The inflammation of the alveoli, which are the basic anatomical and functional units of the respiratory system, is known as pneumonia. Due to infection and inflammatory exudate, these air sacs will be filled with fluid, resulting in lung consolidation, which can be detected on a chest x-ray later. Lobar pneumonia, or patchy dispersion of accumulating opacities throughout the lungs, is a condition that can affect the entire lobe. It can also affect the interstitial space, which is the space between the broncho-aleveolar segments, at times.
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| Pneumonia |
Symptoms of pneumonia
These symptoms may be developed within one or two days or gradually within days or weeks.
Chest pain
Shortness of breath
Cough
Coughing up blood or specks of blood in sputum
Fever or flu like illness
Shivering
Heart racing
Sweating
Loss of appetite
Confusion especially in the elderly
Agitation Nausea and vomiting
Headache
Fatigue
Muscle and body aches or you just feel miserable
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| Symptoms of pneumonia |
Causes of pneumonia
Pneumonia can be caused by infective or non-infectious causes.
Bacteria such as Pneumococcus, Mycoplasma pneumniae, Legionella pneumophilla, and other gram-negative bacteria such as Kleibsella and E. coli are among the infectious causes.
Viruses such as influenza and Covid-19
Infections caused by yeast, fungi, or protozoa are known as fungal infections.
Exposures to some poisons or chemicals are examples of non-infectious causes.
Low immunity is another cause of pneumonia, and it is found in alcoholics, HIV –AIDS patients, and people who have had organ transplant procedures such as kidney or liver transplant operations.
People with long-term chronic medical illnesses such as diabetes mellitus or respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD are also at risk.
Those who have been using steroids and antibiotics for a long time are at risk of developing pneumonia.
Aspiration pneumonia can strike the elderly and feeble, as well as those who are drowsy or unconscious, such as in a vegetative state, or who have swallowing problems.
Hospital acquired pneumonia
This type of pneumonia can affect those people who are being admitted in the hospital for another reason but they can catch pneumonia from there for example patients over 50 who get treatment in the intensive care unit.
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| causes of pneumonia |
How pneumonia patients can infect others?
You can easily become infected with pneumonia by sneezing or
coughing droplets of mucus discharges from their mouth, and by touching
surfaces used by pneumonia patients. If you are pnemonia patient try to prevent others from getting this infection in these following ways.
It is better to cover your nose when you cough or sneeze to avoid others to get infection.
Wash your hands regularly if you have symptoms. Regularly clean the surfaces with which you are in contact to avoid the spread of infection to the other members of your family.
Risk factors
If you get an upper respiratory tract infection as a result of influenza,
If you have asthma or COPD, this article is for you.
If you are an alcoholic, you will lose your ability to fight illnesses.
If you're a smoker who gets acute bronchitis on a regular basis, then you are at risk of developing pneumonia.
Examination by your doctor
It entails using a stethoscope to listen to your chest. During auscultation, he may hear some unusual noises in your chest, such as crackling sounds in the affected lung area.
In addition, he would try to percuss you by tapping your chest with his hands.
There will be a dull sound on the percussion, leading to the diagnosis of pneumonia.
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| chest examination |
He'll also look at how fast you're breathing per minute, whether your cough contains blood, and whether you're experiencing chest pain while coughing, as well as the other symptoms listed above.
He may request blood tests such as a complete blood count, ESR, and CRP, sample of phlegm for culture and sensitivity, as well as a chest X-ray if necessary.
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| Chest x-ray showing pneumonia |
Treatment of pneumonia
If your symptoms are minor, you can treat yourself at home with amoxicillin or other oral antibiotics within four hours of receiving your diagnosis.
If you have a penicillin allergy, your doctor will give macrolides, which are unusual antibiotics.
Your doctor may advise you to take rest, increase your water consumption at home. You must see your doctor again if your condition does not improve after three days of beginning treatment.
Remember this. That your signs and symptoms will subside in 4 to 6 weeks, and that you will be able to resume your normal routine and everyday activities within six months.
If you need to be admitted to the hospital, you will be given antibiotics orally at first, and you may require intravenous antibiotics as well as oxygen.
If you do not improve, you may require all of the supportive treatment available in intensive care.
This usually occurs if you are in poor health, have underlying illnesses such as asthma or a heart condition, or are contaminated with the legionella bacteria.
If you have low immunity or are elderly, you should expect a death rate of up to 1 in 100.
There's also the potential of inserting a tube through your airways to help you breathe, although this has a higher fatality rate of 4 in 100.
Complications of pneumonia
We should expect some complications from the existing pneumonia disease, such as pleurisy, in which the pleura, or outer layer of the lungs, becomes inflamed.
A lung abscess that is usually observed in alcoholics, as well as sepsis, in which the infection can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream.
Prevention of the pneumonia
Getting vaccinated against pneumococcus can help you avoid getting this disease. Get vaccinated for the flu every year.
Smoking causes the lining of your airways to become easily infected, so try to quit.
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| pneumococcal vaccination |
Very informative
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