Can You Treat Pneumonia From Home

Covid Pneumonia: How Long Does Recovery Take

You’re likely familiar with the common, mild symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, dry cough and fatigue.

But, in more severe cases, COVID-19 can also cause serious complications, including pneumonia.

“We still have a lot to learn about COVID-19, particularly about the havoc it can wreak on the lungs and the pneumonia it causes, which is often now called COVID pneumonia,” says Dr. Rayman Lee, pulmonologist at Houston Methodist.

That being said, there’s still plenty that experts like Dr. Lee do know about COVID pneumonia, including about how long it can take to fully recover from it.

Who Is Most Likely To Get Aspiration Pneumonia

Aspiration pneumonia is more common among people who:

• Have had general anesthesia or dental procedures.
• Have trouble coughing or trouble swallowing. Trouble swallowing is known as dysphagia. These issues are more common among people with brain injury or nervous system disorders like Parkinsons disease or multiple sclerosis.
• Have been drinking or taking drugs to excess.
• Are older . Aspiration pneumonia is more common among people who live in nursing homes.
• Have weak immune systems due to some illness, or underdeveloped immune systems due to being very young .

How Did I Get Walking Pneumonia And How Can I Avoid Getting It Again

Mycoplasma pneumoniae spreads from person-to-person through respiratory droplets the same way viruses like COVID-19 or influenza spread. When someone with the bacteria coughs or sneezes, they release droplets into the air and you can breathe them in. You can also get it from touching objects or surfaces that have the bacteria on them and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.

People usually start having symptoms 2 to 3 weeks after they are exposed to the bacteria.

Theres no vaccine for mycoplasma pneumoniae. The best ways to keep from getting sick are frequent hand washing and staying apart from people who have symptoms of a cold.

If youre sick, help keep others healthy by washing your hands, staying home when possible, and covering your nose and mouth with your elbow when you cough or sneeze.

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More Pneumonia Treatment Recommendations From Readers

I always learn more from the community here at KS than I teach. When I posted on about the ill-fated checkup in the fall:

The silver lining of Js well child checkup today? Ill be prepared to write a post someday on What to do when your 15mo has pneumonia and you hate antibiotics. Sighhhhh..

I got lots of wisdom. Heres the best:

• Lots recommended essential oils and probiotics as a first course of action
• Lavender and eucalyptus with a carrier on the chest and breathing in a bowl of how water with a towel hooded over the two of you
• Prayer!
• Liposomal Vitamin C
• This health program was recommended by a reader know that I have no idea what its like or what it costs
• And many gave moral support for the idea that sometimes, modern medicine is necessary and welcome, and to not beat myself up over giving him antibiotics but just follow with lots of probiotics.

Overall Im so thankful that we were able to treat pneumonia naturally without the use of antibiotics or any other prescription drug. John pulled through the first time and kicked it fairly easily within 24-48 hours of that awful hospital visit the second time, when we used the steam party treatment.

I can even be grateful for the experience in a way, because every time a child gets sick, I become more versed in natural medicine and home doctoring, and Im happy to be able to share the story here to inspire others to be able to treat pneumonia at home, too.

RELATED: Home Treatment of Cellulitis.

What Are The Symptoms

Symptoms of pneumonia may include:

• Cough. You will likely cough up mucus from your lungs. Mucus may be rusty or green or tinged with blood.
• Fever, chills, and sweating.
• Feeling very tired or very weak.

When you have less severe symptoms, your doctor may call this “walking pneumonia.”

Older adults may have different, fewer, or milder symptoms. They may not have a fever. Or they may have a cough but not bring up mucus. The main sign of pneumonia in older adults may be a change in how well they think. Confusion or delirium is common. Or, if they already have a lung disease, that disease may get worse.

Symptoms caused by viruses are the same as those caused by bacteria. But they may come on slowly and often are not as obvious or as bad.

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Going To The Emergency Room

The doctor on call said it could very well be an abdominal obstruction and to go to the ER right away.

The closest hospital is a good 45-minute drive.

Lets just say it didnt take us quite that long.

He was sleeping by the time we arrived , so a lot of the stress began to subside. My husband says I lost it, but for the permanent record, I was just fervently praying, not out of control.

Just so you know.

It turns out, after a much debated chest X-ray that will definitely remain the worst five minutes of my year, that constipation is a side effect of pneumonia in many little ones. I still dont quite understand why, but I hope someone can learn from our experience.

Update: It hadnt been days without a bowel movement, just 36 hours maybe. It was more that there was a bunch of gas in his intestines that caused the pain, but the doc said thats really common for young ones with pneumonia. Strange.

Now to teach Google that if a parent searching for abdominal pain in toddler with cough, particularly if its the middle of the night, they need to read this post.

