Pneumonia And Back Pain
Back pain can be one of the symptoms of pneumonia. This article will provide detailed information on the relation between the two.
Back pain can be one of the symptoms of pneumonia. This article will provide detailed information on the relation between the two.
Pneumonia is a respiratory disease. In most of the cases, it is caused by bacteria known as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Cold, high fever, chest pain, chills, etc., are the prominent signs and symptoms of this disease. But, did you know that pneumonia can be one of the reasons for back pain? Let us take a look.
Can Pneumonia Cause Back Pain
Back pain is usually observed in case of bacterial pneumonia. Most of the time, it is observed that chest and back pain aggravates with breathing. When the person breathes deeply, he experiences pain in the back and in the lower chest. Therefore, if a person complains of back pain that worsens while breathing, chances of pneumonia cannot be ruled out.
But, not all cases of back pain are caused by pneumonia. Similarly, not all cases of pneumonia cause back pain. When suffering from pneumonia, many other symptoms are also observed. Here is detailed information about pneumonia that will be helpful in knowing more about the disease.
SymptomsCommon signs and symptoms of pneumonia, like cold, fever, chills, and cough, etc., are similar to that of influenza or flu. The following symptoms are also observed.
- Shortness of breath
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
How Can I Tell If I Have Pneumonia Versus The Common Cold Or The Flu
Do I have a cold or could it be the flu or even pneumonia? Its tough to tell the difference but critical to know when to seek medical care
Watch for these ongoing symptoms that occur in pneumonia:
- Serious congestion or chest pain.
- Difficulty breathing.
- A fever of 102 or higher.
- Coughing that produces pus.
Pneumonia symptoms last longer than cold and flu. If your symptoms arent severe, its okay to try such home remedies as getting more rest, drinking more fluids and taking some over-the-counter medicines and see what happens. But if you dont see improvement in your symptoms after three to five days, or if you are experiencing more serious symptoms such as dizziness or severe difficulty breathing, see your healthcare provider. Dont let it go. Pneumonia-like symptoms in very young children or in adults older than 65 are a cause for concern. Also, pneumonia can cause permanent lung damage if left untreated for too long. And always seek immediate care if you experience chest pain or have breathing difficulties.
When To See A Doctor
Since back pain is so common, it can be easy to ignore the pain and any mild accompanying symptoms.
However, its always a good idea to talk to your doctor about any pain you are experiencing.
Sometimes symptoms that dont seem all that bad could be warning signs of a serious condition.
If youre experiencing the following symptoms, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible, as you may have a medical emergency:
- Shortness of breath, especially if it interferes with routine daily activities
- A very high or low heart rate
- High fever
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How Do You Treat Pneumonia
Treatment for pneumonia depends on the cause. If pneumonia is caused bya bacterial infection, antibiotics will be prescribed to kill the harmfulbacteria. If pneumonia is caused by a viral infection, time and restare best for recovery. Fever reducing medications and cough medicationscan help relieve symptoms and aid sleep.
How Common Is Pneumonia
Approximately 1 million adults in the United States are hospitalized each year for pneumonia and 50,000 die from the disease. It is the second most common reason for being admitted to the hospital — childbirth is number one. Pneumonia is the most common reason children are admitted to the hospital in the United States. Seniors who are hospitalized for pneumonia face a higher risk of death compared to any of the top 10 other reasons for hospitalization.
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What Is The Outlook For Pneumonia
People who are otherwise healthy often recover quickly when given prompt and proper care. However, pneumonia is a serious condition and can be life-threatening if left untreated and especially for those individuals at increased risk for pneumonia.
Even patients who have been successfully treated and have fully recovered may face long-term health issues. Children who have recovered from pneumonia have an increased risk of chronic lung diseases. Adults may experience:
- General decline in quality of life for months or years
Causes Of Upper Back Pain When Breathing
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If you have upper back pain, you may feel it anywhere from the lower part of your neck to the bottom of your ribcage. It may be caused by a number of things, some of which may be minor, like a muscle strain.
But upper back pain can also be a sign of something more serious, especially if it happens when you breathe, so see a doctor or go to hospital as soon as possible if you notice this symptom.
You should also see a doctor right away if you have upper back pain and you:
- notice the pain is coming from the top of your back, between your shoulders,
- recently had a fall or an injury to your back, or the pain started after a serious accident
- lifted something heavy
- have osteoporosis, a weakened immune system or youve had cancer
- have a fever, have lost weight without meaning to or youve recently had a bacterial infection
- are younger than 20 or older than 50
- have numbness, weakness or tingling in your legs or around your genitals and buttocks
- have trouble controlling when you poo or pee
- have noticed that the pain doesn’t get better after resting or is worse at night
- cant do your daily activities
- have chest pain, or the pain feels worse when you cough, sneeze or poo
- feel unwell, have a fever or have a swelling in your back
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Symptoms That May Suggest Lung Cancer
Symptoms of back pain linked to lung cancer may overlap with back pain caused by other conditions. If the cancer involves the spine, it can mimic many of the symptoms of an upper back injury.
