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If you have pneumonia, your symptoms will probably appear very quickly, over a period of 24 hours. Although they're uncomfortable, many of these symptoms are actually your body's way of fighting the infection.

If your pneumonia isn't too bad, you may have only some of the symptoms listed below. If you are older, you may have fewer symptoms than younger people, or your symptoms may be less severe.¹

The main symptoms of pneumonia are listed below.

A high body temperature will make you feel sweaty and weak. It can also make you feel sick to your stomach. You probably won't feel like eating much. A very high temperature can make you hallucinate (see things that aren't really there) and dream vivid dreams. A high temperature is one of your body's many ways of fighting infections. When you have a high temperature, it is more difficult for germs to survive and multiply.²

A cough is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. You may get severe coughing spells that leave you feeling exhausted. You could have a dry cough, which means that you don't cough up any phlegm (which doctors call sputum). Or you could have what doctors call a productive cough. This means that you cough up phlegm.²

Coughing is one of the ways that your lungs try to get rid of an infection. If the lining of your airways is irritated by inflammation or by fluid, then you will cough to clear your lungs.

For more information about the parts of your lungs and how they work, see What is pneumonia?

This is the name of the fluid you cough up from your lungs. It's produced by your airways. When you have pneumonia, the phlegm your body makes can be white or frothy or it can be thick phlegm that is yellow, green or rust-colored. Phlegm is a mix of the white blood cells that your body makes to fight the infection, dead germs and damaged lung tissue.² (Sometimes doctors call phlegm sputum.)

If you have pneumonia, you will find it more difficult to breathe after climbing the stairs or exerting yourself in some other way. You may also have trouble catching your breath even when you aren't doing anything. Your breathing may become faster. You may find that you are taking 28 breaths or more each minute. People who don't have pneumonia or other lung problems usually take about 12 breaths to 20 breaths each minute.²

When you get an infection in your lungs, the airways and the air sacs at the end of the airways become inflamed. They can also be blocked by fluid. This makes it more difficult for your lungs to take in oxygen to feed your cells and to get rid of carbon dioxide, which is a byproduct made by your body.

For more information about the parts of your lungs and how they work, see What is pneumonia?

Your chest may get sore from coughing. If your pneumonia becomes more serious, you may develop chest pain that gets worse as you breathe in or out. This second type of chest pain happens when there's inflammation between the two layers of tissue that cover your lungs. (Doctors call these layers the pleura.)²

The inner layer of the pleura covers the lungs themselves. The outer layer lines the wall of your chest. Normally, these two surfaces slide smoothly across each other when you breathe in and out. But if they become inflamed, it hurts when you breathe. This is called pleurisy. It is a common complication of pneumonia.

For more information about the parts of your lungs and how they work, see What is pneumonia?

You may notice that your lips look bluish and that the skin under your fingernails looks bluish, too.³ This happens because the infection is making it difficult for your lungs to do their job of supplying your body with oxygen. If you get this symptom you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible.

You may find that your dreams are vivid. And when you are awake you may feel unsure about the time of day or where you are. Several things can cause this. A high temperature can make you hallucinate (you see things that aren't really there). And if there isn't enough oxygen in your blood, you may feel confused. It's important to drink lots even if you don't feel thirsty, because if you're not drinking enough water, you may feel confused.³ Because confusion can be a sign that that there's not enough oxygen in your blood, you should call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away.

Different types of pneumonia give you different symptoms. To find out more about the symptoms of each type of pneumonia, see Germs that cause pneumonia.

If you are very sick with pneumonia, you may get extra problems called complications. This is more likely if you are older or in poor health already.

If you want to find out more, see Complications of pneumonia.

This information is for educational use only, and is not a substitute for prompt professional medical advice. Readers should always consult a physician or other professional for advice and treatment. ©BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2008. All rights reserved.