Pneumonia

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Diagnosis & Tests

How Your Healthcare Provider will Diagnose Pneumonia

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and do a physical exam. You may also need blood tests and a chest X-ray. People with pneumonia may have:

  • A new or worsening cough, sometimes with thick mucus
  • Low oxygen levels in the blood
  • New or worsening lung problems
  • Chest pain
  • Fast breathing
  • Fever
  • A high white blood cell count (a sign of infection)
  • Sudden changes in thinking or ability to function

If pneumonia is suspected, your healthcare provider may order blood and urine tests and take images of your lungs with a chest X-ray.

 

Last Reviewed and Updated: October 2026 
By: AGS/HiAF Public Education Committee, HealthinAging.org Content Reviewers 

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