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.
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Covid Can Damage Your Lungs To A Great Extent Thus Taking Care Of This Organ Post
Written by Satata Karmakar | Updated : January 3, 2022 4:51 PM IST
Pneumonia, a common lung infection that can affect one or both the lungs and lead to inflammation in the air sacs called alveoli, is one of the most common symptoms of deadly coronavirus infection. COVID-19 causing SARS-CoV2 virus was first identified in China’s Wuhan in 2019, ever since then in the last two years, the virus has mutated and formed several virulent strains which mainly target the lungs. While some people experience only mild to moderate symptoms of the infection, others can end up fighting long-term health issues from the virus. Experts have also stated that the risk of developing a lung infection is higher among those who are infected or have recovered from COVID-19. With the arrival of another contagious strain Omicron, let’s know from the experts the various warning symptoms that the lungs of a COVID recovered patient may show to indicate pneumonia.
What Is The Treatment For Pneumonia
Pneumonia treatment depends on the type of pneumonia, how sick the patient is, the patients age, and if other underlying medical conditions are present.
Mild cases of pneumonia may go away own their own with adequate rest and symptom management. Home treatment for pneumonia may include:
- Getting plenty of rest
- Warm beverages may help open airways
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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.
Where Does Pneumonia Hurt
Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. Chest pain is caused by the membranes in the lungs filling with fluid. This creates pain that can feel like a heaviness or stabbing sensation and usually worsens with coughing, breathing or laughing.
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Injury Of Gastrointestinal System Through Immune Response And Inflammatory Reactions
The antiviral responses of human immune system, including the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, the activation of CD4+ Th1 and CD8+ T cells cellular response, results in viral clearance in mild cases. However, in severe cases, the tissue injury caused by the virus could activate monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells with excessive amounts of proinflammatory cytokines , leading to cytokine storm syndrome., , The systemic inflammatory response could damage many organs and systems in the body, including the digestive system., Although no studies have reported the levels of cytokines in the gastrointestinal tract of nausea/vomiting patients with COVID-19, several studies have suggested that the digestive system is very likely to be injured by the chain reactions of inflammatory factors. A retrospective analysis of 409 severe patients with COVID-19 found that peripheral cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF- were significantly increased in patients with diarrhea. Xiao et al. also found that occasional lymphocyte infiltration in the esophageal squamous epithelium and a large number of infiltrating plasma cells and lymphocytes, interstitial edema could be seen in the lamina propria of the stomach, duodenum and rectum.
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
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How Is Pneumonia Treated
If doctors think a person has pneumonia, they will do a physical exam and might order a chest X-ray and blood tests. People with bacterial or atypical pneumonia will probably be given antibiotics to take at home. The doctor also will recommend getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of fluids.
Some people with pneumonia need to be hospitalized to get better usually babies, young kids, and people older than 65. However, hospital care may be needed for a teen who:
- already has immune system problems
- is dangerously dehydrated or is vomiting a lot and can’t keep fluids and medicine down
- has had pneumonia many times
- has skin that’s blue or pale, which is a sign that the lungs are not getting enough oxygen.
When pneumonia patients are hospitalized, treatment might include intravenous antibiotics and respiratory therapy . In more severe cases, people might need to go to the intensive care unit .
What Is Bacterial Pneumonia
Bacteria are the most common cause of pneumonia in adults.
Bacterial pneumonia may follow a viral infection, like a cold or the flu . This type of pneumonia usually affects one area of the lung and is referred to as lobar pneumonia.
Types of bacteria that cause pneumonia include:
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Chlamydophila pneumoniae
- Haemophilus influenzae type B
Streptococcus pneumoniae, also known as pneumococcus, is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in adults, called pneumococcal pneumonia.
It may be prevented by a vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two pneumonia vaccines for adults 65 years and older: pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, or Prevnar 13 , and pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, or Pneumovax 23 .
According to the CDC:
- You should receive a dose of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine first, followed at least one year later by a dose of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine .
- If you’ve already received any doses of PPSV23, the dose of PCV13 should be given at least one year after the most recent PPSV23 dose.
- If you’ve already received a dose of the PCV13 at a younger age, another dose is not recommended.
Mycoplasma pneumoniae usually infects younger adults who work in crowded areas, such as schools, homeless shelters, or prisons.
Chlamydophila pneumoniae causes a mild pneumonia infection that usually affects people older than 60.
Other bacterial pneumonia symptoms include:
- High fever
- Diarrhea
- Sore throat
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What Are The Danger Signs Of Pneumonia
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:
- Cough, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus.
- Fever, sweating and shaking chills.
- Shortness of breath.
- Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough.
- Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue.
Early Signs Of Pneumonia
The early signs of pneumonia vary from mild to severe such as fever, nausea, vomiting,dry or cough with mucus, difficulty in breathing, chest pains, unusual weakness etc
Early Signs of Pneumonia
Pneumonia in general terms is an infection caused by a variety of microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites either in one or both the lungs. Often, the infection of pneumonia begins after it first affects the nose and throat also known as the upper respiratory tract. This results in collection of fluids in the lungs which makes the breathing process difficult.
Symptoms of pneumonia irrespective of the cause usually come in suddenly in, otherwise healthy people, who are below the age of 65. The signs of pneumonia often start developing initially with a viral infection such as a cold or flu. The early signs of pneumonia in adults can vary from, Mild, Moderate to severe depending on the cause. If the early signs of Pneumonia are ignored, it may prove to be fatal or dangerous.
