Treatment Of Viral Infections
There are not as many choices for treating viral pneumonia. Oseltamivir , zanamivir , and peramivir have been the recommended drugs for influenza A or B infections, but some strains of influenza A are resistant to them. Generally, the use of these drugs is only recommended if they can be started in the first 48 hours of symptoms. Taken early, these medications may be effective in reducing the severity and duration of illness. However, treatment initiated even after 48 hours may benefit children with severe disease.
Intravenous immunoglobulins may be used in immunodeficient children who develop some viral pneumonias, as they have been shown to improve outcomes.
People with viral pneumonias are at risk for what are called “superinfections,” which generally refers to a secondary bacterial infection, usually caused by S pneumoniae, S aureus, or H influenzae. Doctors most commonly recommend treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate, cefpodoxime, ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, or a newer fluoroquinolone if these secondary infections occur.
People with pneumonia caused by varicella-zoster and herpes simplex viruses are usually admitted to the hospital and treated with intravenous acyclovir for 7 days.
No antiviral drugs have been proven effective yet in adults with RSV, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, metapneumovirus, coronaviruses, or hantavirus. Treatment is largely supportive, with people receiving oxygen and ventilator therapy as needed.
How Are Asthma And Pneumonia Linked
Although asthma does not cause pneumonia directly if you have chronic respiratory conditions such as asthma, you are more at risk for developing pneumonia due to previous damage to the lungs or weakening of lung tissues. Furthermore, if you have asthma and get the flu, the condition could worsen compared to someone who does not have asthma. According to recent studies, those with asthma who get the flu have a higher risk of developing pneumonia as a complication. Inhaled corticosteroids are often used for the treatment of asthma. However, research has shown that these medicines can increase your risk of getting respiratory infections and pneumonia.
What Can I Do At Home To Feel Better
In addition to taking any antibiotics and/or medicine your doctor prescribes, you should also:
- Get lots of rest. Rest will help your body fight the infection.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Fluids will keep you hydrated. They can help loosen the mucus in your lungs. Try water, warm tea, and clear soups.
- Stop smoking if you smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. Smoke can make your symptoms worse. Smoking also increases your risk of developing pneumonia and other lung problems in the future. You should also avoid lit fireplaces or other areas where the air may not be clean.
- Stay home from school or work until your symptoms go away. This usually means waiting until your fever breaks and you arent coughing up mucus. Ask your doctor when its okay for you to return to school or work.
- Use a cool-mist humidifier or take a warm bath. This will help clear your lungs and make it easier for you to breathe.
Don’t Miss: How Often Should You Get A Pneumonia
What Is Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Pneumococcal diseases are caused by the bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae . Infection with pneumococcus can affect different areas of the body, including:
- Lungs causes a type of lung infection called pneumonia
- Ears causes a type of ear infection called otitis
- Sinuses causes a type of sinus infection called sinusitis
- Brain and spinal cord causes a type of infection of the brain and/or spinal cord called meningitis
- Blood causes a type of blood infection called bacteremia
A pneumococcus infection affecting the lungs is called pneumococcal pneumonia.
Whats The Difference Between Bronchitis Pneumonia And Asthma
Bronchitis, pneumonia, and asthma all affect the respiratory system. The respiratory system is responsible for moving oxygen to our bodys cells. The nose, mouth, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles make up the airway which carries air between the lungs and the bodys exterior. When an infection, inflammation, or fluids block the airways, it can become difficult to breathe.
Below we identify the difference between bronchitis, pneumonia and asthma and how they can be treated.
Read Also: Can Vaping Give You Pneumonia
Frequently Asked Questions About Pneumococcal Vaccines
Who is the pneumococcal vaccine for?
Adults at risk of pneumococcal disease infection include those with chronic underlying conditions like asthma. If you have asthma, pneumococcal vaccination is recommended for you.
Pneumococcal vaccination is also recommended for children with asthma. Pneumocccal vaccination is a part of routine immunizations of infants and children.
In Canada, pneumococcal vaccine is recommended for:
- routine immunization of infants and children
- immunization of children who missed pneumococcal immunization on the routine schedule
- immunization of people at high risk of pneumococal disease due to underlying medical conditions. High risk conditions include chronic lung disease, including asthma requiring medical care in the preceding 12 months
- immunization of residents of long-term care facilities
- immunization of adults who are at high risk of IPD due to lifestyle factors: smokers, persons with alcoholism, persons who are homeless
- immunization of all adults 65 years of age and older
What are the benefits of getting vaccinated?
Getting a pneumococcal vaccine is the best way to avoid getting pneumococcal disease. If you do get pneumococcal disease, pneumococcal vaccines reduce the risk of serious complications.
Why is it so important for people with asthma to get the pneumococcal vaccine?
For people with asthma, pneumococcal disease can be especially serious. Research is still ongoing as to why they are more at risk.
For children:
Aspiration Pneumonia And Anaerobic Bacteria
The mouth contains a mixture of bacteria that is normally harmless. However, if this mixture reaches the lungs, it can cause a serious condition called aspiration pneumonia. This may happen after a head injury or general anesthesia, or when a person takes drugs or alcohol. In such cases, the gag reflex does not work as well as it should, so bacteria can enter the airways. Unlike other organisms that are inhaled, some of the bacteria that cause aspiration pneumonia do not need oxygen to live. These bacteria are called anaerobic bacteria.
Read Also: Tell If You Have 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.
Difference Between Asthma And Pneumonia
The main difference is that asthma is a chronic, noninfectious condition, whereas pneumonia is a lung infection.
Asthma causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways. It mainly affects the bronchioles, which are the tiny branches of the airways in the lungs.
Asthma is not a curable disease, though a person can manage its symptoms with the right medications. Asthma triggers can lessen over time and as a person learns to manage their illness.
