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Here are some of the most common complications of pneumonia.

Your breathing can become very difficult. This is because your airways and air sacs are inflamed and may also be blocked by fluid that has built up in your lungs. You may have a hard time catching your breath if you do any sort of physical activity. Even just walking up the stairs may make it hard for you to catch your breath.

Or you may feel short of breath when you are just resting and not doing anything much. You may need to breathe faster. And you may feel as if you are panting. If breathing becomes very difficult, you will be given oxygen through a face mask that fits over your nose and mouth.

This happens in about one-third of all cases of bacterial pneumonia, which is the most common type of pneumonia. Doctors call it bacteremia or septicemia.

You get it when the germs (called bacteria) that cause the infection in your lungs spread to your blood and multiply there. If this happens, they can spread to other parts of your body, such as your nervous system. If you develop bacteremia, you will have a high fever and feel very sick.

Like other complications, bacteremia can be dangerous. One study found that 1 in 5 people who got bacteremia from pneumonia died.¹

If you get bacteremia, you will need to be treated in the hospital. You will be given antibiotic drugs through a vein, usually in your arm. This is called having IV (intravenous) antibiotics. Antibiotics are drugs that kill bacteria.

This happens when fluid builds up in the space between your lungs and the wall of your chest. This makes it hurt when you breathe in and out. Doctors call it a pleural effusion.

Sometimes the fluid gets infected. Doctors call this empyema. If this happens, it might be necessary for the fluid to be drained off. This is done with a needle or a thin tube that is inserted between your ribs.

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.