Being struck by a persistent cough and fatigue while you're juggling a busy work schedule can be a nuisance. While you may be tempted to brush it off as the flu, they could be signs of walking pneumonia—a subtle illness that may not need bed rest or hospitalization but can still lead to unwanted consequences.

Recognizing walking pneumonia symptoms can spell the difference between recovering quickly and potentially landing yourself in the hospital. Here’s what you need to know.

Walking or atypical pneumonia is a mild lung infection that causes swelling in the airways and is the result of molds, viruses, or bacteria. As its name suggests, people afflicted with walking pneumonia often don’t feel sick enough to stay home.

The first of several walking pneumonia symptoms is a persistent cough and cold. These symptoms may last between seven to ten days, with other symptoms occurring suddenly. A few other signs include mild fever, fatigue or exhaustion, headache, labored or fast breathing, ear pain, chest pain, joint pain, rashes, and vomiting.

Doctors typically diagnose walking pneumonia through a physical examination and auscultation. Auscultation involves listening to heart, lung, and abdomen sounds, usually with a stethoscope.

Occasionally, your healthcare provider may order a chest x-ray to check for an infection, facilitate a blood test, or take a mucus sample.

If you’ve contracted walking pneumonia through a bacterial infection, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics like tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides. If a virus causes the illness, they may advise you to let it run its course.

You can use over-the-counter medication to treat symptoms like nasal congestion and clear your airways by drinking warm liquids or taking a hot bath.

Walking pneumonia can last four to six weeks, with a dry cough being the last symptom to go.

While there aren’t yet any vaccines to prevent walking pneumonia, you can reduce the risk of getting it by:

• Continuing to wear a mask in public or enclosed areas
• Regularly washing your hands with soap and water
• Covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
• Not smoking or not being around others who smoke
• Exercising, eating nutritious food, and getting adequate sleep
• Taking your medication as prescribed

Walking pneumonia is highly contagious, so you’ll want to isolate, especially if your symptoms are severe.

It isn’t uncommon to mistake walking pneumonia for flu so you’ll want to be diligent about seeking help when necessary. Fortunately, reliable internet and mobile services make it easy to get the help you need!

With a Globe At Home GFiber plan or GFiber Prepaid WiFi, you can easily access health information and communicate with online healthcare providers like KonsultaMD. Plus, you can order medications for walking pneumonia through KonsultaMD’s 24/7 pharmacy.