Highlights
- Some symptoms of asthma and pneumonia are similar, such as shortness of breath, cough, and an increase in pulse and respiratory rates.
- Asthma is a chronic condition. You can manage its symptoms, but it’s not curable.
- An infection causes pneumonia. It’s curable.
- Asthma and pneumonia are diseases that affect the lungs.
Asthma is a chronic condition that causes periodic inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It’s not curable, but you can effectively manage it, and it can even improve over time.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can occur in part of a lung or in both lungs. It causes inflammation of the air sacs and can cause your lungs to fill with fluid. It’s possible to treat and cure pneumonia.
Although their symptoms are similar, asthma and pneumonia are distinct diseases that require different treatment approaches.
The Asthma-Pneumonia Connection
People who have chronic respiratory conditions like asthma may be at higher risk of developing pneumonia. If you have asthma and get influenza, your symptoms may be worse. People who have asthma and the flu are more likely to get pneumonia than those who don’t have asthma.
One of the treatments for asthma is inhaled corticosteroids, which may increase the risk of respiratory infections and pneumonia.
What Are the Symptoms?
Both asthma and pneumonia cause:
- Shortness of breath
- A cough
- An increase in pulse rate
- An increase in respiratory rate
Symptoms of Asthma
Asthma flare-ups can include coughing, tightness of the chest, and wheezing. If it progresses, it can speed up breathing and pulse rates. Decreased lung function can make it difficult to breathe. You may hear a high-pitched whistling sound when you breathe.
Symptoms range from mild to severe and can last a few minutes to many hours. There may be few symptoms between exacerbations.
Possible triggers of asthma symptoms include:
- Allergens such as pollen, mold, and pet dander
- Chemical fumes
- Air pollution
- Smoke
- Exercise
- Cold and dry weather
Asthma may be more difficult to control if you have other chronic health problems. The risk of an acute attack is higher if you get a cold, the flu, or other respiratory infection.
Symptoms of Pneumonia
The symptoms of pneumonia can be mild at first, resembling a common cold. As the infection takes hold, your cough may be accompanied by green, yellow, or bloody mucus. Other symptoms include:
- A fever
- A headache
- Clammy skin
- A loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain that worsens when you breathe or cough
What Are the Causes of Asthma and Pneumonia?
Researchers aren’t sure exactly what causes asthma. There may be an inherited tendency to develop asthma, along with environmental factors.
Pneumonia can be caused by a variety of things, such as:
- Viruses, including the flu virus
- Bacteria
- Mycoplasmas
- Fungi
- Other infectious agents
- Various chemicals
What Are the Risk Factors?
Asthma: Anyone can get asthma, with most people starting to have symptoms during childhood. Risk factors include:
- A family history of asthma
- A personal history of respiratory infections or allergies
- Exposure to airborne allergens, chemicals, or smoke
Pneumonia: Anyone can get pneumonia, and having asthma may increase your risk. Smoking can also increase your risk of pneumonia. Other risk factors include having:
- Recently had a respiratory infection, such as a cold or the flu
- A chronic lung disease
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Liver disease
- Cerebral palsy
- A neurological condition that affects swallowing
- A weakened immune system
How Are Asthma and Pneumonia Diagnosed?
Asthma: If you have asthma symptoms, your doctor will want a complete medical history and perform a physical exam, inspecting your nose, throat, and airways. They will use a stethoscope to listen for a whistling sound in your lungs, a sign of asthma. You may be asked to breathe into a spirometer to test lung function or undergo allergy tests.
Pneumonia: If symptoms suggest pneumonia, your doctor will listen to your lungs for a crackling sound, a hallmark of pneumonia. A chest X-ray can confirm the diagnosis, and a CT chest scan may be used for a more detailed look. Blood work and mucus analysis may also be conducted to assess oxygen levels and identify the type of pneumonia.
What Are the Treatments for Asthma and Pneumonia?
Asthma requires both short-term treatment and long-term management, while pneumonia can often be treated and cured within a short time.
Treating Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease that requires ongoing management. You should treat symptom flare-ups quickly, as an acute asthma attack is a life-threatening medical emergency. Identifying and avoiding symptom triggers, along with allergy medications, can help. You can monitor lung function with a handheld peak flow meter and use inhaled beta-2 agonists or anticholinergics to expand airways during flare-ups. Severe asthma may require daily medications like inhaled or oral corticosteroids, long-term beta-2 agonists, or sublingual tablets (immunotherapy).
Treating Pneumonia
For those in good overall health, home treatment may suffice, including rest, fluids to loosen phlegm, and over-the-counter medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to control fever (avoid giving aspirin to children). Coughing helps purge infection, so consult your doctor before using cough medicine. Antiviral medications may be prescribed for viral pneumonia, or antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia. Severe cases or those with complicating health conditions may require hospitalization, including intravenous fluids, antibiotics, chest pain medication, or oxygen therapy.
Outlook
It’s possible to monitor and successfully manage asthma, allowing most people with asthma to live full, active lives. Recovery from pneumonia typically takes one to three weeks but can take longer if you’re not in good overall health. In severe cases, or without treatment, both conditions can be life-threatening.
Can Asthma and Pneumonia Be Prevented?
Asthma isn’t preventable, but good disease management can reduce attacks. Pneumonia can be partially prevented with a vaccine for pneumococcal pneumonia, recommended for those at risk. You can also reduce your risk of pneumonia by:
- Washing your hands regularly to reduce germ spread
- Not smoking, as tobacco use hinders lung infection defense
- Maintaining a healthy diet
- Staying active
- Practicing good sleep hygiene to aid recovery
- Managing severe asthma symptoms closely