What Is Walking Pneumonia? Symptoms, Causes, & Treatments

Key Takeaways

Walking pneumonia, also known as atypical pneumonia, is a milder form of pneumonia. Some people can show mild to no symptoms. However, this illness is contagious, and it is important to get treatment as soon as possible.
Those at a higher risk of contracting walking pneumonia include school-aged children, those with a suppressed immune system, individuals with obstructive airway diseases, older adults, especially those living in nursing homes, and those living or working in crowded places, such as schools, dorms, and military barracks.
Most individuals who get walking pneumonia recover without any lasting complications. In most cases, antibiotics and symptomatic care are enough to feel better in just a few days.

What is walking pneumonia?

Walking pneumonia, also known as atypical pneumonia, is a milder form of pneumonia. It is a type of lung infection. However, due to its milder severity, a person with this condition often does not need to be hospitalized.

In fact, some people with walking pneumonia might not even know that they have it. They may still feel well enough to walk about and carry on with their daily activities without much difficulty.

In this article, we'll take a closer look at the symptoms of walking pneumonia and its causes. We'll also explore how this condition can be treated and diagnosed.

Symptoms of walking pneumonia

While walking pneumonia is less severe than regular pneumonia, you might still experience unpleasant symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms of this condition include the following:

Low-grade fever
Runny nose
Sneezing
Sore throat
Ear pain
Headache
Chest pain
Mild chills

Symptoms of walking pneumonia typically take 4-20 days to appear. If you have a cough, it might persist for a few months, but other symptoms usually subside within a few weeks.

Having walking pneumonia might feel like you're down with the flu or a bad cold. However, these milder symptoms are usually not severe enough to warrant bed rest or hospitalization.

That said, walking pneumonia can still be a cause for concern for older adults or those with obstructive airway diseases, such as asthma, COPD, or cystic fibrosis.

People with a suppressed or weakened immune system may also be susceptible to more severe symptoms.

Causes and risk factors of walking pneumonia

Walking pneumonia can be a bacterial or viral infection. The most common culprit is a bacterium called Mycoplasma pneumonia.

All kinds of pneumonia, including viral or mycoplasma pneumonia, are contagious. Walking pneumonia can spread through airborne droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks.

Anyone can get walking pneumonia. However, those at a higher risk of developing this lung infection include the following groups of people:

School-aged children
Those with a suppressed immune system
Individuals with obstructive airway diseases
Older adults, especially those living in nursing homes
Those living or working in crowded places, such as schools, dorms, and military barracks

Since pneumonia is contagious, it is not uncommon for it to spread in crowded living spaces and for children to catch the infection at school and then pass it on to their family members at home.

How is walking pneumonia diagnosed?

If you are exhibiting symptoms suggestive of walking pneumonia or have been in close contact with someone who is diagnosed with the condition, consider getting yourself checked out by a healthcare provider.

Your doctor will likely ask about your symptoms and whether you have been in contact with any friends or family members with flu-like symptoms.

Your doctor will also be able to diagnose walking pneumonia through a physical examination. They'll listen to your lungs and check your breathing for any abnormal noises, such as a crackling sound.

In some cases, they might conduct a chest X-ray or order blood tests. A sample of the mucus from the throat or nose might also be obtained and sent for lab testing.

How is walking pneumonia treated?

If you are diagnosed with walking pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

Apart from this, your doctor may also recommend over-the-counter medications to help soothe and relieve your symptoms. Examples include cough medications, antihistamines for a runny nose and nasal congestion, and painkillers for any headache or discomfort.

For most people, antibiotics and medications to reduce symptoms are enough to facilitate a complete recovery. In many cases, walking pneumonia may even resolve on its own without any treatment or medication.

However, there are certain cases that may warrant hospitalization. Your doctor might recommend this if you exhibit signs of a more serious infection, such as a high breathing rate, low blood pressure, and low oxygen saturation.

How to Prevent Walking Pneumonia

Walking pneumonia is contagious. Therefore, you should take precautionary steps to prevent yourself from getting or spreading the infection.

Here are some steps that can aid in the prevention of walking pneumonia:

Wash your hands frequently with soap and clean water. You can also use an alcohol-based sanitizer to help protect yourself and those around you from getting the infection.
Make sure to cover your nose and mouth whenever you cough or sneeze. Take time to wash your hands thoroughly after every time you sneeze.
Avoid close contact with people with symptoms of pneumonia or another contagious disease. Wearing a mask can also help prevent the spread of pneumonia.
Practice a healthy lifestyle. This includes getting enough quality sleep each day and adopting a well-balanced diet.
There is no specific vaccine for walking pneumonia. However, a flu vaccine or pneumococcal vaccine may help you avoid illness.

It is possible to get walking pneumonia again, even if you've already had it before. Furthermore, walking pneumonia may remain contagious even if you no longer exhibit symptoms. This is why it's important to take the necessary precautions in order to prevent its spread.

Walking pneumonia prognosis and outlook

Most individuals who get walking pneumonia recover without any lasting complications. In most cases, antibiotics and symptomatic care are enough to feel better in just a few days.

If your symptoms do not improve but worsen over a few days, it's best to seek medical attention. Hospitalization may be required to allow doctors to monitor your condition more closely and possibly administer antibiotics directly into the bloodstream.

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