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Table of Contents
Other Factors
How to Speed Recovery
Complications
When treated with antibiotics, many cases ofpneumonialast about two to three weeks. If a person has severe complications, such as alung abscess, it may take four to six weeks (or even longer) before symptoms are resolved. Recovery time is largely dependent on:
Although your symptoms may subside within weeks, it may take many more weeks or months before you feel fully normal again. It is not uncommon for someone to feel tired and fatigued for a month after symptoms of pneumonia have otherwise cleared.
This article explains how long pneumonia can last and the various factors that can influence recovery times. It also describes the risk of complications or relapse from pneumonia.
Pneumonia is an infection that causes the inflammation of the air sacs of the lung, calledalveoli. When this happens, the air sacs will fill with fluid or pus, causing coughing, fever, chills, and trouble breathing.
The recovery time can vary based on whether the infection is mild, moderate, or severe.
By definition:
With timely treatment, people with mild to moderate pneumonia can often feel better and return to work within a couple of weeks.
On the other hand, people with severe pneumonia (especially older adults) may up to take 60 days to recoverand up to six months to fully regain strength after being hospitalized.
People hospitalized for pneumonia can expect to be admitted for anywhere from four to 16 days.
Other Factors for Pneumonia Recovery Time
Age
In people 65 and older, pneumonia is never considered mild. Being older inherently places you at an increased risk of severe symptoms, complications, and death because your immune system is weaker. Recovery times tend to be longer in this age group, particularly if hospitalization is needed.
On the side of the spectrum, children under six months have immature immune systems and are almost invariably hospitalized if pneumonia is diagnosed.Hospitalization times for children with pneumonia can vary but tend to last around four days.
Types of Pneumonia
Recovery times can also vary based on the infectious cause of pneumonia.
Bacterial pneumonia also tends to resolve within a couple of weeks when a 5- to 14-day course of antibiotics is prescribed.Streptococcus pneumoniaeis the most common bacterial cause.
Other types take longer to resolve. This is especially true with fungal pneumonia, most commonly seen in people withcompromised immune systems(such as those with advanced, untreated HIV infection). In this population group, antifungal drugs may be needed for up to 12 months.
Can Pneumonia Go Away on Its Own?
Why COVID Pneumonia Is Different
General Health
Your general health before you get pneumonia can influence recovery times after you get pneumonia. Some of the factors that can add days or weeks to your recovery time include:
Ways to Support Recovery
Irrespective of the cause or severity of your pneumonia, there are six things you can do to help speed your recovery:
No matter how mild your symptoms may be, it is important to see a healthcare provider if you think you have pneumonia. Left untreated, pneumonia can sometimes get worse and lead to potentially severe complications like:
Relapse
If pneumonia isn’t treated correctly, there’s a higher risk of recurrence, which is one or more additional bouts of pneumonia within a few years. Other risk factors for recurrence include chronic lung disease,dysphagia(swallowing difficulty), and the overuse of inhaled steroids or sedatives.
Summary
Most mild to moderate cases of pneumonia will last two to three weeks with the appropriate treatment. Severe cases may take up to two months (and many more months thereafter to fully regain your strength).
Factors that can extend recovery times include being over 65, having chronic medical conditions, being immunocompromised, and smoking.
14 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.See KC, Lau YH.Acute management of pneumonia in adult patients.Singapore Med J.2023 Mar;64(3):209–216. doi:10.4103/singaporemedj.SMJ-2022-050American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.How are the different types of pneumonia classified?National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: recovery.Osman M, Manosuthi W, Kaewkungwal J, et al.Etiology, clinical course, and outcomes of pneumonia in the elderly: a retrospective and prospective cohort study in Thailand.Am J Trop Med Hyg.2021 Jun;104(6):2009–2016. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.20-1393Houston Methodist.How to regain strength after pneumonia.Boyd K.Back to the basics: community-acquired pneumonia in children.Pediatr Ann.2017 Jul 1;46(7):e257-e261. doi:10.3928/19382359-20170616-0Amare RA, Fisseha G, Berhe A, Tirore LL.Incidence of recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among children 2–59 months admitted to pediatric ward of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study.J Family Med Prim Care.2022 Sep;11(9):5285–5292. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2006_21Grant RA, Morales-Nebreda L, et al.Circuits between infected macrophages and T cells in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.Nature. 2021;590(7847):635-641. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-03148-wWang RJ, Miller RF, Huang L.Approach to fungal infections in HIV-infected individuals. Pneumocystis and beyond.Clin Chest Med.2017 Sep;38(3):465-477. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2017.04.008Park CM, Dhawan R, Lie J, et al.Functional status recovery trajectories in hospitalised older adults with pneumonia.BMJ Open Respir Res.2022 May;9(1):e001233. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001233Kihara T, Yamagishi K, Iso H, Tamakoshi A, JACC Study Group.The association of smoking cessation with mortality from pneumonia among middle-aged and elderly community residents: the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study.Prev Med.2022 Oct:163:107188. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107188Takada K, Ogawa K, Miyamoto A, et al.Risk factors and interventions for developing recurrent pneumonia in older adults.ERJ Open Res.2023 May 2;9(3):00516-2022. doi:10.1183/23120541.00516-2022
