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.
Who Is Most At Risk From Hospital
Some patients are at greater risk than others-young children, the elderly, and persons with compromised immune systems are more likely to get an infection. Other risk factors are long hospital stays, the use of indwelling catheters, failure of healthcare workers to wash their hands, and overuse of antibiotics.
A Skilled Nursing Facility Offers Safety And Comfort
If youve been hospitalized from pneumonia, its important to understand that release from the hospital only means youre no longer in critical condition it does not mean you have recovered. In fact, as mentioned above, it could be weeks or even months before you regain your strength and feel like yourself again. Transitioning into a skilled nursing facility between the hospital and home ensures that you get the care you need while you recover in a safe, nurturing environment.
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Can Pneumonia Turn Into Covid
Anyone can get COVID-19 pneumonia, but its more likely in people who are 65 or older. Those who are 85 or older are at the highest risk. People who live in nursing homes or who have other health problems like these also have higher chances of more severe illness with COVID-19: Moderate to severe asthma.
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
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Bacterial Pneumonia: How Patients Can Speed Their Recovery
Even though bacterial pneumonia is treated with antibiotics, it is very important to note that the infected individuals conduct while they have pneumonia greatly affects the outcome of the treatment bacterial pneumonia can keep coming back unless it was successfully fought off the first time. Whenever someone is prescribed antibiotics, it is crucial that they finish the entire course exactly as prescribed, even though it is highly likely that they will begin to feel better within a few days, and perhaps even sooner.
Someone diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia should take care to follow the right steps to get better, even if they are recovering at home instead of being hospitalized. That includes:
- Resting as much as possible, and refraining from any physical activity that makes them feel worse. You can go put your empty tea cup on the kitchen counter if you like, but do not try to clean the house or work out! Stay in bed, if you can.
- Eating a light, doctor recommended diet.
- Drinking plenty of fluids, including hot beverages to help keep your airways open.
- Taking pain and cough medication only as instructed by the doctor. Do not use over the counter remedies without your doctor’s green light.
- Making very sure to stay away from smoke and other respiratory irritants.
What Are The Complications Of Pneumonia
Anyone can experience complications from pneumonia. However, people in high-risk groups are more likely to develop complications, including:
- Breathing difficulties: Pneumonia can make breathing difficult. Pneumonia plus an existing lung disorder can make breathing even more difficult. Breathing difficulties may require a hospital stay to receive oxygen therapy or breathing and healing assistance with the use of a breathing machine .
- Fluid buildup in the lungs : Pneumonia can cause a buildup in the fluid between the membranes that line the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity. It is a serious condition that makes breathing difficult. Pleural effusion can be treated by draining excess fluid with a catheter, chest tube or by surgery.
- Bacteria in the bloodstream : The bacteria that cause pneumonia can leave your lungs and enter your bloodstream, spreading the infection to other organs. This condition is treated with antibiotics.
- Lung abscess. A lung abscess is a pus-filled cavity in the lung that is caused by a bacterial infection. It can be treated by draining the pus with a long needle or removing it by surgery.
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How Long Can Children Recover From Pneumonia
Pneumonia is infection or inflammation in one or both the lungs. It is also referred to as chest infection. In children, pneumonia may be caused due to bacteria or virus, the latter being more common cause. During pneumonia, the small airways are swollen and produce more mucus. This results in blockage of airways and decreases the quantity of oxygen that reaches the body. It often follows a flu or cold. Majority of the children suffering from pneumonia recover completely and quickly.
How Long Will It Take To Recover From Bacterial Pneumonia
Recovering from pneumonia is a gradual process. Some people who were diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia will actually feel better within a week. For many, the recovery time takes a few weeks, but if you have bacterial pneumonia, it may also take up to a month to feel OK again. Some of the more prominent symptoms of pneumonia, like a cough and a feeling of fatigue, can follow the person for even longer.
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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.
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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How Are They Treated
Many cases of walking pneumonia dont require treatment. To help your body heal, its best to rest as much as possible and stay hydrated. If you have a fever, you can take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. You can also ask your doctor about taking an antibiotic.
Pneumonia and more serious cases of walking pneumonia may need additional treatment, such as:
- oxygen to assist with breathing
- intravenous fluids
- breathing treatments to help loosen the mucus in your airways
- corticosteroids to reduce inflammation
Purchase acetaminophen or ibuprofen now.
THE MAIN DIFFERENCE:
Walking pneumonia often doesnt require treatment, though some cases may need antibiotics. Pneumonia may require additional treatment to improve breathing and reduce inflammation in your airways.
Pneumonia Recovery: Helpful Tips
Getting adequate rest, managing symptoms, staying hydrated and eating properly can help promote a quicker recovery from pneumonia. In some cases, breathing exercises taught by a respiratory therapist can aid in healing and recovery. Stopping smoking and avoiding secondhand smoke will also help speed recovery.
Taking antibiotics as directed for as long as directed can also help prevent relapse if the pneumonia is caused by bacteria. Not completing a course of antibiotics can also increase chances of developing antibiotic resistance if you need to take this type of antibiotic again in the future, so its important to finish medication as directed. Note that a cough may persist for up to 3 weeks after finishing antibiotics.
A chest X-ray following the completion of antibiotics can help determine if the lung infection has cleared up.
If pneumonia is caused by a virus or fungal infection, other medications are needed.
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How Long Does Walking Pneumonia Last
It may take around a month to completely recover from walking pneumonia and that purely depends upon severity of pneumonia and personal health status. Medicines, rest and necessary measures taken during recovery period, influence the way in which you are able to heal from walking pneumonia infection. If you are already healthy, you will recuperate from walking pneumonia really well.
Being a mild illness, walking pneumonia can last up to three weeks, which can be managed well with proper medications and diagnosis procedures.
Treatment For Walking Pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia is caused by a bacterial infection of the upper and/or lower respiratory tract. Some people with this condition have mild symptoms, but will feel tired and have a cough. If your doctor suspects walking pneumonia, he/she will order a chest x-ray, which is the standard of care for diagnosing pneumonia. The doctor will also perform a physical examination and take a medical history.
The onset of walking pneumonia is gradual, with an incubation period of 1-4 weeks after exposure. During the later stages of the illness, symptoms worsen, and fever becomes higher. Coughing may yield discolored sputum also. The treatment for atypical pneumonia is a cycline antibiotic, such as doxycycline, or a macrolide antibiotic, such as azithromycin.
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What Is Walking Pneumonia
Walking pneumonia is a non-contagious form of infection which can also lead to many ailments if not treated in time. This form of pneumonia is not caused due to pathogens and has some differences as compared to the typical form of this lung infection. Some of the common symptoms of this mild ailment may persist for long, which can further lead to serious forms of lung infections.
When foreign substances enter the lungs, it can cause walking pneumonia, characterized by which fever. Many people off late have been affected by this ailment which has led to serious effects on their overall health. Walking pneumonia generally accompanies chest congestion, which can be mild or severe and it is recommended that if any condition of cold persists beyond certain duration, immediate medical help becomes imminent.
In walking pneumonia, the inflamed tissue can surely be a cause of concern and for specific duration, this infection can be quite contagious as well. So one has to keep in mind the recovery time of walking pneumonia and must take care of the precautions too which helps a lot in healing you from this infection in a speedy way.
What Are The Types Of Pneumonia
Sometimes, types of pneumonia are referred to by the type of organism that causes the inflammation, such as bacterial pneumonia, viral pneumonia, or fungal pneumonia. The specific organism name may also be used to describe the types of pneumonia, such as pneumococcal pneumonia or Legionella pneumonia.
Other types of pneumonia that are commonly referenced include the following:
- Aspiration pneumonia develops as a result of inhaling food or drink, saliva, or vomit into the lungs. This occurs when the swallowing reflex is impaired, such as with brain injury or in an intoxicated person.
- Several types of bacteria, including Legionella pneumophila, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae, cause atypical pneumonia. It is sometimes called “walking pneumonia” and is referred to as atypical because its symptoms differ from those of other types of bacterial pneumonia.
- Pneumonia that arises from being on a ventilator for respiratory support in the intensive care setting is known as ventilator-associated pneumonia.
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Child Pneumonia Recovery Time
A kid usually recovers fully in couple of weeks time. During this time, the bodys immune system will fight with the infection and clear up pneumonia. Coughing out sputum is part of clearing up process. The cough due to pneumonia may remain for four weeks but get better gradually over this period.
You must take your kid back to the physician if:
- You notice that your kids cough is becoming worse again.
- Your kids cough has not got better after four weeks.
- Your kid is still coughing and bringing out sputum even after four weeks.
- Your kid has recurrent episodes of pneumonia .
Coughing up sputum, long-lasting cough, or recurrent episodes of pneumonia may indicate bronchiectasis. This condition is characterized by scar formation in the lungs.
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
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Young People Are Not Invincible
As Head of the Respiratory Group at the George Institute for Global Health, Prof. Jenkins is an expert in diseases affecting the lung and the respiratory passageways. She says that older age has always been a risk factor for most types of pneumonia the more advanced your age, the more vulnerable you are to getting pneumonia and having catastrophic outcomes from it.
Young people, on the other hand, are more likely to get asymptomatic COVID-19 where the virus infects the body but does not show symptoms. And while they have shown to recover quicker from COVID-19, they are not immune to developing COVID-19 pneumonia.
In a recent study published in the United States, in a group of over 5000 people, they found that 1 per cent of people under 20 were diagnosed with COVID-19 pneumonia, says Prof Jenkins.
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In addition, no one in that age group who developed pneumonia died.
So, if youre a young person, it seems you are much more likely to get an asymptomatic event with COVID-19.
Prof. Jenkins says young people who do develop pneumonia are less likely to require ventilation.
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We still dont fully understand what determines the age benefits of being 20 as opposed to 70.
Now, you might think thats obvious, but let me remind you that with the Spanish flu, it was young people who died.
I Recently Had Severe Pneumonia
I have recently been discharged from hospital after having severe pneumonia and have been recovering at home. I have a secondary infection of pleurisy for which I have been taking anti-inflammatory painkillers, which do seem to be helping. My sleep has been very badly affected, and since admission to hospital I stopped smoking and have not smoked or drunk alcohol since. I have elevated liver function results, which I am told is as a result of the large amount of intravenous antibiotics that I had in hospital, and I have been feeling some pain in my chest. I am having follow up blood tests tomorrow.The question that I cannot seem to get a good answer is about when to return to work, and what to avoid. I ventured out today and encountered people with colds, and this has made me exceptionally paranoid about getting sick again, so I am unsure what to do. I was planning on trying to return to work on Monday to see how it went, as I do get out of breath quickly. I want the flu jab, but I am told I have to wait a while before I can have this now. Any advice would be useful, as some doctors say return to work when you want, and those in hospital said I have to wait 6 weeks.
26 April 2021
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