

"This makes it much harder for oxygen to pass into the bloodstream which leads to coughing, breathlessness and fever.

"It can affect just one lung or sometimes both and ranges from mild to life-threatening."

According to Asthma + Lung UK, there were 518,525 hospital admissions for pneumonia alone in England last year and almost a fifth of these patients were readmitted again after 30 days.

"Pneumonia is most often caused by bacteria called streptococcus pneumoniae, but viruses and less commonly fungi can also trigger it. We often call this an atypical pneumonia," says Dr Agathou.