Pneumonia treatment, diagnosis & prescriptions

Yes. In many cases, a doctor on Maple would be able to treat pneumonia online by asking about your symptoms and observing your condition. Once you describe your symptoms to the doctor, they may be able to provide a diagnosis (although, they may send you for an X-ray to confirm), write necessary prescriptions, and recommend an appropriate course of treatment. If the doctor suspects you have a more serious problem, they may suggest for you to go to a clinic for a thorough physical examination.

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. It causes inflammation of the alveoli (air sacs), which fill with fluid or pus and make breathing difficult. It can be caused by a variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Both viral and bacterial pneumonia are contagious. Fungal pneumonia typically doesn’t spread from person-to-person, and is usually contracted from the environment.

Pneumonia symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening, so pay attention to how you are feeling and act quickly if things progress. Typical symptoms include:

• Coughing, which may produce phlegm
• Fever, sweating, and chills
• Shortness of breath, even when resting
• Chest pain that worsens with breathing or coughing
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• Symptom more common in those over age 65: confusion or changes in mental awareness and lower than normal body temperature

Pneumonia is treated differently depending on what kind of pneumonia you have, the severity, and your general health and age. Bacterial pneumonia is treated with oral antibiotics. Viral pneumonia can clear on its own with at-home care, but doctors do occasionally prescribe antiviral medication. And fungal pneumonias are treated with antifungal medications.