Signs and Symptoms of Mycoplasma Pneumonia

Mycoplasma pneumonia is a relatively minor form of the more common and much more dangerous bacterial respiratory infection, pneumonia. It's sometimes referred to as "walking pneumonia" because the symptoms aren't usually severe enough to prevent a person suffering from the disease from being active and ambulatory. Though its signs and symptoms often mimic the flu or the common cold, there are some notable differences.

Onset Period

• Mycoplasma pneumonia has a very slow rate of onset. A patient's symptoms will worsen over time at a relatively slow rate, sometimes taking weeks to get to its full severity. This is a major distinction from the flu and other viral diseases, which tend to have a much faster onset of only a couple of days.

Dry Cough

• A dry cough that slowly gets worse over time is a very common marker among cases of mycoplasma pneumonia, particularly during the recovery period. In fact, a lack of a persistent cough almost rules out a diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia. This cough gradually gets more severe and may even lead to bronchitis. The cough can be treated with over-the-counter cough suppressants and other treatments that are known to alleviate severe coughs, such as sleeping in an upright position. Chest tenderness from severe coughing may also develop.

Flu-like Symptoms

• Hot tea may alleviate some symptoms.

  Common flu symptoms, such as a fever, sore throat, headache, chills, congestion and a general malaise, are also noted in mycoplasma pneumonia, which is why it's so often mistaken for an ordinary flu. These symptoms can usually be managed with generalized, over-the-counter medication, not specifically for a cold or flu. The usual home remedies, such as bed rest, plenty of liquids, hot tea and chicken soup, also help to make the patient feel more comfortable during the recovery period.

Symptoms of Moderate Cases

• In moderate cases, more severe symptoms mimicking the common variety of pneumonia can also arise, such as rashes, earaches, very high fevers, lumps in the neck and a strong cough. Though these cases of the disease are more worrisome, they rarely require hospital stays like the more severe form of the disease, and the symptoms often resolve on their own.

Antibiotics

• If a patient is diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia, antibiotics are often prescribed which is a major distinction from traditional treatment of the flu, which is a virus and doesn't respond to antibiotics. Ordinary antibiotics, such as tetracycline and erythromicin, are commonly prescribed, and can speed recovery time significantly. Rapid response to antimicrobial treatments is a retrospective sign and confirmation that the patient suffers from mycoplasma pneumonia and not the flu; conversely, a lack of response to antivirals may indicate that the patient suffers from a bacterial infection and makes the diagnosis of mycoplasma pneumonia that much more likely.