Viral Pneumonia Symptoms

Some of the common signs and symptoms of viral pneumonia include cough, fever, rapid heart rate, and chest pain when breathing or coughing. Symptoms tend to appear more gradually with this type of pneumonia, compared to bacterial pneumonia; they also tend to be less severe. However, it's still possible for viral infections to cause serious problems, such as a phlegm-producing cough that doesn't get better.

Pneumonia Information

What Are the Symptoms of Viral Pneumonia?

Viral pneumonia is one of the more common types of pneumonia in both adults and children. When viruses affect the lungs, they can cause inflammation and swelling, which leads to many of the symptoms seen with viral pneumonia.

Some common symptoms can include:

A cough (it may be dry, but can produce green or yellow phlegm)
A rapid heart rate and/or breathing rate
Fever
Trouble breathing
Chest pain when breathing or coughing
Shortness of breath.

Often, viral pneumonia symptoms will begin a couple of days after upper respiratory symptoms, such as runny nose, congestion, and sore throat.

A person with viral pneumonia may also have signs or symptoms that affect other parts of the body. These can include:

Headache
Diarrhea
Muscle aches
Fatigue
Sore throat
Nausea
Vomiting.

Comparing Bacterial and Viral Pneumonia Symptoms

The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia usually come on more rapidly and they tend to be more severe. On the other hand, symptoms of viral pneumonia tend to come on more gradually, are not as severe as bacterial pneumonia, and may have developed a couple of days after the onset of upper respiratory symptoms.

It is possible for viral infections to cause severe cases of pneumonia. This is more likely in infants, older individuals, those with chronic conditions, or those with a weakened immune system.

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