One in five of us will encounter issues with our lungs at some point – pneumonia being one of the more severe conditions. The recent passing of Pope Francis, due to complications following a battle with double pneumonia, has brought the serious lung condition into the spotlight.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was also recently forced to take time off after he too had pneumonia. Yet, there are some common misconceptions about the infection, which BBC Morning Live’s Dr Xand van Tulleken addressed when he appeared on the show this week.
At the same time, he warned people to be aware of symptoms of the condition that could mean they need to see a GP. However, he did note that key red flags are not always present.
Myth 1 – Pneumonia is only a problem in the winter
One of the widely held but incorrect beliefs he dispelled is that pneumonia is strictly a winter concern. Dr Xand explained: “You’ve got to be alert to it even in summer, it’s not just a winter problem.”
He also noted that, “In the winter, the NHS might expect two to four thousand cases a week but in the summer you could be getting anywhere from 700 to 1500 cases.”
He emphasised: “It is a year-round thing”.
Myth 2 – Pneumonia is contagious
Another misplaced belief is that pneumonia is highly contagious. On the show, Dr Xand clarified: “It’s not very contagious like Covid or a cold are contagious” and went on to describe how our lungs become inflamed mostly due to an infection.
He elaborated: “Think of a pneumonia as an opportunity that bacteria have seized to start infecting your lungs because of some other problem.
“Frequently, people get an upper respiratory tract infection, something like Covid or a cold or a cough, bit of bronchitis . . . that changes the microbiome in your lungs, which is an opportunity for ‘bad’ bacteria to overgrow and cause problems much deeper in your lungs and that interferes with the oxygen getting in and the carbon dioxide getting out.”
Myth 3 – Pneumonia only affects older people
Dr Xand went on to debunk myth number three by clarifying that pneumonia “can be life threatening at any age”.
He added: “Your lungs are like sponges – imagine a sponge that’s been left by the sink and you never squeeze it out and let it dry, it gets a bit ‘rotty’ and smelly – that’s essentially what’s happening in pneumonia – the fluid has got into the air spaces in the lungs, reducing air flow and blood flow, [allowing] ‘bugs’ to grow in the lungs, and that’s what causes the problems.”
The NHS cautions that individuals such as “babies, older people, and people with heart or lung conditions are at risk of getting seriously ill and may need treatment in hospital”.
Pneumonia symptoms
Addressing presenter Michelle on first symptoms to watch out for with pneumonia, Dr Xand emphasised that while a chest x-ray is essential for diagnosis, signs that should prompt contacting a GP include:
However, Dr Xand noted that these indicators might not always be present and stated, “so it can be an easy thing to miss”.
Drawing from personal experience, the healthcare expert shared that his mother had suffered from pneumonia a few years back. However, he and his brother, who is also a doctor, almost overlooked it as she didn’t exhibit any typical symptoms. She merely “looked grey and went to bed”.
How to safeguard yourself against pneumonia
The NHS recommends: “The pneumococcal vaccine helps protect against serious illnesses like pneumonia and meningitis. It’s recommended for people at higher risk of these illnesses, such as babies and adults aged 65 and over. Your GP surgery will usually contact you if you or your child are eligible for the pneumococcal vaccine. This will usually be by letter, text, phone call or email.”
Additionally, the NHS suggests that flu, Covid and RSV vaccinations can help shield you or your child from infections that can lead to pneumonia.
This is crucial, according to Dr Xand, “because it prevents your body from clearing mucus out of your lungs”.
- Avoid cough syrup and “maintain the air flow in your lungs”
Dr Xand explains that while cough syrups may stop you from coughing, “you want to cough, and you want to get mucus out of your lungs”.
In line with this, he demonstrated a deep breathing exercise to Gethin and Michelle, that many clinical practitioners suggest people with lung complaints do before and after surgery.
The GP advised: “Put a hand on your tummy. . . take a deep breath in and puff your tummy out so that you really open up the bottoms of your lungs – hold that for 2-3 secs and then you can let it out with a bit of a ‘huff’.
“That may give you a bit of a cough but that’s good – repeat that 3 or 4 times and what you’re doing there is keeping your lungs ventilated”, he added.
“Keeping your chest open gets air in, keeps the blood flowing and it doesn’t give those bugs an opportunity to settle in your lungs.”
Hand washing and avoiding people that are obviously ill will prevent your risk of opening yourself up to infection.
If you have had a cough for more than 3 weeks, or are coughing up blood, have chest pain or are short of breath at all, call your GP or ring 111.