We came home with a suppository that we never used and a prescription for antibiotics that we never filled, instead we used the home remedies Ill list below.

There is no shame in using antibiotics when they are medically necessary. Heres How to Reverse Side Effects of Antibiotics.

What Is The Outlook If I Have Aspiration Pneumonia

Most people who get aspiration pneumonia and get treatment will survive. The prognosis for aspiration pneumonia also depends on your overall health and other conditions that you may have and how sick you were when you started treatment.

Untreated aspiration pneumonia can be dangerous, resulting in things like lung abscesses or lung scarring. In fact, it can result in death.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumonia In Goats

When I found Faith in an obvious state of discomfort what did I see? How did I diagnose that it was pneumonia that I was dealing with? Before I explain that, I want to tell you what I found years ago when I went out one morning to do chores. The previous fall, I had gotten a new buck and had only had him a few months. He had bred my does that fall but at the beginning of the new year, I went out to feed and found my new buck, cold and stiff. Overnight he had died. By all appearances the night before, he looked and acted completely fine.

But thats how interstitial pneumonia works. In as little as 4 hours, it can kill a goat. Overnight.

These are the symptoms of pneumonia in goats:

Ginger Or Turmeric Tea

A persistent cough can result in chest pain. Drinking warm tea made with fresh ginger or turmeric root may help reduce this pain.

The roots of both of these plants can have a natural anti-inflammatory effect in the body.

Chop up a thumb sized piece of either root and boil it in a pint or so of water. If a person prefers strong tea, they can boil it for longer or add more of the root. If the flavor is too sharp, they can try adding a spoonful of honey.

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How Is Pneumonia Treated

When you get a pneumonia diagnosis, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan. Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia you have, how sick you are feeling, your age, and whether you have other health conditions. The goals of treatment are to cure the infection and prevent complications. It is important to follow your treatment plan carefully until you are fully recovered.

Take any medications as prescribed by your doctor. If your pneumonia is caused by bacteria, you will be given an antibiotic. It is important to take all the antibiotic until it is gone, even though you will probably start to feel better in a couple of days. If you stop, you risk having the infection come back, and you increase the chances that the germs will be resistant to treatment in the future.

Typical antibiotics do not work against viruses. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication to treat it. Sometimes, though, symptom management and rest are all that is needed.

Most people can manage their symptoms such as fever and cough at home by following these steps:

If your pneumonia is so severe that you are treated in the hospital, you may be given intravenous fluids and antibiotics, as well as oxygen therapy, and possibly other breathing treatments.

How Long Will It Take Me To Recover From Aspiration Pneumonia

Most people recover from aspiration pneumonia in a week or so with treatment. Although you might be ready to return to work or school, you might still be tired for some time after a week. Many people are still tired up to a month into recovery.

Recurrent aspiration due to underlying medical or neurological conditions can be difficult to treat and needs expert care from a multidisciplinary team.

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When Should I See My Doctor

Pneumonia can be life-threatening if left untreated, especially for certain at-risk people. You should call your doctor if you have a cough that wont go away, shortness of breath, chest pain, or a fever. You should also call your doctor if you suddenly begin to feel worse after having a cold or the flu.

What Causes Bacterial Pneumonia

Bacteria pneumonia is caused by bacteria that works its way into the lungs and then multiplies. It can occur on its own or develop after another illness, like a cold or the flu. People who have a higher risk for pneumonia may:

• have weakened immune systems
• have respiratory diseases
• be recovering from surgery

Doctors classify bacterial pneumonia based on whether it developed inside or outside a hospital.

Community-acquired pneumonia : This is the most common type of bacterial pneumonia. CAP occurs when you get an infection after exposure to bacterial agents outside of a healthcare setting. You can get CAP by breathing in respiratory droplets from coughs or sneezes, or by skin-to-skin contact.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia : HAP occurs within two to three days of exposure to germs in a medical setting, such as a hospital or doctors office. This is also called a nosocomial infection. This type of pneumonia is often more resistant to antibiotics and more is difficult to treat than CAP.

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Parents Guide On How To Cure Pneumonia Naturally At Home

September 25, 2019 by FOKP

Pneumonia is a lung infection which can be caused by bacteria or a virus. Younger kids are more at risk as their immune systems have not fully developed. In most cases, pneumonia will usually happen after a kid has had a cold.

Even though your child may be uncomfortable, treatment is usually straightforward and can be done at home. In this post, we will take a look at how to cure pneumonia naturally at home.

Symptoms

The symptoms are quite similar to the common cold and the flu, but they vary from child to child. Things to look out for include:

• High fever
• Cough
• Irritability

If you notice any of these symptoms, it is essential to get a check-up as soon as possible. Bacterial pneumonia will usually be treated with a course of antibiotics, but they wont work for viral pneumonia.

