Walking pneumonia is gaining attention this season — What to know

JOPLIN, Mo. — A particular type of lung illness has been on the rise both locally and nationally.

Have you ever wondered why it's called "walking pneumonia"?

It's because many people who get it don't feel well, but aren't sick enough to prevent them from being up and "walking around."

"It's a dual lung pneumonia that boy, it really slows you down. For most people, it makes you really 'gripey' and it makes you feel terrible, but it's not really enough to get you sick and into the hospital," said Dr. Rob McNab, McNab Wellness.

This is the time of the year when it's most prevalent, and McNab says it is making its way around the area, affecting kids and adults alike.

And a familiar foe may play a role in that increase.

"We've known for a while that COVID infections can make us more susceptible to other infections in the future," said McNab.

Much like we have good bacteria in our gut, we also have good bacteria in our lungs, and COVID changes that.

"When people have had COVID infections, you can damage that bacterial environment, and so that's called dysbiosis, and that can lead you to be more susceptible to lung infections for a long period of time, up to years after you've had a COVID infection," said McNab.

So is that damage permanent, and will someone be prone to pneumonia and other lung ailments permanently?

Because COVID is a relatively new illness, it's just too soon to know for sure.