CHECK-UP:More young people are succumbing to the infection due to their stressful lives
I went to my doctor because I have had a chesty cough, sweating and have been feeling very tired for the past week or two. Although I haven't been feeling great I was still surprised when he said I had pneumonia.
I'm only 27 and was under the impression that this was something only older people got.
While pneumonia is often thought to be a condition that primarily affects the frail or elderly, our increasingly stressful lives have resulted in more young and fit people succumbing to the infection.
Pneumonia is an infection that results in part of the lung becoming solid and unable to function. The air sacs in the lung become clogged with white blood cells and fluid making it difficult for oxygen to pass from the blood stream into the lungs. This in turn makes breathing difficult.
I've been having a very sharp pain under my ribs and often find it hard to get my breath after a coughing fit.
As well as a chesty cough that can last well after the infection has cleared, pneumonia is often accompanied by a high temperature, sweating and shivers in addition to aches and pains all over.
Sufferers may experience a sharp pain in the chest when coughing, struggle for breath and feel absolutely exhausted.
My doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics but I don't like taking any medicines. Will I get better without them?
In the majority of cases, pneumonia can be treated at home and responds well to oral antibiotics.
In addition, paracetamol will help relieve the aches and control a high temperature while plenty of clear fluids will keep the patient hydrated.
If, however, the infection is not treated, you may become extremely unwell and require admission to hospital where antibiotics and fluids will have to be administered intravenously.
A very small proportion of people admitted for inpatient treatment will require intensive care. You would, therefore, be well advised to follow your doctor's advice and take the course of antibiotics to clear the infection as quickly as possible.
Although pneumonia is the leading cause of death in elderly people, it is rare for a young and fit person to die from the disease.