Viral Vs Bacterial Pneumonia
Different causes will produce different symptoms of pneumonia. Viral pneumonia usually causes milder symptoms, such as a dry cough and light chest congestion. Bacterial pneumonia is known to cause more severe symptoms, such as chest pain, difficult breathing, a high or persistent fever, and greenish or yellowish phlegm. When pneumonia develops as a complication of flu, it is more likely to be bacterial rather than viral pneumonia.
Symptom Time Frame
You should seek medical care if your symptoms last longer than three to five days, especially if they are severe. Diagnostic tests can be performed in a doctors office to determine whether you have flu or pneumonia, and which type of pneumonia you may have. Test results will determine the most effective course of treatment.
When you think you have the flu or pneumonia, or if you simply wish to get a flu vaccination, never hesitate to make an , contact ARcare at 550-4719. We have been providing accessible medical and dental care in Arkansas since 1986, and our staff is on call 24 hours a day.
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Causes Of Upper Back Pain When Breathing
Experiencing pain in your upper back while you breathe can cause confusion and frustration. Work with your doctor to identify the possible cause of your discomfort, which could be one of the following:
Injury
In most cases, upper back pain is caused by problems affecting the muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons connected to the spine. Injuries like a sprain, strain, or muscle tension may cause pain and other symptoms in your upper and back.
Pulmonary embolism
This condition is caused by a blood clot that travels from one part of your body to another. Its especially common from the leg to your lung. The blood clot can block an artery and cause a sudden sharp pain in the upper back when you breathe.
Pneumonia
Since pneumonia causes shortness of breath, struggling to breathe properly may cause upper back pain.
Lung cancer
When you have lung cancer, the tumor may apply pressure on the pleura, which protects your lungs from friction with the ribs. This constant irritation causes pain that you may feel in the upper back.
Spine problems
Some spine problems show symptoms of back pain when breathing. They include:
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New Onset Of Low Back Pain Masking Pneumonia In A Recreational Rugby Athlete: A Case Report
- 1Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetic and Maternal Infantile Sciences , University of Genova, Savona, Italy.
- 2Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Department of Clinical Science and Translation Medicine, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
- 3Department of Physiotherapy, LUNEX International University of Health, Exercise and Sports, Differdange, Luxembourg.
- 4Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Alcorcón, Spain.
- 5IRCCS San Camillo, Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technologies, Venice, Italy.
- 6Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ.
- 7Guardian Oncology and Center for Wellness, Missoula, MT.
When Do You Need To Be Concerned About Back Pain While Recovering From Pneumonia
Back pain may be common with pneumonia, but not all back pain is normal or expected. Back pain may suggest new complications or problems that may need urgent medical attention.
Here are a few things you need to look out for:
The main complications you need to worry about with a new or worsening back pain while recovering from pneumonia are:
In conclusion, back pain while coughing or taking a deep breath is a common symptom from pneumonia. It is important to control the pain so that you can keep coughing regularly and keep taking deep breaths to avoid complications.
References:
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How Can I Help Myself Feel Better
If your doctor has prescribed medicine, follow the directions carefully.
You may feel better in a room with a humidifier, which increases the moisture in the air and soothes irritated lungs. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids, especially if you have a fever. If you have a fever and feel uncomfortable, ask the doctor whether you can take over-the-counter medicine such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to bring it down. But dont take any medicine without checking first with your doctor a cough suppressant, for example, may not allow your lungs to clear themselves of mucus.
And finally, be sure to rest. This is a good time to sleep, watch TV, read, and lay low. If you treat your body right, it will repair itself and youll be back to normal in no time.
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A Pain That Could Be A Sign Of Lung Cancer
Back pain is something we often blame on lifestyle or environmental factors. My office chair isnt quite right, I pulled my back lifting heavy shopping bags or, I must have slept in an awkward position. However, if you are experiencing back pain, it could be a sign of lung cancer.
Pain in the back, along with shoulder and neck pain, are all symptoms of lung cancer. Many people who are living with lung cancer will experience back pain at some point during their disease.