Immunizations act as the frontline defense against certain kinds of infections, but most young children will still be at risk. If your child gets pneumonia, then these natural home treatments can help them get over the infection.

Hygiene As Prevention

One of the best ways to protect your kids against pneumonia is by promoting good hygiene habits at home. As germs usually cause the infection, kids should be encouraged to wash their hands regularly, avoid sharing cutlery and glasses, and use tissues to blow their noses. It is also a great idea to sanitize toys, door handles, and other surfaces on a regular basis.

Lots of Rest

Use Humidifiers

Drink Lots of Fluids

Next Steps

How Is Aspiration Pneumonia Treated

Aspiration pneumonia is treated primarily with antibiotics. The choice of antibiotics depends on several things, including any allergies to penicillin and where the pneumonia was acquired. Hospital-acquired infections must be treated with antibiotics that are effective against many types of bacteria.

Even though aspiration pneumonitis isnt an infection, your provider may start antibiotic therapy, depending on the clinical situation and underlying medical conditions.

Additional treatment might include oxygen therapy or, in life-threatening cases, mechanical ventilation. Mechanical ventilation means that a machine is breathing for you.

Preventing further aspiration is an important part of treatment, since every episode of aspiration can lead to inflammation or infection.

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In Older Adults And Children

Older adults may have different, fewer, or milder symptoms, such as having no fever or having a cough with no mucus . The major sign of pneumonia in older adults may be a change in how clearly they think or when a lung disease they already have gets worse.

In children, symptoms may depend on age:

• In infants younger than 1 month of age, symptoms may include having little or no energy , feeding poorly, grunting, or having a fever.
• In children, symptoms of pneumonia are often the same as in adults. Your doctor will look for signs such as a cough and a faster breathing rate.

Some conditions with symptoms similar to pneumonia include bronchitis, COPD, and tuberculosis.

What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Pneumonia In Children

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia in children vary from child to child and also depend on your childs age, cause of the infection, and severity of their illness.

Usual symptoms include:

• Cry more than usual. Are restless or more fussy.

Adolescents have the same symptoms as adults, including:

• Cough.
• Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath.
• Chest pain.

Newborns are at greater risk of pneumonia caused by bacteria present in the birth canal. In young children, viruses are the main cause of pneumonia.

Pneumonia caused by bacteria tends to happen suddenly, starting with fever and fast breathing. Symptoms appear more slowly and tend to be less severe when pneumonia is caused by viruses.

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Apply A Lukewarm Compress Or Take A Lukewarm Bath

Submerging your body in a lukewarm bath might help you bring down your body temperature.

You can also use a lukewarm compress to help cool your body from the outside inward if a bath is not convenient. Although it may be tempting to use a cold compress, the sudden temperature shift can cause chills. A lukewarm compress provides a more gradual, comfortable temperature change.

Chills may come on before or during a fever. They typically subside after your fever breaks. This may last up to a week, depending on when you begin treatment for pneumonia.

Home Remedies For Pneumonia

Also, there are a variety of holistic treatment options that may help clear up the annoying symptoms of pneumonia. These include:

Fenugreek Tea: Fenugreek is a herb often used in spices. Ancient cultures, such as the Egyptians, used fenugreek to treat numerous ailments. For example, fenugreek tea can help fight pneumonia when the disease is in the beginning stages.

You can drink fenugreek tea once a day. Fenugreek tea will cause your body to sweat out the toxins and bacteria associated with pneumonia. You must also fast, or refrain from eating, to allow your body to recover fully. Once you begin to feel better, you can reduce the quantity of fenugreek seeds and resume eating. Fenugreek tea can also help treat diabetes, heartburn or acid reflux, and inflammatory skin conditions.

Garlic: Garlic is an excellent healing agent. It is often used in holistic treatments for other diseases and illnesses such as the common cold. Garlic can also soothe coughs associated with the croup. If taken frequently in large amounts, garlic can reduce body temperature and ease respiratory complications associated with pneumonia. If you do not want to consume garlic, purchase a garlic spread and apply it to your chest. It acts as a natural vapour rub, clearing your respiratory tract and restoring your pulse to normal.

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Why Do Goats Get Pneumonia

That is a really good question. There are several reasons that goats can get pneumonia. In my area, in Montana, we can have crazy swings in temperature. The week Faith got sick, we had had beautiful warmish days, and then it swung down to low single digits with a feels like temperature in the negatives. Out of all the ruminants, goats have the hardest time regulating their temperature. Kids have an even harder time. So if you live in an area that has wide swings in temperature, your goats will be at risk for pneumonia.

Here are the reasons goats get pneumonia: