Is a bacterial chest infection the same as pneumonia?

[ShiftyLookingBadger]

I know pneumonia can be bacterial or viral, but are bacterial chest infections always pneumonia? That's the impression I get from the Scottish NHS but I can't find anything else on Doctor Google to support this! Thanks

[yellowallpaper]

I have the feeling that on X-ray a chest infection affects most of the lung areas, and looks sort of speckly. Pneumonia affects one or more of the lobes of the lungs and these lobes looks foggy. The left lung has 2 lobes, and the right 3 I think. Tends to be more serious as the lobes get very clogged up so don't transfer oxygen.

[ShiftyLookingBadger]

Thanks Yellow, interesting!

[Wasail]

Pneumonia is when you get fluid in the lung, can be in any one or more of the lobes.
A bacterial chest infection can cause pneumonia but doesn’t necessarily result in pneumonia.

[ShiftyLookingBadger]

Wasail, that makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

[albazavi]

Our consultant (DS has long term lung condition that means he has persistent chest infections) has said that there is no clinical difference between a bacterial chest infection and pneumonia.

[Mummyofbananas]

I had a nasty chest infection and the doctor said I had bronchitis because it was my upper chest and pneumonia would be further down, he may have just simplified it for me though xx

[Robstersgirl]

Pneumonia makes you really really ill. I was so ill I couldn’t phone the doctors for 2 weeks.

[kingofkings]

Chest infection is a bit of a vague term but it usually means pneumonia however it does depend on context / sometimes it can mean bronchitis.
If there are chest x ray changes of consolidation it's pneumonia. Pneumonia can be viral or bacterial but bacterial more common in hospitalised patients.

[kingofkings]

You could also have an exacerbation if COPD which could be bacterial but not necessarily pneumonia( no chest x ray consolidation)

[RandomMess]

You can have pneumonia at the top of your lungs I had DHs pointed out to me on his X-ray.