Have you ever been told to bundle up to avoid catching pneumonia? Or told a friend or family member not to walk outside with wet hair because he or she could get it? It might surprise you to find out that neither cold weather nor wet hair can cause you to catch pneumonia. In fact, pneumonia in itself isn’t contagious, so you can’t really “catch” it at all.
If you are wondering how do you get pneumonia, or have any other questions about this condition, FastMed can help. We are open 365 days a year to provide treatment for non-life-threatening illness and injuries, as well as ready to answer all of your health related questions.
How Do You Get Pneumonia
So… If wet hair doesn’t cause it … And cold weather doesn’t cause it … And if you can’t even catch it…
How do you get pneumonia?!
Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs that causes them to fill with fluid. You can’t technically catch the infection, but you can catch the bacteria, viruses, or fungi that typically cause it. There are many possible ways to get pneumonia:
- Breathing infected air particles into your lungs
- Breathing certain bacteria from your nose and throat into your lungs
- During or after a viral upper respiratory infection, such as a cold or the flu
- Breathing large amounts of food, gastric juices, or vomit into the lungs (aspiration pneumonia)
You could even suffer from pneumonia as a complication of a viral illness, such as chickenpox.
It isn’t unusual for a healthy person’s nose or throat to contain pneumonia-causing bacteria or viruses. When these bacteria or viruses spread to your lungs, you are more likely to get pneumonia. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you could have pneumonia and should visit FastMed as soon as you notice them:
- High fever
- Shaking chills
- Cough with phlegm
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Feel suddenly worse after a cold or the flu
If you are still wondering how do you get pneumonia, or just want to learn more, check out FastMed’s online health resources center.