Pneumonia vs Common Cold:

How to Recognize the Differences

During the winter season, it is common to have a respiratory illness such as flu or cold. Both of these may seem minor issues which can be treated with some rest and home-based remedies, influenza as well as cold can evolve to cause pneumonia. Despite being treatable, pneumonia patients can require hospitalization where they can receive necessary respiratory support. Due to the similarity of symptoms, it is usually difficult to differentiate between pneumonia vs common cold.

The following article sheds light on each of these respiratory tract infections and provides a differentiation between pneumonia vs common cold.

What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a type of lung infection that causes the lungs, particularly alveoli, to get inflamed. In addition, pus or fluid is filled in them which renders the process of gaseous exchange extremely difficult. If the infection affects both lungs, it is known as double pneumonia. Despite being more severe than the common cold or flu when a comparison is made between pneumonia vs common cold, pneumonia is treatable. However, in some cases, the infection can worsen and become life-threatening.

Causes

While comparing pneumonia vs common cold, it is essential to know that pneumonia can be caused due to multiple microbes which include the following:

Pneumonia-Causing Microbes	Species
Bacteria	Legionella pneumophila Haemophilus influenza Mycoplasma pneumoniae Streptococcus pneumoniae
Viruses	Rhinoviruses (common cold viruses) Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) Measles-causing viruses Influenza or flu virus Varicella-zoster virus (responsible for chickenpox)
Fungi	Pneumocystis jirovecii Histoplasmosis species Coccidioides species Cryptococcus species

Symptoms

When a person has pneumonia, the following symptoms are common:

• High fever usually nearing 102°F or 39°C
• Chills
• Extreme cough with mucus or phlegm
• Elevated pulse rate
• Labored breathing
• Bluish tint in nails and lips
• Chest pain and tightness
• Loss of appetite
• Wheezing
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Body aches
• Sweating
• Fatigue

Contagiosity

When pneumonia is caused by bacterial or viral entities, it is contagious and thus can spread from one person to another. The route of disease transmission is via the droplets which spread into the air when the patient coughs deeply.

These droplets, if inhaled, take the pneumonia-causing microbes to your lungs where they multiply, spread, and cause inflammation. Therefore, it is important to wear a mask when you are near a patient or a family member who is suffering from a bacterial infection i.e. pneumonia. It is also advised to use a hand wash afterward to clean your hands thoroughly.

In this regard, the Halyard Health Face Masks are ideal as they are made up of a 5-layered fabric and thus provide a fluid resistance of up to 160 mmHg. Similarly, good quality hand washes like Provon GOJO ones help clean your hands after you have come in contact with pneumonia patients. Both of these products are available at Health Supply 770 and have been linked below.

Treatment Options

When it comes to treating pneumonia vs common cold, the following regimen is recommended for the former:

Home-Based Remedies

In its initial stages, pneumonia can be treated with home-based remedies. These help relieve the symptoms of the infection and make the patient comfortable. For this purpose, you can do the following:

• Drink peppermint tea
• Do gargling with warm salted water
• Drink warm water with added honey or lemon

Antibiotic Treatment

Antibiotic treatment is recommended for pneumonia after the evaluation of the type of microbe responsible for the disease. In the case of bacterial pneumonia, antibacterial agents are prescribed. Similar is the case with pneumonia with fungal causes which requires antifungal medications.

However, as no antiviral medications are available, home-based remedies and oxygen therapy should be given preference when it comes to viral pneumonia.

Over-the-Counter Options

Some over-the-counter or OTC options might also be helpful to relieve some of the symptoms of both pneumonia vs common cold. These include:

• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Ibuprofen (Advil)

These reduce muscle aches, body aches, and headaches, and also help with fever.

Oxygen Therapy

In pneumonia, the patients feel difficulty in breathing because of the pus-filled in their alveoli. As a result, the body gets less oxygen which is indicated by the bluish appearance of nails as well as lips.

To manage this deoxygenated state, oxygen therapy can be given to the patient to give the body a chance to replenish its depleted oxygen levels.

Vaccination

Unlike the common cold, vaccines for the prevention of pneumonia are easily available. These include two types of products:

• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine/Pneumovax/PPSV23
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine/Prenvar/PCV13

The first one is suitable for both children above 2 years of age as well as adults and the elderly while the latter is preferred for children with or without medical conditions.

What is the Common Cold?

The common cold is an upper respiratory tract infection (UTI) of viral nature which affects the nose, throat, windpipe/trachea, and sinuses. It is a contagious disease which means it can be spread from one person to another. That’s why if one family member has a common cold, the others get it quickly. As it is caused by viruses, the common cold lasts for almost one to two weeks.

“In the US, an adult gets affected by common cold 2 to 3 times a year. In children, the incidence is even higher.”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Causes

There are almost 200 known viruses that can cause the common cold. Among them are rhinovirus (RVs) which are mostly responsible for the infection, especially during the fall or winter season. However, the diseases caused by these viruses are mild and are usually never life-threatening.

