Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsInflammationSymptomsRisk FactorsX-Ray AppearanceTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Inflammation
Symptoms
Risk Factors
X-Ray Appearance
Treatment
Prevention
This article will review the differences between pneumonitis and pneumonia, including their underlying biologies, complications, risk factors, and treatments.
Vladimir Vladimirov / Getty Images
Inflammation in Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia
There are several types of pneumonitis, depending on the substance that you inhale or are exposed to. While some experts might consider pneumonia a type of pneumonitis because it causes lung inflammation, it’s crucial to understand that pneumonia is an infectious process, whereas pneumonitis is a noninfectious one.
Symptoms of Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia
Pneumonitis and pneumonia can causeacute(sudden and short-term) orchronic(persistent and long-term) symptoms and complications.
Acute Symptoms
Acute pneumonitissymptoms may include:
Acutepneumoniasymptoms may consist of:
Keep in mind that children and older adults with pneumonia may not always exhibit the above symptoms. Less common symptoms like diarrhea, nausea, shaking chills (rigors), or confusion are sometimes more prominent.
While most people recover well from pneumonia, those who are at high risk (e.g., those who smoke or have diabetes) have a greater risk of developing short-term complications.
These complications include:
Chronic Symptoms
Chronic pneumonitisdevelops when the initial pneumonitis is left undetected or untreated.
In addition to a persistent dry cough and trouble breathing, symptoms of chronic pneumonitis may come and go or develop slowly over months to years.
They can include:
Severe or persistent cases of chronic pneumonitis can lead topulmonary fibrosis—a condition associated with non-reversible scarring (fibrosis) of the lung tissue.
Specifically, this scarring damages the air sacs (alveoli)in the lungs, which transfer oxygen to the bloodstream. Hallmark symptoms are a gradually worsening dry cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue.
Other complications of chronic pneumonitis includeright-sided heart failure,respiratory failure, and possibly death.
Chronic pneumoniasymptoms may include productive cough, chest pain when breathing, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, and unintentional weight loss.
Possible long-term complications of pneumonia include an elevated risk of pulmonary fibrosisandcardiovascular disease(heart and blood vessel disease).
Lung Cancer vs. Pneumonia: What Are the Differences?
Who Gets Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia
Certain factors increase a person’s chances of developing pneumonitis vs. pneumonia.
Risk Factors for Pneumonitis
Several possible causes of pneumonitis exist, meaning multiple substances can irritate and inflame the lungs of a susceptible person. The substances causing the inflammation help to categorize pneumonitis into different types.
These types include:
What Makes Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia Different?
Other types of pneumonitis include:
Exposure to the above substances—for example, working on a farm, being a bird breeder or veterinarian, or undergoing chest radiation—increases a person’s risk of developing pneumonitis.
With aspiration pneumonitis, the risk is high in people who are unconscious, bedridden, have alcohol use disorder, or have difficulties swallowing due to conditions likeParkinson’s diseaseorstroke.
Risk Factors for Pneumonia
Factors that increase a person’s risk for pneumonia include:
Lifestyle factors like smoking cigarettes or living in crowded living quarters like nursing homes or military barracks also increase a person’s risk for pneumonia.
Risk factors for aspiration pneumonia are the same as those for aspiration pneumonitis (e.g., problems swallowing) in addition to dental or gum disease.
Causes and Risk Factors of Pneumonia
How Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia Appears on X-Ray
In most cases,pneumoniacan be diagnosed with achest X-ray, whereaspneumonitisrequires additional tests.
Pneumonitis
With pneumonitis, the chest X-ray can be normal or exhibit nodules (dense spots), ground glass nodules (dense spots with halos surrounding them), or airway plugging.
While not an exhaustive list, other tests used to diagnose pneumonitis include:
Pneumonia
The distinguishing features of pneumonia on a chest X-ray are calledinfiltrates. These white spots indicate that the alveoli are filled with pus. The accumulation of pus-filled alveoli creates a visually denser area than the surrounding lung tissue—this area is called aconsolidation.
Certain pneumonia complications can also be seen on a chest X-ray. For example, a lung abscess, which may occur with aspiration pneumonia, appears on a chest X-ray as an irregularly round cavity (space) with both a liquid and gas component.
Understanding White Lung Pneumonia: A Diagnostic Finding
Treatment Variations Between Pneumonitis vs. Pneumonia
The treatment ofpneumonitisvaries on the type but generally consists of avoiding the offending allergen or drug. Sometimes,corticosteroids(drugs that calm the immune system) are prescribed.