Our lungs are large, complex and vital organs that are protected by the rib cage. In some cases, lung cancer can inflame the lining of the lungs or, tumours can press on the spinal column causing pain in the back, shoulder, neck or side.
Often, we just accept back pain, but it can be debilitating having to deal with it every day. It is vital to get it checked out by your doctor to establish the real cause.
In most cases, your back pain wont be caused by lung cancer but for some people like Heather, it was a symptom of her stage 4 lung cancer.
Heather was diagnosed with lung cancer back in December 2015 after having pain in her back for some time. She had tried painkillers, muscle relaxant medication and even had regular appointments with a chiropractor. However, the pain persisted, and she knew it needed to be investigated.
The pain returned with a vengeance. I struggled to stand up, sit down, walk up and down stairs, or even carry my handbag!
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What To Do With Back Pain From Pneumonia
You need to control the back pain. It is not just a matter of comfort. Uncontrolled back pain from pneumonia makes it difficult to recover and also makes you vulnerable to more complications. You can start by taking some Tylenol. Ibuprofen or Naproxen can be taken on top of the Tylenol. The goal is to make your pain tolerable enough to be able to cough and take deep breaths regularly. If over-the-counter pain medications are not enough, you may have to ask your doctor for prescription pain medications to enable you to cough and take deep breaths comfortably. However, it is best to avoid opioids. They can make you drowsy and suppress your cough reflex.
When you have a severe, sharp pain in your back from pneumonia, you may avoid taking deep breaths. If you dont take deep breaths, the lower part of your lungs may collapse. A collapsed lung can worsen your pneumonia and make you more short of breath.
Taking deep breaths and coughing normally are two very important things to help you recover from pneumonia.
Are Vaccines Available To Prevent Pneumonia
Yes, there are two types of vaccines specifically approved to prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria. Similar to a flu shot, these vaccines wont protect against all types of pneumonia, but if you do come down with pneumonia, its less likely to be as severe or potentially life-threatening especially for people who are at increased risk for pneumonia.
- Bacterial pneumonia: Two pneumonia vaccines, Pneumovax23® and Prevnar13®, protect against the most common causes of bacterial pneumonia.
- Pneumovax23® protects against 23 different types of pneumococcal bacteria. It is recommended for all adults 65 years of age and older and children over 2 years of age who are at increased risk for pneumonia.
- Prevnar13® protects against 13 types of pneumonia bacteria. It is recommended for all adults 65 years of age and older and children under 2 years of age. Ask your healthcare provider about these vaccines.
If you have children, ask their doctor about other vaccines they should get. Several childhood vaccines help prevent infections caused by the bacteria and viruses that can lead to pneumonia.
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Why Can Other Conditions Cause Pain Near The Lungs
Pain in your chest or abdomen can sometimes feel like its coming from your lungs.
For example, if you experience muscle or bone damage around your chest, this may feel like the pain is originating in your lungs themselves.
Conditions involving other organs within the abdominal cavity may also result in pain around the lower end of your rib cage or in your chest. These conditions can include:
- seizures
- yellow skin and eyes
If youre experiencing any of these symptoms, its important to see a doctor. These symptoms may be related to other underlying conditions. Still, finding the cause will help determine the correct diagnosis and treatment.
Your doctor will ask you to list:
- what youre feeling
- any medications youre taking
They will also perform a physical exam. The exam may include:
- listening to your heartbeat and breathing
- assessing your airflow
- checking your oxygen level
- feeling for tenderness in the painful area
Your doctor may also order one or more of the following diagnostic tests to determine the cause of your pain:
What Are The Signs Of Pneumonia In Children
When children have pneumonia, they can experience the same symptoms asadults including high fever, cough, difficulty breathing and pain in the chest,but they may also complain of stomach pain, ear pain, have a decreased appetiteand be more tired or irritable than usual. If a child has walkingpneumonia their symptoms may be milder and can appear like a cold. Someinfants may not appear to have any symptoms beyond being restless and adecreased appetite. In extreme cases of pneumonia, infants and small childrenmay have bluish fingernails, toenails, lips and mouth.
