The Diagnosis of Pneumonia
When you have symptoms and signs above, please see a doctor immediately for an overall health check. Firstly, your doctor will ask a few questions and get to know your medical history. Next, auscultation will be carried out. The doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to sounds from your lungs. If there are crackling or bubbling sounds (crackles or rales), it could be a sign of having pneumonia. Doctors will recommend the following tests to rule out other causes and confirm pneumonia.
Blood Test and Blood Cultures
A blood test tests whether you have antibodies in your bloodstream. It is an indication of infection and allows doctors to tell whether you have pneumonia. Doctors will also use blood culture to detect organisms in your bloodstream. This analysis helps doctors confirm whether the pneumonia infection is viral, bacterial, or fungal.