14 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.See KC, Lau YH.Acute management of pneumonia in adult patients.Singapore Med J.2023 Mar;64(3):209–216. doi:10.4103/singaporemedj.SMJ-2022-050American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.How are the different types of pneumonia classified?National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: recovery.Osman M, Manosuthi W, Kaewkungwal J, et al.Etiology, clinical course, and outcomes of pneumonia in the elderly: a retrospective and prospective cohort study in Thailand.Am J Trop Med Hyg.2021 Jun;104(6):2009–2016. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.20-1393Houston Methodist.How to regain strength after pneumonia.Boyd K.Back to the basics: community-acquired pneumonia in children.Pediatr Ann.2017 Jul 1;46(7):e257-e261. doi:10.3928/19382359-20170616-0Amare RA, Fisseha G, Berhe A, Tirore LL.Incidence of recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among children 2–59 months admitted to pediatric ward of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study.J Family Med Prim Care.2022 Sep;11(9):5285–5292. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2006_21Grant RA, Morales-Nebreda L, et al.Circuits between infected macrophages and T cells in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.Nature. 2021;590(7847):635-641. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-03148-wWang RJ, Miller RF, Huang L.Approach to fungal infections in HIV-infected individuals. Pneumocystis and beyond.Clin Chest Med.2017 Sep;38(3):465-477. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2017.04.008Park CM, Dhawan R, Lie J, et al.Functional status recovery trajectories in hospitalised older adults with pneumonia.BMJ Open Respir Res.2022 May;9(1):e001233. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001233Kihara T, Yamagishi K, Iso H, Tamakoshi A, JACC Study Group.The association of smoking cessation with mortality from pneumonia among middle-aged and elderly community residents: the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study.Prev Med.2022 Oct:163:107188. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107188Takada K, Ogawa K, Miyamoto A, et al.Risk factors and interventions for developing recurrent pneumonia in older adults.ERJ Open Res.2023 May 2;9(3):00516-2022. doi:10.1183/23120541.00516-2022
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
See KC, Lau YH.Acute management of pneumonia in adult patients.Singapore Med J.2023 Mar;64(3):209–216. doi:10.4103/singaporemedj.SMJ-2022-050American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.How are the different types of pneumonia classified?National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: recovery.Osman M, Manosuthi W, Kaewkungwal J, et al.Etiology, clinical course, and outcomes of pneumonia in the elderly: a retrospective and prospective cohort study in Thailand.Am J Trop Med Hyg.2021 Jun;104(6):2009–2016. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.20-1393Houston Methodist.How to regain strength after pneumonia.Boyd K.Back to the basics: community-acquired pneumonia in children.Pediatr Ann.2017 Jul 1;46(7):e257-e261. doi:10.3928/19382359-20170616-0Amare RA, Fisseha G, Berhe A, Tirore LL.Incidence of recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among children 2–59 months admitted to pediatric ward of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study.J Family Med Prim Care.2022 Sep;11(9):5285–5292. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2006_21Grant RA, Morales-Nebreda L, et al.Circuits between infected macrophages and T cells in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.Nature. 2021;590(7847):635-641. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-03148-wWang RJ, Miller RF, Huang L.Approach to fungal infections in HIV-infected individuals. Pneumocystis and beyond.Clin Chest Med.2017 Sep;38(3):465-477. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2017.04.008Park CM, Dhawan R, Lie J, et al.Functional status recovery trajectories in hospitalised older adults with pneumonia.BMJ Open Respir Res.2022 May;9(1):e001233. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001233Kihara T, Yamagishi K, Iso H, Tamakoshi A, JACC Study Group.The association of smoking cessation with mortality from pneumonia among middle-aged and elderly community residents: the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study.Prev Med.2022 Oct:163:107188. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107188Takada K, Ogawa K, Miyamoto A, et al.Risk factors and interventions for developing recurrent pneumonia in older adults.ERJ Open Res.2023 May 2;9(3):00516-2022. doi:10.1183/23120541.00516-2022
See KC, Lau YH.Acute management of pneumonia in adult patients.Singapore Med J.2023 Mar;64(3):209–216. doi:10.4103/singaporemedj.SMJ-2022-050
American Lung Association.Pneumonia treatment and recovery.
MedlinePlus.Pneumonia.
Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.How are the different types of pneumonia classified?
National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: recovery.
Osman M, Manosuthi W, Kaewkungwal J, et al.Etiology, clinical course, and outcomes of pneumonia in the elderly: a retrospective and prospective cohort study in Thailand.Am J Trop Med Hyg.2021 Jun;104(6):2009–2016. doi:10.4269/ajtmh.20-1393
Houston Methodist.How to regain strength after pneumonia.
Boyd K.Back to the basics: community-acquired pneumonia in children.Pediatr Ann.2017 Jul 1;46(7):e257-e261. doi:10.3928/19382359-20170616-0
Amare RA, Fisseha G, Berhe A, Tirore LL.Incidence of recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among children 2–59 months admitted to pediatric ward of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Tigray, Ethiopia: a retrospective cohort study.J Family Med Prim Care.2022 Sep;11(9):5285–5292. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_2006_21
Grant RA, Morales-Nebreda L, et al.Circuits between infected macrophages and T cells in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia.Nature. 2021;590(7847):635-641. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-03148-w
Wang RJ, Miller RF, Huang L.Approach to fungal infections in HIV-infected individuals. Pneumocystis and beyond.Clin Chest Med.2017 Sep;38(3):465-477. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2017.04.008
Park CM, Dhawan R, Lie J, et al.Functional status recovery trajectories in hospitalised older adults with pneumonia.BMJ Open Respir Res.2022 May;9(1):e001233. doi:10.1136/bmjresp-2022-001233
Kihara T, Yamagishi K, Iso H, Tamakoshi A, JACC Study Group.The association of smoking cessation with mortality from pneumonia among middle-aged and elderly community residents: the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) study.Prev Med.2022 Oct:163:107188. doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2022.107188
Takada K, Ogawa K, Miyamoto A, et al.Risk factors and interventions for developing recurrent pneumonia in older adults.ERJ Open Res.2023 May 2;9(3):00516-2022. doi:10.1183/23120541.00516-2022
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