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Why Does It Take So Long To Recover From Pneumonia
I was diagnosed with pneumonia in October. The doctor told me to rest, really rest. She told me to expect to feel better after a couple of days of antibiotics, but that I still must rest. She told me I would have good days, but they would be followed by bad days.
After a week of antibiotics, the bacteria causing my illness presumably Streptococcus pneumonia should have been dead. Also called pneumococcus, this pathogen is the most common perpetrator of community-acquired pneumonia, which is pneumonia that people get outside hospitals and nursing homes. The antibiotic I received, a common first-line treatment, covers pneumococcus as well as other bacterial invaders.
Yet my doctor told me to expect weeks to months of recovery. Friends with recent pneumonia experience confirmed this rather depressing outlook. Pneumonia can vary in severity so not everyone will need months to recover.
The scientific literature concurs with the anecdotal evidence I collected. One study followed 576 adult patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Thirty days after diagnosis, 65 percent of them reported fatigue, nearly half of whom said their fatigue was moderate to severe 53 percent reported cough and 36 percent reported shortness of breath. Ninety days after diagnosis, 51 percent reported fatigue, 32 percent cough, and 28 percent shortness of breath.
Why does it take so long to recover from pneumonia?
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Be Aware Of All The Symptoms
Some people who are diagnosed with lung cancer like Heather may only experience back pain. Other people may have several other symptoms. Some people even have no symptoms.
As well as back pain, shoulder pain and neck pain, other signs and symptoms of lung cancer include:
- Persistent cough for 3 weeks or more
- Wheezing
- Loss of appetite and/or unexplained weight loss
- Coughing up blood or blood in your phlegm
- Unexplained fatigue or lack of energy
- Hoarseness
- Swelling in the face or neck
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One In Five People With Covid
Back pain had not been a common COVID-19 symptom before Omicron. Now, however, it ranks among the top 20 symptoms according to the Zoe COVID Symptom Study, in which hundreds of thousands of people log their symptoms every day across the UK. On February 10, Tim Spector, the studys principal investigator, said around one in five people with Omicron have back pain.
So far, its not entirely clear why people seem to be experiencing backache which in some cases has been debilitating and caused limited mobility so much more often when they get sick with COVID-19.
Generalised muscle pain or myalgia could be connected to backache. It could be that COVID-19 causes inflammation which, coupled with muscle pain, manifests as back pain, which is the most common musculoskeletal complaint. But myalgia has been a symptom right from the start of the pandemic and it doesnt explain why backache is becoming much more common now.
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Feeling Lung Pain On One Side
Sometimes you may feel lung pain on only one side of your body.
If you are feeling lung pain on your right side, the underlying cause could be:
- Muscle strain
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pneumothorax
If youre feeling pain on just the left side of your body, you could be experiencing one of the conditions that commonly affects the right lung.
However, its important to note that heart conditions, like heart attack and stroke, are more likely to cause pain on the left side of your body.
This is due to the hearts location, which lies slightly to the left and behind your breastbone.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumonia
Pneumonia symptoms can vary from so mild you barely notice them, to so severe that hospitalization is required. How your body responds to pneumonia depends on the type germ causing the infection, your age and your overall health.
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:
- Cough, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus
- Fever, sweating and shaking chills
- Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
- Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
- Nausea and vomiting, especially in small children
- Confusion, especially in older people
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.
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Pneumonia Vs Cold And Flu Symptoms
Itâs tricky, because pneumonia can be a complication of colds and flu. This happens when the germs that cause those common illnesses get into your lungs. You might be feeling better, but then you start getting symptoms again — and this time, they can be a lot worse.
Cold symptoms tend to start slowly. Youâre more likely to sneeze and have a runny nose and sore throat than with either the flu or pneumonia. Colds donât usually cause a fever in adults.
The top clue that you have the flu is that the symptoms come on strong, seemingly out of nowhere. You may have:
- Fever above 100.4 F