Apart from rhinoviruses, the following can also be responsible for common cold:

• Coronaviruses
• Parainfluenza viruses
• Adenoviruses
• Human metapneumovirus
• SARS-CoV-2
• Enteroviruses
• Influenza viruses
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

Symptoms

Some of the key symptoms of common cold include the following:

• Runny nose
• Blocked or congested nose
• Headache
• Fever
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Muscle pain
• Sneezing

Common cold symptoms, if prolonged, can serve as a base for more severe infections or other lung disease like white lung pneumonia. These health conditions include:

• Sinus infections
• Middle ear infections (behind the eardrum)
• Bronchitis (swollen and mucus-filled large airways)
• Bronchiolitis (inflamed small airways)
• Pneumonia
• Asthma attacks (characterized by labored breathing and wheezing)
• Worsening of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Contagiosity

The common cold is highly contagious and spreads from person to person at a faster rate. The viruses get transferred when the affected individual sneezes or coughs. The droplets thus released can then be inhaled by other people. In addition, physical contact with the patient in the form of a handshake or touching their nose, mouth, and eyes can also make you prone to getting infected.

Treatment Options

When it comes to treating pneumonia vs common cold, there are no available therapeutic options for the latter. This is because antibiotics do not work against viral infections and they go away on their own. Still, you can take some of the following measures to speed up the recovery:

Increase Fluid Intake

Taking a lot of fluids helps release congestion and chest tightness. These also help you with dehydration. In this regard, you can drink:

• Warm water with lemon and honey
• Bone or vegetable broth
• Fresh fruit juices

Avoid drinking too much coffee, sodas, or alcohol as these are known to worsen dehydration.

Use Over-the-Counter Medications

Fever and body pain often accompany the common cold. For the management of these symptoms, you can over-the-counter (OTC) medications which include:

• Pain-relieving drugs such as ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Nasal decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Contac Cold 12 Hour or Sudafed)
• Antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl) to stop runny nose
• Expectorants for loosening the sputum such as guaifenesin (Mucinex)
• Antitussive agents for relieving cough include dextromethorphan (Vicks) or codeine

Take Rest

Taking proper rest and getting some sleep gives a boost to your immune system which then fights the infection-causing agents and wipes them away from the body.

Take Steam Therapy

Another thing that helps with the management of the common cold is taking steam. Steam helps the thick mucus to loosen up and flow out of the sinuses which relieves congestion and the feeling of heaviness near the nose or in the throat.

You can warm some water in a pot and inhale the steam. In addition, taking a hot water shower can also help.

Use a Humidifier

If you are someone who contracts the common cold frequently, it is good to purchase a humidifier. A humidifier works by generating a mist that moisturizes the air passageway and helps with dryness.

In this regard, one of the best products is Pure Comfort Humidifier which is effective as well as budget-friendly. You can check the description, price, as well as the purchase link of this product below.

Pneumonia vs Common Cold: Differences

Pneumonia vs common cold are two respiratory illnesses that have similar symptoms. That’s why, people often confuse one with the other which sometimes leads to treatment delays as pneumonia requires proper antibiotic treatment while the common cold usually goes away on its own once the viral life cycle has been completed.

If remain untreated, pneumonia patients can require hospitalization as the risk of a life-threatening infection becomes significant. Therefore, it is better to have some basic understanding of how to differentiate pneumonia vs common cold. Some of these key differences between pneumonia vs common cold have been listed in the following table:

Parameters	Pneumonia	Common Cold
Causes	Can be bacterial, viral, or fungal	Viral
Contagiosity	✘	✔
Incubation Period	1 to 4 weeks depending on the causative agent	1 to 4 days
Duration	3 to 6 months	1 to 2 weeks
Severity of Symptoms	High	Mild to moderate
Fever	Mild to high	Low-grade fever if present
Chills	✔	✘
Frequency of Coughing	High and episodic	High
Dry Cough	Can happen	Common
Cough with Sputum	More common	Can happen
Blood in the Sputum	Common after a few weeks of infection	Uncommon
Sharp Chest Pain	✔	✘
Inflammation of the Lungs	✔	✘
Labored Breathing	✔	This can happen in some cases
Sore Throat	✘	✔
Runny Nose	✘	✔
Risk of Complications	High	Rare
Availability of Vaccine	✔	✘
Treatment Options	Antibiotics, home-based remedies, OTC drugs	OTC medications

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Bottom Line

Pneumonia is a condition in which the lungs are inflamed and filled with pus while in the common cold, similar symptoms appear with the absence of swelling. Despite having prominent differences, these respiratory conditions are often confused as runny nose, congestion, as well as cough happen in both cases.

A simple way to tell if you have pneumonia vs common cold is to go through their symptoms one by one which have been enlisted in the table. If you feel you only have a common cold, it is best to get some rest, drink a lot of water, and take OTC drugs.

However, if the infection persists even after 15 days and the symptoms are worsening, there is a chance that the cold has been transformed into pneumonia. In this case, it is advised to consult a healthcare provider immediately.

For purchasing top-quality medical products for the management of pneumonia vs common cold, reliable vendors like Health Supply 770 should be approached. They ensure the provision of quality products along with satisfactory services.

References

https://www.cdc.gov/rhinoviruses/about/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/common-cold/about/index.html