For aspiration pneumonitis, aggressive pulmonary care is vital to protect the lungs as they heal and prevent further aspiration. Strategies may include:
The treatment ofpneumoniadepends on the germ causing the infection. Antibiotics are prescribed for bacterial infections, whileantifungal drugsare prescribed for fungal infections.
The treatment plan for pneumonia also includes getting lots of rest, drinking fluids, and controlling fever.
Keep in mind that while most cases of pneumonia can be managed at home, severe or chronic forms may require hospitalization foroxygen therapyand medications and fluids given intravenously (within a vein).
How Pneumonia Is Treated
There is no definitive way to prevent pneumonitis or pneumonia. That said, you can take steps to be healthy and hopefully avoid these conditions.
Regarding pneumonitis, you can:
Regarding pneumonia, you can:
How to Prevent Pneumonia
Summary
Common symptoms include cough and shortness of breath, and treatment depends on the type of pneumonitis (e.g., avoiding the offending substance/drug, corticosteroids, or aggressive pulmonary care).
Common symptoms include a cough that brings up green or yellow phlegm and shortness of breath. As with pneumonitis, with pneumonia, treatment depends on the type of pneumonia you have, for example, antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia. Rest and fluids are also essential components of the treatment plan.
Are There Signs That Pneumonia Is Improving?
18 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.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Pneumonia: overview. 2018.Alshahwan SI, Alsowailmi G, Alsahli A, et al.The prevalence of complications of pneumonia among adults admitted to a tertiary care center in Riyadh from 2010-2017.Ann Saudi Med. 2019;39(1):29-36. doi:10.5144/0256-4947.2019.29Saguil A, Fargo M.Acute respiratory distress syndrome: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(12):730-738.Gauer R, Forbes D, Boyer N.Sepsis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(7):409-418.van Manen MJG, Vermeer LC, Moor CC, et al.Clubbing in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung diseases.Respir Med. 2017;132:226-231. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2017.10.021Ali RMM, Ghonimy MBI.Post-COVID-19 pneumonia lung fibrosis: a worrisome sequelae in surviving patients.Egypt J Radiol Nucl Med. 2021;52(1):101. doi:10.1186/s43055-021-00484-3Hu Y, Sun Z, Yu C, et al.Association between pneumonia hospitalisation and long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese adults: A prospective cohort study.EClinicalMedicine. 2022;55:101761. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101761Sullivan A, Shrestha P, Lanham T, Lanham E, Baba M.Bird fancier’s lung: an underdiagnosed etiology of dyspnea.Respir Med Case Rep. 2020;31:101288. doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101288Sokolowsky N, Rolland L, Vandenhende MA, et al.Cutaneous lesions during hot-tub hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Pseudomonas folliculitis.Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2017;144(4):290-294. French. doi:10.1016/j.annder.2016.10.002Cano-Jiménez E, Acuña A, Botana MI, et al.Farmer’s lung disease. A review.Arch Bronconeumol. 2016;52(6):321-8. doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2015.12.001Hara M, Yashiro Y.A case of humidifier lung; the key diagnosis is detailed medical history taking.Respirol Case Rep. 2023;11(9):e01200. doi:10.1002/rcr2.1200Son YG, Shin J, Ryu HG.Pneumonitis and pneumonia after aspiration.J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2017;17(1):1-12. doi:10.17245/jdapm.2017.17.1.1Skeoch S, Weatherley N, Swift AJ, et al.Drug-induced interstitial lung disease: a systematic review.J Clin Med. 2018;7(10):356. doi:10.3390/jcm7100356Arroyo-Hernández M, Maldonado F, Lozano-Ruiz F, Muñoz-Montaño W, Nuñez-Baez M, Arrieta O.Radiation-induced lung injury: current evidence.BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21(1):9. doi:10.1186/s12890-020-01376-4National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: causes and risk factors.Magee AL, Montner SM, Husain A, Adegunsoye A, Vij R, Chung JH.Imaging of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.Radiol Clin North Am. 2016;54(6):1033-1046. doi:10.1016/j.rcl.2016.05.013Walker CM, Abbott GF, Greene RE, Shepard JA, Vummidi D, Digumarthy SR.Imaging pulmonary infection: classic signs and patterns.AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2014;202(3):479-92. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11463
18 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.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Pneumonia: overview. 2018.Alshahwan SI, Alsowailmi G, Alsahli A, et al.The prevalence of complications of pneumonia among adults admitted to a tertiary care center in Riyadh from 2010-2017.Ann Saudi Med. 2019;39(1):29-36. doi:10.5144/0256-4947.2019.29Saguil A, Fargo M.Acute respiratory distress syndrome: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(12):730-738.Gauer R, Forbes D, Boyer N.Sepsis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(7):409-418.van Manen MJG, Vermeer LC, Moor CC, et al.Clubbing in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung diseases.Respir Med. 2017;132:226-231. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2017.10.021Ali RMM, Ghonimy MBI.Post-COVID-19 pneumonia lung fibrosis: a worrisome sequelae in surviving patients.Egypt J Radiol Nucl Med. 2021;52(1):101. doi:10.1186/s43055-021-00484-3Hu Y, Sun Z, Yu C, et al.Association between pneumonia hospitalisation and long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese adults: A prospective cohort study.EClinicalMedicine. 2022;55:101761. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101761Sullivan A, Shrestha P, Lanham T, Lanham E, Baba M.Bird fancier’s lung: an underdiagnosed etiology of dyspnea.Respir Med Case Rep. 2020;31:101288. doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101288Sokolowsky N, Rolland L, Vandenhende MA, et al.Cutaneous lesions during hot-tub hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Pseudomonas folliculitis.Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2017;144(4):290-294. French. doi:10.1016/j.annder.2016.10.002Cano-Jiménez E, Acuña A, Botana MI, et al.Farmer’s lung disease. A review.Arch Bronconeumol. 2016;52(6):321-8. doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2015.12.001Hara M, Yashiro Y.A case of humidifier lung; the key diagnosis is detailed medical history taking.Respirol Case Rep. 2023;11(9):e01200. doi:10.1002/rcr2.1200Son YG, Shin J, Ryu HG.Pneumonitis and pneumonia after aspiration.J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2017;17(1):1-12. doi:10.17245/jdapm.2017.17.1.1Skeoch S, Weatherley N, Swift AJ, et al.Drug-induced interstitial lung disease: a systematic review.J Clin Med. 2018;7(10):356. doi:10.3390/jcm7100356Arroyo-Hernández M, Maldonado F, Lozano-Ruiz F, Muñoz-Montaño W, Nuñez-Baez M, Arrieta O.Radiation-induced lung injury: current evidence.BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21(1):9. doi:10.1186/s12890-020-01376-4National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: causes and risk factors.Magee AL, Montner SM, Husain A, Adegunsoye A, Vij R, Chung JH.Imaging of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.Radiol Clin North Am. 2016;54(6):1033-1046. doi:10.1016/j.rcl.2016.05.013Walker CM, Abbott GF, Greene RE, Shepard JA, Vummidi D, Digumarthy SR.Imaging pulmonary infection: classic signs and patterns.AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2014;202(3):479-92. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11463
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.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Pneumonia: overview. 2018.Alshahwan SI, Alsowailmi G, Alsahli A, et al.The prevalence of complications of pneumonia among adults admitted to a tertiary care center in Riyadh from 2010-2017.Ann Saudi Med. 2019;39(1):29-36. doi:10.5144/0256-4947.2019.29Saguil A, Fargo M.Acute respiratory distress syndrome: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(12):730-738.Gauer R, Forbes D, Boyer N.Sepsis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(7):409-418.van Manen MJG, Vermeer LC, Moor CC, et al.Clubbing in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung diseases.Respir Med. 2017;132:226-231. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2017.10.021Ali RMM, Ghonimy MBI.Post-COVID-19 pneumonia lung fibrosis: a worrisome sequelae in surviving patients.Egypt J Radiol Nucl Med. 2021;52(1):101. doi:10.1186/s43055-021-00484-3Hu Y, Sun Z, Yu C, et al.Association between pneumonia hospitalisation and long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese adults: A prospective cohort study.EClinicalMedicine. 2022;55:101761. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101761Sullivan A, Shrestha P, Lanham T, Lanham E, Baba M.Bird fancier’s lung: an underdiagnosed etiology of dyspnea.Respir Med Case Rep. 2020;31:101288. doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101288Sokolowsky N, Rolland L, Vandenhende MA, et al.Cutaneous lesions during hot-tub hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Pseudomonas folliculitis.Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2017;144(4):290-294. French. doi:10.1016/j.annder.2016.10.002Cano-Jiménez E, Acuña A, Botana MI, et al.Farmer’s lung disease. A review.Arch Bronconeumol. 2016;52(6):321-8. doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2015.12.001Hara M, Yashiro Y.A case of humidifier lung; the key diagnosis is detailed medical history taking.Respirol Case Rep. 2023;11(9):e01200. doi:10.1002/rcr2.1200Son YG, Shin J, Ryu HG.Pneumonitis and pneumonia after aspiration.J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2017;17(1):1-12. doi:10.17245/jdapm.2017.17.1.1Skeoch S, Weatherley N, Swift AJ, et al.Drug-induced interstitial lung disease: a systematic review.J Clin Med. 2018;7(10):356. doi:10.3390/jcm7100356Arroyo-Hernández M, Maldonado F, Lozano-Ruiz F, Muñoz-Montaño W, Nuñez-Baez M, Arrieta O.Radiation-induced lung injury: current evidence.BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21(1):9. doi:10.1186/s12890-020-01376-4National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: causes and risk factors.Magee AL, Montner SM, Husain A, Adegunsoye A, Vij R, Chung JH.Imaging of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.Radiol Clin North Am. 2016;54(6):1033-1046. doi:10.1016/j.rcl.2016.05.013Walker CM, Abbott GF, Greene RE, Shepard JA, Vummidi D, Digumarthy SR.Imaging pulmonary infection: classic signs and patterns.AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2014;202(3):479-92. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11463
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG).Pneumonia: overview. 2018.
