PNEUMONIA causes and treatment

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PNEUMONIA

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can range from mild to so severe that you have to go to the hospital.

It happens when an infection causes the air sacs in your lungs to fill with fluid or pus. That can make it hard for you to breathe in enough oxygen to reach your bloodstream.

*'SYMPTOMS*
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia vary from mild to severe, depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health. Mild signs and symptoms often are similar to those of a cold or flu, but they last longer.

Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:

✅Chest pain when you breathe or cough
✅Confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults age 65 and older)
✅Cough, which may produce phlegm
✅Fatigue
✅Fever, sweating and shaking chills
✅Lower than normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems)
✅Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Shortness of breath

*CAUSES*
Pneumonia may be caused by viral infections, bacterial infections, or fungi; less frequently by other causes.
The most common bacterial type that causes pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae.

*COMPLICATIONS*
Often, people who have pneumonia can be successfully treated and do not have complications. Possible complications of pneumonia may include:

✅Bacteremia and septic shock.
✅Lung abscesses
✅Pleural effusion, empyema and pleurisy
✅Renal failure
✅Respiratory failure

  *DIAGNOSIS*
Your doctor will start by asking about your medical history and doing a physical exam, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal bubbling or crackling sounds that suggest pneumonia.

If pneumonia is suspected, your doctor may recommend the following tests:
✅Blood tests;
  Blood tests are used to confirm an infection and to try to identify the type of organism causing the infection. However, precise identification isn't always possible.
✅Chest X-ray:
    This helps your doctor diagnose pneumonia and determine the extent and location of the infection. However, it can't tell your doctor what kind of germ is causing the pneumonia.
✅Pulse oximetry:
  This measures the oxygen level in your blood. Pneumonia can prevent your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your bloodstream.
✅Sputum test:
    A sample of fluid from your lungs (sputum) is taken after a deep cough and analyzed to help pinpoint the cause of the infection

*TREATMENT*
Treatment for pneumonia involves curing the infection and preventing complications. People who have community-acquired pneumonia usually can be treated at home with medication. Although most symptoms ease in a few days or weeks, the feeling of tiredness can persist for a month or more.
Specific treatments depend on the type and severity of your pneumonia, your age and your overall health. The options include:

✅Antibiotics;
  These medicines are used to treat bacterial pneumonia. It may take time to identify the type of bacteria causing your pneumonia and to choose the best antibiotic to treat it. If your symptoms don't improve, your doctor may recommend a different antibiotic.
✅Cough medicine:
  This medicine may be used to calm your cough so that you can rest. Because coughing helps loosen  and move fluid from your lungs, it's a good idea not to eliminate your cough completely. In addition, you should know that very few studies have looked at whether over-the-counter cough medicines lessen coughing caused by pneumonia. If you want to try a cough suppressant, use the lowest dose that helps you rest.
✅Fever reducers/pain relievers:
  You may take these as needed for fever and discomfort. These include drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen

         

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