Smoking is a known lung irritant. It will make it even more difficult to get enough oxygen and it will take you longer to recover. Talk to your doctor about the many treatment options that are available to help you quit smoking. Nicotine replacement products, like patch or gum, can help to relieve uncomfortable side effects.
Alcohol use can lower your immune resistance. This can make it difficult to recover. If you have trouble controlling alcohol intake, talk to your doctor.
References
Community-acquired pneumonia in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T115170/Community-acquired-pneumonia-in-adults . Accessed November 10, 2019.
Community-acquired pneumonia in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T113670/Community-acquired-pneumonia-in-children . Accessed November 10, 2019.
Diagnosing and treating pneumonia. American Lung Association website. Available at: http://www.lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/diagnosing-and-treating.html. Accessed November 10, 2019.
Treatment. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/pnu/treatment. Accessed November 10, 2019.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board David L. Horn, MD, FACP
- Review Date: 01/2020
- Update Date: 01/21/2020