How long does antibiotic treatment take to work for pneumonia?

The first signs of progress may be a lower fever, easier breathing or better energy. A cough can remain because the airways and lung tissue need time to recover, even when the infection is responding. Recovery depends on the type and extent of pneumonia, your age, other health conditions and whether the bacteria respond to the prescribed medicine.

Antibiotics do not treat viral pneumonia. Do not change the dose or stop early because you feel better; taking the course as prescribed helps reduce the chance that infection returns or becomes harder to treat.

Take each dose exactly as directed, rest, drink fluids unless a clinician has restricted them, and avoid smoking. Keep track of fever, breathing and your ability to eat, drink and move around. If there is no clear improvement after a few days, or symptoms worsen at any point, contact the prescribing clinician because the diagnosis or antibiotic may need review.

Seek urgent medical help for severe or increasing breathlessness, blue or grey lips, new confusion, fainting, chest pain that is severe or persistent, or inability to keep fluids down. Someone who is unusually drowsy or struggling to wake needs emergency assessment.

Ask whether your pneumonia is thought to be bacterial, when they expect your fever and breathing to improve, and what should happen if your cough remains. Check whether any of your regular medicines or health conditions change how you should take the antibiotic.