To diagnose pneumonia, your health care provider will take a detail history, do physical exam. You may need blood tests as well as a chest x-ray.

Patients with pneumonia may show the following symptoms:

• new or increased cough; coughing up thick mucus
• reduction in blood oxygen levels
• new or changed lung problem
• chest pain
• rapid breathing at 25 breaths a minute
• fever
• high white blood cell count (shows infection)
• severe changes in mental status or functional status

A person who has signs of pneumonia may have tests of their blood, urine, as well as imaging of lungs by chest x-ray.

Last Updated October 2022