What is "walking pneumonia"?

Q. I've heard of the condition "walking pneumonia," but what is it exactly? Is it more serious than regular pneumonia?

A. Walking pneumonia is an old term. Doctors used it to define cases of pneumonia that could be treated at home rather than at the hospital — that is, people could be at home, walking around, rather than in a hospital bed. I occasionally still use the term to help a person with mild pneumonia feel more comfortable with that diagnosis.

But doctors now have more precise ways to determine the severity of pneumonia or whether the person with pneumonia requires hospital admission. A commonly used tool, called the Pneumonia Severity Index, calculates a score. A higher score means a person is much more likely to develop complications. The individual characteristics that lead to a safer, lower score include younger age; not having any other chronic illness, such as cancer, heart failure, or advanced liver disease; clear thinking with no signs of confusion; normal kidney function; and breathing comfortably without struggle.

So, in general, "walking pneumonia" today means pneumonia with a low index score. The person is highly likely to get well at home and not develop complications. Still, walking pneumonia is a significant infection. Symptoms include cough, fever, chills, chest pain when taking a deep breath, and marked fatigue. Doctors usually prescribe antibiotics. You should get plenty of rest, but you don't need to stay confined to bed. You often can expect to feel better over several days.