pneumonia is a lung infection that can make you very sick. you may cough run a fever and have a hard time breathing. for most people pneumonia can be treated at home. it often clears up in 2 to 3 weeks. but older adults babies and people with other diseases can become very ill. they may need to be in the hospital. you can get pneumonia in your daily life such as at school or work. this is called community-associated pneumonia. you can also get it when you are in a hospital or nursing home. this is called healthcare-associated pneumonia. it may be more severe because you already are ill. this topic focuses on pneumonia you get in your daily life. webmd medical reference from healthwise this information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information. © 1995-2011 healthwise incorporated. healthwise healthwise for every health decision and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise incorporated.
what is pneumonia?