Lung cancer-related back pain may feel dull like a muscle ache, or it may seem sharp like a pinched nerve. People with cancer that has spread to the adrenal glands may sometimes say they have “kidney pain” on one side of their back. They also may describe a feeling like they’ve just been “kidney punched.”
That said, back pain related to lung cancer may have certain telltale signs. Red flags that back pain may be due to lung cancer include:
- Back pain that is present at rest
- Back pain that is worst at night
- Back pain that happens without any activity
- Back pain that worsens the longer you lie in bed
- Back pain that gets worse when you take a deep breath
- Back pain that doesn’t respond to physical therapy or other treatment
The back pain may come with other telltale lung cancer signs like a cough that won’t go away or shortness of breath. Unintentional weight loss, chronic fatigue, or coughing up blood may further suggest lung cancer.
The “typical” symptoms of lung cancer are less likely to be present with lung adenocarcinoma, which often affects non-smokers. The most common symptoms with this type of cancer are fatigue and shortness of breath with exercise, which people may attribute to age or inactivity instead.
When Back Pain Is A Symptom Of Lung Cancer
Research suggests that the time between the onset of symptoms and a diagnosis of lung cancer is around 12 months. This is often because a person does not recognize the symptoms, or because they hope that they’ll go away. Back pain is one such symptom.
It is not uncommon for people to have back pain with lung cancer, or even to have back pain as their first symptom. In fact, there are certain defining symptoms that point to cancer as the cause of back pain.
Chief among them are the location and types of pain, which may be quite different from your typical, chronic backache. All told, around 25% of people with lung cancer will report back pain as a symptom at some point in their disease.
This article looks at how back pain is linked to lung cancer, and how this pain differs from other kinds of back pain. It also explains why early treatment for back pain is so important.
Verywell / Hugo Lin
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How Soon After Treatment For Pneumonia Will I Begin To Feel Better
How soon you will feel better depends on several factors, including:
- Your age
- The cause of your pneumonia
- The severity of your pneumonia
- If you have other at-risk conditions
If you are generally healthy, most symptoms of bacterial pneumonia usually begin to improve within 24 to 48 hours after starting treatment. Symptoms of viral pneumonia usually begin to improve within a few days after starting treatment. A cough can last for several weeks. Most people report being tired for about a month after contracting pneumonia.
Why Standard Medical Treatments Often Fall Short
Many people turn to over-the-counter medications such as NSAIDsto find relief from the flu.
These are not necessarily your best line of offense or defense against the flu.
In fact, a recent study found that two potential cardiac risk factors having an acute respiratory infection, such as a cold or influenza, and using an NSAID have a combined, greater effect on heart attack risk when both are present.
Most people are already aware that taking NSAIDs increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. But the new study found that your risk more than doubles if you take an NSAID when you have the flu compared to when no infection is present.
Some people want their doctors to prescribe antibiotics when they have the flu, and some doctors actually still do this, even though antibiotics do nothing to fight a virus.
Over-the-counter flu medications may have a moderate effect on some flu symptoms, but they will do little to address flu-related back pain.
Fortunately, there are natural alternatives that are safer and often more effective.
Key takeaway: Mainstream medicines solutions for flu are often ineffective for back pain and and can create serious health risks.
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Weird Causes Of Back Pain
Can a cold or flu really cause backaches? Here’s what experts have to say.
With the arrival of spring, Im looking forward to kissing an epic season of winter coldsand backachesgoodbye. For me, the two seem to go hand in hand. But can a cold or flu really cause back trouble?
To find out, I reached out to Mark Zawadsky, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. When youre sick with the cold and flu, Dr. Zawadsky explains, stress hormones can potentiate the feeling of pain. In other words, feeling sick can make you hyper-attuned to other aches and pains you might otherwise shrug off.
But theres more. When you have a cold, the body makes pyrogens, a byproduct of cell breakdown, says John Stamatos, MD, director of interventional pain management at Syosset Hospital in Syosset, New York. While these pyrogens create fevers and help your body fight infection, theyre also toxic to the body and contribute to that all-around achy feeling you get when youre sick, Dr. Stamatos says.
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Thats because pyrogens tend to gather around nerves that transmit pain, which can heighten those nerves ability to transmit the pain. So if youre already prone to an achy back, having a cold can worsen it.
