How To Deal With It
You should seek medical attention when you have symptoms of pneumonia. Your doctor will determine the best treatment approach to help cure the infection while preventing complications. You may have to stay home during treatment if you have community-acquired pneumonia. The best treatment for you depends upon the severity and type of your pneumonia. Your age and overall health will also play a role. Some of the most common treatment options include the following:
- Antibiotics: Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics if you have bacterial pneumonia. Keep in mind that it usually takes some time to correctly identify the type of bacteria.
- Cough medicine: Your doctor may prescribe some cough medicine to control your cough and prevent chest pain. Keep in mind that your doctor will not try to eliminate your cough completely because it actually helps loosen and remove mucus and fluid from your lungs. Therefore, it is usually a good idea to use the lowest dose of a cough suppressant to manage your symptoms.
- Pain relievers: Your doctor may also give you pain relievers to help control body aches and reduce fever as well. The most common drugs are ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen.
Hospitalization
In some cases, hospitalization is necessary. You may need it if:
- You are 65 or older.
- You have confusion.
What Are The Symptoms Of Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes cough, fever andtrouble breathing, among other symptoms. Although you may think it is somethingyou could never get, pneumonia is one of the leading causes of hospitalizations inAmerica. Approximately one million American adults seek hospital care everyyear due to pneumonia. Prompt treatment of pneumonia can mean the differencebetween requiring hospitalization or recovering at home.
This FAQ will help you recognize the signs and symptoms of pneumonia,available treatment options and ways to keep yourself and others healthy.
Can I Prevent Pneumonia
The routine vaccinations that most people receive as kids help prevent certain types of pneumonia and other infections. If you have a chronic illness, such as sickle cell disease, you may have received extra vaccinations and disease-preventing antibiotics to help prevent pneumonia and other infections caused by bacteria.
People should get a pneumococcal vaccination if they have diseases that affect their immune system , are 65 years or older, or are in other high-risk groups. Depending on the bugs that are likely to affect them, these people also may get antibiotics to prevent pneumonia, as well as antiviral medicine to prevent or lessen the effects of viral pneumonia.
Doctors recommend that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu shot. That’s because someone with the flu could then come down with pneumonia. Call your doctor’s office or check your local health department to see when these vaccines are available.
Because pneumonia is often caused by germs, a good way to prevent it is to keep your distance from anyone you know who has pneumonia or other respiratory infections. Use separate drinking glasses and eating utensils wash your hands often with warm, soapy water and avoid touching used tissues and paper towels.
You also can stay strong and help avoid some of the illnesses that might lead to pneumonia by eating as healthily as possible, getting a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night, and not smoking.
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When Should You See A Doctor
If you suspect you have the symptoms of pneumonia, you should seek immediate medical assistance, especially if you have chest pain after pneumonia. You need to understand that pneumonia is a serious illness and can cause serious complications when left untreated for long enough. It can have life-threatening complications in people older than 65 years. Be sure to talk to your doctor if you have the following symptoms:
- Cough with phlegm and high fever
- Shortness of breathing o other breathing difficulties
- Severe chest pain
- Feeling confused, tired and irritated
Pain In The Lungs After Pneumonia
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Pain in the lungs after pneumonia – what could be the reason? And the reason often lies in the inadequate attention to one’s health. Often, we do not even think about the consequences of pneumonia, not treated or transferred on foot, and the ignored rules of rehabilitation after pneumonia. Alas, in our modern life, the first place for many is the availability of uninterrupted serviceability.
We go out to work during illness, we carry the virus “on our feet” and very often we are proud of it. Pain in the lungs after pneumonia is precisely the reaction of the body to our frivolous attitude to this serious illness.
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What Are The Treatments For Pneumonia
Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia, which germ is causing it, and how severe it is:
- Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia and some types of fungal pneumonia. They do not work for viral pneumonia.
- In some cases, your provider may prescribe antiviral medicines for viral pneumonia
- Antifungal medicines treat other types of fungal pneumonia
You may need to be treated in a hospital if your symptoms are severe or if you are at risk for complications. While there, you may get additional treatments. For example, if your blood oxygen level is low, you may receive oxygen therapy.
It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more.
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.
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Is Pneumonia Treated Any Differently In Children
Essentially no. Just like adults, bacterial causes of pneumonia in children may be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are not used to treat pneumonia caused by viruses. Flu-related pneumonia may be treated with antiviral medicine if caught early in the course of illness. Most cases of pneumonia are treated with comfort care measures that ease symptoms. These may include:
- Drinking more fluids.
- Getting more rest.
- Taking over-the-counter medicines for cough and acetaminophen for fever. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about giving medicines to your child.
- Using a cool mist humidifier in your childs room.
How The Infection May Be Treated In Or Out Of The Hospital
Pneumonia can worsen quickly, so its important to seek medical care right away if you develop any of the symptoms above, Bregier says.
Treatment depends on whats causing your pneumonia. If its bacterial, your doctor will give you antibiotics, either by mouth or intravenously. If its viral, options are more limited, but your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication, a bronchial dilator to help get air in and out or a medication to break up the mucus. COVID-19 pneumonia is also treated with steroids and monoclonal antibodies.
If your case is particularly severe, you may need to be hospitalized so you can receive oxygen treatment and other support.
Doctors say if youre older and more at risk, your best bet is to take precautions so you dont get sick in the first place. Wash your hands frequently, wear a mask in indoor or crowded spaces and most important get all recommended vaccines.
Vaccines prevent you from getting sick or lessen the severity of it if you do, Sahetya says. The best defense is a good offense.
Michelle Crouch is a contributing writer who has covered health and personal finance for some of the nation’s top consumer publications. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Real Simple, Prevention, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
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Your Good Health: Shot For Pneumonia Leads To Pain In Arm
Dear Dr. Roach: I have a badly torn rotator cuff on my left shoulder, so that arm is basically a constant problem. In January 2017, my physician suggested that I would benefit from the pneumonia vaccine and that it would take two applications, one year apart, to complete. I agreed to have the vaccine, which was administered into my upper left arm. Ever since then, I have had pain in the muscle area and at times do not have use of that arm. I have talked with the nurse, the physician assistant and also with my orthopedic doctor about this problem. They all have given me blank looks and no answer to the situation. Do you have any suggestion or remedies for this? Should I have the second injection?
M.P.
I think the problem is the torn rotator cuff, and that it was exacerbated by your reaction to the vaccine.
The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles that keep the arm in place in the shoulder during movement of the arm. If the rotator cuff is damaged, either by inflammation or from a mechanical tear, the arm will not move normally. Complications, including a frozen shoulder, are common.
I suspect that the temporary sore arm from a vaccine immobilized your arm long enough that you developed further inflammation in the shoulder.
Dear Dr. Roach: I wanted to know about the risk of cervical cancer with a partner who has HPV or herpes. Also, is there a correlation between either of these infections and cancer of the uterus?
Anon.
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Questions About Your Symptoms
Bacterial pneumonia, which is the most common form, tends to be more serious than other types of pneumonia, with symptoms that require medical care. The symptoms of bacterial pneumonia can develop gradually or suddenly. Fever may rise as high as a dangerous 105 degrees F, with profuse sweating and rapidly increased breathing and pulse rate. Lips and nailbeds may have a bluish color due to lack of oxygen in the blood. A patient’s mental state may be confused or delirious.
The symptoms of viral pneumonia usually develop over a period of several days. Early symptoms are similar to influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and weakness. Within a day or two, the symptoms typically get worse, with increasing cough, shortness of breath and muscle pain. There may be a high fever and there may be blueness of the lips.
Symptoms may vary in certain populations. Newborns and infants may not show any signs of the infection. Or, they may vomit, have a fever and cough, or appear restless, sick, or tired and without energy. Older adults and people who have serious illnesses or weak immune systems may have fewer and milder symptoms. They may even have a lower than normal temperature. Older adults who have pneumonia sometimes have sudden changes in mental awareness. For individuals that already have a chronic lung disease, those symptoms may worsen.
When to call a doctor
How Do The Lungs Work
Your lungs main job is to get oxygen into your blood and remove carbon dioxide. This happens during breathing. You breathe 12 to 20 times per minute when you are not sick. When you breathe in, air travels down the back of your throat and passes through your voice box and into your windpipe . Your trachea splits into two air passages . One bronchial tube leads to the left lung, the other to the right lung. For the lungs to perform their best, the airways need to be open as you breathe in and out. Swelling and mucus can make it harder to move air through the airways, making it harder to breathe. This leads to shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and feeling more tired than normal.
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What Does Pneumonia Feel Like
Not everyone feels the same when they have pneumonia, but there arecore signs you can look out for, such as feeling like you’re out of breath,generally feeling tired or sleepy and sharp, stabbing chest pain. Note, however,that “walking pneumonia” might not have obvious symptoms or justsymptoms of a common cold.
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 Is There Pain With Pneumonia
Thesymptomspneumoniapain
. Also, how long does pain last with pneumonia?
However, most people recover from pneumonia in about a week. Bacterial pneumonia usually starts to improve shortly after starting antibiotics, while viral pneumonia usually starts to improve after about three days. If you have a weakened immune system or a severe case of pneumonia, the recovery period might be longer.
what are the danger signs of pneumonia? The World Health Organization recognizes four features as danger signs in pneumonia. They include stridor, fast breathing, chest wall indrawing, and difficulty in breathing .
Similarly one may ask, why is pneumonia painful?
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. People with pneumonia usually complain of coughing, mucus production, fever, shortness of breath, and/or chest pain. Inflammation is the body’s attempt to destroy infection, and causes many of the other symptoms of bacterial pneumonia, including fever and chest pain.
Why do you get chest pain with pneumonia?
Some people get a sharp pain in their chest when they breathe in and out. This inflammation, called pleurisy, stops your lungs moving smoothly as you breathe. The symptoms of pneumonia are often very similar to those of other chest infections, such as bronchitis, COPD flare-ups or bronchiectasis flare-ups.
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.
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Who Is Most At Risk For Getting Pneumonia
People who have an increased risk of pneumonia include:
- People over the age of 65 and infants under age 2. The weakening immune system of older people makes them less able to fight off illnesses. Similarly, the immune system of infants is still developing and not at full-strength, making them more susceptible to infection.
- People with a health-caused weakened immune system. Examples include:
- People who are receiving chemotherapy
- Transplanted organ recipients
- People who have HIV/AIDS
- People with autoimmune disease and who are taking medications that suppress the immune system.
When To Contact A Doctor
It is important to contact a doctor if a person believes that they or a member of their family is experiencing symptoms of pneumonia. While some people may be able to recover at home without medical assistance, others may need medication or hospitalization.
People should seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of the following symptoms:
- breathing difficulties
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