A bacterial pneumonia on the other hand usually develops more quickly and show obvious symptoms such as cough with green or little blood in mucus, fever, episodes of shivering, difficulty in breathing, sharp pain in the chest walls etc. An infected person may also feel rapid increase in heartbeat, unusual weakness and tiredness, nausea, vomiting and sometimes diarrhea.
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Why Is Pneumonia Dangerous For The Elderly
Even if your loved one is able to recover from a case of pneumonia, he or she may suffer from long-term effects from the illness. Survivors may be weak mentally and physically. He or she may also have increased symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Overall, the elderly patients quality of life may decline after fighting pneumonia.
Trouble In Breathing Due To Inflammed Air Sacs Or Alveoli
You may experience a steady drop in your breathing rate or an unexplained rise in your breathing counts. One may also notice that there is sudden trouble which one may notice every time he/she breathes. This condition is also known as laboured breathing. “The patient may notice that the breathing rate post-COVID recovery has drastically changed. It is either rapid or shallow. One can also find him/herself becoming breathless even while resting,” Dr. Mukherjee told TheHealthSite.com.
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Pneumonia Arising In Institutional Settings
- Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is an infection of the lungs contracted during a hospital stay. This type of pneumonia tends to be more serious because patients in the hospital already have weakened defense mechanisms, and the infecting organisms are usually more dangerous than those encountered in the community. Hospital patients are particularly vulnerable to Gram-negative bacteria, which are resistant to many antibiotics, and staphylococci. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is also called nosocomial pneumonia.
- Ventilator-associated pneumonia . A subgroup of hospital-acquired pneumonia is VAP, a very serious infection contracted by patients on ventilators in hospitals and long-term nursing facilities.
- Nursing-home acquired pneumonia. Pneumonia acquired in a nursing home or other long-term care facility is the second most common type of infection in these facilities, and it is usually bacterial. This type of pneumonia is sometimes difficult to diagnose as older populations are less likely to report fever, chills, and chest pain. Chest radiography and physical exam are necessary. Sputum sample and antigen tests may be helpful.
The term “healthcare associated pneumonia” is also utilized for all the above types of pneumonia as a group.
Are There Any Stages Of Pneumonia
Yes, dear are a few stages of pneumonia. Doctors may classify them based on the area they are affecting the lungs. For example, bronchopneumonia Out of your lungs and localized close to or around your bronchi. And if you have pneumonia in your lobes, the doctor will call it lobar pneumonia. Even though low bar pneumonia can be further divided into four stages but usually these are two major classifications.
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Can Pneumonia Be Prevented Or Avoided
There are many factors that can raise your risk for developing pneumonia. These include:
People who have any of the following conditions are also at increased risk:
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- asthma
- sickle cell disease
You can help prevent pneumonia by doing the following:
- Get the flu vaccine each year. People can develop bacterial pneumonia after a case of the flu. You can reduce this risk by getting the yearly flu shot.
- Get the pneumococcal vaccine. This helps prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria.
- Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Dont smoke. Smoking damages your lungs and makes it harder for your body to defend itself from germs and disease. If you smoke, talk to your family doctor about quitting as soon as possible.
- Practice a healthy lifestyle. Eat a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables. Exercise regularly. Get plenty of sleep. These things help your immune system stay strong.
- Avoid sick people. Being around people who are sick increases your risk of catching what they have.
Everything You Need To Know About Aspergillosis
Aspergillosis is an infection, allergy reaction, or fungal development caused by aspergillus fungus. The fungus mostly develops on decaying vegetation and dead leaves. Coming in contact with the fungus does not necessarily mean you will get aspergillosis. Virtually everyone comes in contact with the fungus each day and never gets â¦
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Symptoms Of Atypical Pneumonia
Atypical pneumonia is most commonly caused by mycoplasma, chlamydia, or a virus. It usually appears in children and young adults. Symptoms are usually mild and often go undiagnosed and untreated. Legionnaire disease, however, is a severe form of atypical pneumonia that usually strikes adults and seniors.
The disease progresses gradually:
- General flu-like symptoms often occur first. They may include fatigue, fever, weakness, headache, nasal discharge, sore throat, earache, and stomach and intestinal distress.
- Vague pain under and around the breastbone may occur, but the severe chest pain associated with typical bacterial pneumonia is uncommon.
- People may have a severe hacking cough, but it usually does not produce sputum.
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 don’t 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 you’ll be back to normal in no time.
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Go To The Nearest Urgency Room Immediately If:
- You have cough or fever that seem more severe than a minor cold
- You have trouble breathing
- You were diagnosed with pneumonia and are getting worse despite the treatments prescribed
- You are feeling weak
- New symptoms arise such as chest pain, blood, or vomiting
Pneumonia is a serious illness and it is important to remember that everyone recovers at different paces, and for some, they can feel tired for up to a month. Talk with your doctor about when would be the appropriate time to go back to your normal routine.
What Are The Signs You Feel Like Vomiting
Signs of vomiting:
- Food poisoning: Consuming food contaminated with bacteria, viruses, usually causes of food poisoning. Its symptoms are not very severe but if the conditions persist then a person needs to go to the doctor.
- Indigestion: This is a very common condition which happens to everyone these days because of contaminated food or some of the chronic digestion problems.
- Stomach flu: Also known as viral gastroenteritis, causes when there is inflammation in the stomach and intestine.
- Gastritis: Weaken stomach lines allow digestive juices to damage and inflame it. This causes the feeling of vomiting and nausea.
Symptoms of vomiting:
Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, vertigo, excessive sweating, dry mouth, decreased urination, fainting, anxiety, depression, confusion, excessive sleeplessness, blood vomit are some of the common symptoms of vomiting.
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