Alshahwan SI, Alsowailmi G, Alsahli A, et al.The prevalence of complications of pneumonia among adults admitted to a tertiary care center in Riyadh from 2010-2017.Ann Saudi Med. 2019;39(1):29-36. doi:10.5144/0256-4947.2019.29
Saguil A, Fargo M.Acute respiratory distress syndrome: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(12):730-738.
Gauer R, Forbes D, Boyer N.Sepsis: diagnosis and management.Am Fam Physician. 2020;101(7):409-418.
van Manen MJG, Vermeer LC, Moor CC, et al.Clubbing in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung diseases.Respir Med. 2017;132:226-231. doi:10.1016/j.rmed.2017.10.021
Ali RMM, Ghonimy MBI.Post-COVID-19 pneumonia lung fibrosis: a worrisome sequelae in surviving patients.Egypt J Radiol Nucl Med. 2021;52(1):101. doi:10.1186/s43055-021-00484-3
Hu Y, Sun Z, Yu C, et al.Association between pneumonia hospitalisation and long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese adults: A prospective cohort study.EClinicalMedicine. 2022;55:101761. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101761
Sullivan A, Shrestha P, Lanham T, Lanham E, Baba M.Bird fancier’s lung: an underdiagnosed etiology of dyspnea.Respir Med Case Rep. 2020;31:101288. doi:10.1016/j.rmcr.2020.101288
Sokolowsky N, Rolland L, Vandenhende MA, et al.Cutaneous lesions during hot-tub hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Pseudomonas folliculitis.Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2017;144(4):290-294. French. doi:10.1016/j.annder.2016.10.002
Cano-Jiménez E, Acuña A, Botana MI, et al.Farmer’s lung disease. A review.Arch Bronconeumol. 2016;52(6):321-8. doi:10.1016/j.arbres.2015.12.001
Hara M, Yashiro Y.A case of humidifier lung; the key diagnosis is detailed medical history taking.Respirol Case Rep. 2023;11(9):e01200. doi:10.1002/rcr2.1200
Son YG, Shin J, Ryu HG.Pneumonitis and pneumonia after aspiration.J Dent Anesth Pain Med. 2017;17(1):1-12. doi:10.17245/jdapm.2017.17.1.1
Skeoch S, Weatherley N, Swift AJ, et al.Drug-induced interstitial lung disease: a systematic review.J Clin Med. 2018;7(10):356. doi:10.3390/jcm7100356
Arroyo-Hernández M, Maldonado F, Lozano-Ruiz F, Muñoz-Montaño W, Nuñez-Baez M, Arrieta O.Radiation-induced lung injury: current evidence.BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21(1):9. doi:10.1186/s12890-020-01376-4
National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.Pneumonia: causes and risk factors.
Magee AL, Montner SM, Husain A, Adegunsoye A, Vij R, Chung JH.Imaging of hypersensitivity pneumonitis.Radiol Clin North Am. 2016;54(6):1033-1046. doi:10.1016/j.rcl.2016.05.013
Walker CM, Abbott GF, Greene RE, Shepard JA, Vummidi D, Digumarthy SR.Imaging pulmonary infection: classic signs and patterns.AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2014;202(3):479-92. doi:10.2214/AJR.13.11463
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