Of course, Dr. Stamatos adds, the physical act of coughing puts a huge amount of pressure on the epidural space , which can impact the nerves and lead to pain.
1. Pneumonia
2. Kidney stones
3. Endometriosis
Final Thoughts And Key Takeaways
If youre suffering from the flu right now, I urge you to check out these natural flu remedies that can help you recuperate more quickly.
The flu is no joke it can make you miserable. And adding back pain to your list of symptoms can make you feel even worse.
Heres what I want you to take away from this article:
Key takeaway #1: Although you wont find lower back pain listed on most lists of flu symptoms, its actually pretty common.
Key takeaway #2: Several factors can contribute to flu-related back pain. These include inflammatory responses, pulled muscles from coughing and complications such as pneumonia.
Key takeaway #3: People with pre-existing back pain conditions are more likely to have a recurrence if they get the flu.
Key takeaway #4: Mainstream medicines pain relievers and over-the-counter flu medications do little to alleviate back pain, and some have serious side effects.
Key takeaway #5: Topical analgesics with natural ingredients and a far-infrared heating pad are the options I recommend for back pain relief while recovering from the flu.
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Besides Vaccination What Else Can I Do To Prevent Bacterial And Viral Pneumonia
Receiving all recommended vaccinations is one of the best ways to prevent pneumonia. Additionally, there are several other ways to prevent pneumonia, including:
- Quitting smoking, and avoiding secondhand smoke. Smoking damages your lungs.
- Washing your hands before eating, before handling food, after using the restroom, and after being outside. If soap is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoiding being around people who are sick. Ask them to visit when they are feeling better.
- Not touching or sharing objects that are shared with others. Germs can be transferred from object to you if you touch your nose or mouth without washing or sanitizing your hands first.
- Eating a healthy diet, exercise, and get enough rest. Healthy habits keep your immune system strong.
- Getting treated for any other infections or health conditions you may have. These conditions could weaken your immune system, which could increase your chance of infections.
- Avoiding excessive consumption of alcohol.
How To Get Fast Safe And Soothing Relief From Flu
Most mainstream doctors dont usually recognize there is a connection between the flu and back pain, so they dont understand how to treat it.
While the pain will usually decrease as you heal from the influenza infection, there are things you can do to minimize your back pain while you rest and recuperate.
Here are two products that can help ease the discomfort of flu-related back pain:
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Pleural Effusions Empyema And Pleurisy
There are two layers of tissue surrounding your lungs called the pleura. One wraps around the outside of your lungs and the other lines the part of your chest where your lungs sit. They help your lungs move smoothly when you breathe.
If your pneumonia isn’t treated, the pleura can get swollen, creating a sharp pain when you breathe in. If you don’t treat the swelling, the area between the pleura may fill with fluid, which is called a pleural effusion.
If the fluid gets infected, it leads to a problem called empyema. Tell your doctor if you are having any of these symptoms:
- Hard time breathing
- You don’t want to breathe deeply because it hurts
Your doctor may look for swelling or fluid with an X-ray, ultrasound, or CT scan. They might also give you an electrocardiogram to make sure that a heart problem isn’t the cause of your chest pain.
If you do have pleurisy, you may need medications that can stop the swelling.
For pleural effusions and empyema, your doctor may suggest a procedure that removes fluid from your body with a needle. Antibiotics are also an option to treat empyema.
What If You Have Existing Back Pain
Its also possible for existing back pain to be aggravated while you have the flu, which is usually because of the increased inflammation from the extra cytokines and chemokines being produced in the body coupled with inactivity from resting for prolonged periods. The result could be an uptick in the intensity of symptoms related to existing problems with sciatica, nerve compression in the lower back around certain vertebrae or discs, or abnormalities such as spinal narrowing in the lower back . As for treatment, its often said the source of the back pain must be treated. In this case, that source is the flu, which means once you focus on doing what you can to recover from the flu, your back pain should either go away entirely or return to its normal level if you had preexisting spine issues, which should continue to be treated by your doctor or a Santa Monica spine surgeon. Common recommendations for dealing with the flu include drinking plenty of liquids, getting sufficient rest, and taking medications to get the virus out of your system.
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What Does Back Pain From Pneumonia Feel Like
Back pain from pneumonia is a pleuritic-type chest pain. Pleura is the medical name for the lining of the lungs. The pain is sharp because the outer pleura is very sensitive to pain. It gets worse anytime the outer lining gets stretched, which happens with coughs, deep breaths, and movement. Back pain from pneumonia feels like a deep-seated sharp pain in the back, usually on one side, unless you have pneumonia on both sides. The pain gets worse whenever you cough or take a deep breath.