Causes And Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia Among Seniors in Broward County

The study conducted on walking pneumonia reveals that nearly 1.5 Million people are diagnosed with pneumonia in the U.S. Walking pneumonia can affect people of all ages and its symptoms range from mild to life-threatening. 

Nearly everyone is familiar with traditional pneumonia but only little knows about a phenomenon known as walking pneumonia among seniors in Broward County. 

Consequently, let us learn about walking pneumonia, its causes, and symptoms among seniors in Broward County. 

Walking Pneumonia Among Seniors in Broward County

Walking pneumonia refers to mild pneumonia among seniors that does not require hospitalization. It is known as walking because its symptoms are mild and one even does not know if one has walking pneumonia or not. 

Because of the mild symptoms, seniors can consider their symptoms similar to colds. Even a simple X-ray will let you know if seniors in Broward County have walking pneumonia or not. 

Causes of Walking Pneumonia 

Walking pneumonia is a health condition caused by the same factors as traditional pneumonia. It is an infection in the lungs caused by:

• Bacteria
• Inhaled food
• Chemicals
• Virus
• Fungi

The bacteria causing walking pneumonia among seniors in Broward County usually lives in the nose, throat, lungs, and windpipe. It is this bacteria only that makes it difficult to diagnose walking pneumonia. 

If left untreated, walking pneumonia can spread from seniors to others as well. Consequently, it is crucial to note down the symptoms and get them treated. 

Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia

The symptoms of walking pneumonia are like a cold or flu. Still, some of the common symptoms seniors in Broward County need to take care of include: 

• Sneezing 
• Headache
• Weakness
• Fatigue 
• Sore throat 
• Mild chills 
• Low-grade fever 
• Cough 
• Chest pain 

At the start, the symptoms might be mild but if left untreated, can become worse in a couple of days. Due to walking pneumonia, some seniors can continue with their usual routine whereas other seniors might feel that they need to take some rest. 

Usually after 3-5 days, seniors in Broward County will start experiencing easiness in their symptoms but some seniors can experience cough or cold for some months. 

Diagnosis of Walking Pneumonia 

The families find it difficult to diagnose walking pneumonia among seniors because of the mild nature of the symptoms. But doctors can find out if seniors have walking pneumonia by conducting a physical examination.

While listening to the breathing, if doctors get to hear a crackling sound, then it is deemed as walking pneumonia. Besides this, the healthcare professional can also confirm this by getting an X-ray of the chest or via a mucus sample. 

Treatment Options For Walking Pneumonia Among Seniors 

The walking pneumonia can be treated with mild antibiotics. If you notice some severe symptoms among seniors and you are sure that it’s not a common cold, then you can bring the seniors to the doctor. The best way forward would be to get treated early to prevent the symptoms from becoming severe. 

Besides this, here are some treatment options to help seniors in Broward County recover from walking pneumonia: 

• Take a fever-reducing medicine if you have a fever 
• Take medications as prescribed
• Drink lots of fluids
• Rest

Tips To Prevent Walking Pneumonia 

Here are some tips outlined below which you can prevent seniors from catching walking pneumonia:

• Get plenty of sleep
• Maintain a healthy diet 
• Speak to the doctor regarding the vaccine
• Practice good personal hygiene