Pneumonia is an infection that can occur in one or both of the lungs. It causes inflammation in the air sacs, not the bronchioles.
Pneumonia can cause the lungs to fill with fluid, making breathing painful and difficult. It is treatable.
While asthma and pneumonia can cause many similar symptoms, they are different diseases with different treatment and care approaches.
Also Check: Does The Flu Cause Pneumonia
Pneumonia And Asthma Why Should I Worry
- Health & Wellness
- Lung Health and Diseases
More than 25 million Americans are living with asthma, 19 million of whom are adults. Management of your asthma may vary slightly from another person depending on the type of asthma you have. However, protecting yourself from contracting common lung infections caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi is something every asthma patient must do, regardless of your asthma type. Asthma and pneumonia are two diseases that affect your lungs and can share some symptoms such as experiencing shortness of breath, coughing, or having an increased pulse and breathing rate. Understanding pneumonia, how people with asthma have an increased risk for developing pneumonia, and how to prevent getting pneumonia are important aspects of managing your asthma.
What Do I Do If I Have A Respiratory Illness
- Talk with your doctor about your symptoms. Ask if you can take over-the-counter medicines to reduce some of your symptoms.
- Follow your Asthma Action Plan. Be sure your Asthma Action Plan tells you what to do if you get sick. If it doesnt, call your doctor to ask if you should change how you take your prescribed asthma medicine while you are sick. If you get symptoms of flu or COVID-19, or any symptoms that concern you, contact your doctor right away.
- Keep your quick-relief asthma medicine with you at all times to treat asthma symptoms.
- Trouble walking or talking due to shortness of breath
- Cyanosis which is tissue color changes on mucus membranes and fingertips or nail beds the color appears grayish or whitish on darker skin tones and bluish on lighter skin tones
- Fast breathing with chest retractions
You May Like: Does The Pneumonia Vaccine Protect Against Viral Pneumonia
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
Can Pneumonia Cause Asthma
The short answer is, yes, it can! Once again, though, here’s the why it can:
While pneumonia can be contracted in a number of ways, the infection is always hard on the lungs. Symptoms of pneumonia include coughing and difficulty breathing – sound familiar? Thats because asthma shares the same symptoms, and for good reason. Pneumonia causes inflammation in the lungs, much like asthma, and in some cases pneumonia can cause damage to the lungs, resulting in lasting inflammation. Asthma can be a consequence of a severe case of pneumonia, or due to multiple cases of pneumonia, because of the amount of inflammation accumulated in the lungs and airways.4
Recommended Reading: How To Get Rid Of Pneumonia In Elderly
A Noticeable Change In Lung Function
Is it becoming harder to catch your breath after your run? Are you having coughing attacks? Are you exhausted more often than you used to be?
A decrease in lung function is one of the hallmark signs used to diagnose asthma and doctors test lung function to see if treatment is working over time.
Children tend to experience symptoms that flare up or get worse after exposure to an allergen or during a viral infection. Adults, on the other hand, may be more likely to experience persistent symptoms that require daily medication to control.
For children, asthma may feel “normal” because that’s all they know. Adults, however, can remember how they used to feel “before” and have benchmarks they can use to compare their lung fitness over time.
Asthma And Pneumonia: What’s The Relation
Asthma and pneumonia are both lung diseases, but asthma is a chronic condition that lasts long-term and pneumonia is an acute infection. The diseases may cause some similar symptoms, but there are also many differences. Continue reading to understand how having asthma puts you at a higher risk of complications from pneumonia.
Read Also: Pneumonia In Lung Cancer Patients
Favorite Orgs That Can Help Fight Pneumonia
Those over age 65 have a higher risk of getting pneumonia than younger adults. They may be especially susceptible to community-acquired pneumonia, spread among large populations of elderly people in settings such as assisted living facilities. This organization, devoted to finding the best products and services for seniors, publishes advice on how older adults should handle prevention and care.
Influenza is a common cause of pneumonia. Several national healthcare organizations and the CDC are collaborating in an effort called United Against the Flu to stress the importance of getting immunized. The groups website supplies resources and details on the vaccination.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
A new cause of severe pneumonia was first reported in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. Within a year, 58 cases, including 33 deaths, were reported in Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates , France, Germany, Italy, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom. Since 2012 there have been over 1730 cases. The World Health Organization warns this new viral illness could become a pandemic. However, person-to-person transmission has been limited to close contacts. In the United States, no cases of MERS have been reported since 2014.
Recommended Reading: Is Pneumonia Viral Or Bacterial
What Does Asthma Look Like In Adults
Asthma is often thought of as a childhood condition, but while children are more likely to get diagnosed, more adults live with the chronic respiratory disease.
Nearly 10 percent of American adults, about 20 million people, have asthma, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America .
“While adult and childhood asthma are classified as different types of asthma, it is actually very similar in terms of symptoms, management, triggers and even medications used,” says Purvi Parikh, MD, an allergist with Allergy & Asthma Network and a clinical assistant professor in the departments of medicine and pediatrics at New York University School of Medicine.
However similar the two conditions, the consequences can be worse for adults. The respiratory disease causes an economic loss of $81 billion per year, a result of medical costs and missed work.
Worse, an average of 3,500 people a year die from it, and adults are five times more likely to die from asthma than children, according to the AAFA.
This is why it’s so important for you to get assessed for asthma if you have any symptoms. The goal: a proper diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, that may be easier said than done.
Skipping The Test Has Risks
Many people who need a spirometry test never have one. Some healthcare providers only rely on symptoms to decide whether a patient has asthma or another disease.
If your doctor assumes you have asthma without giving you a spirometry test, you could be taking asthma drugs when you dont need them. And the real cause of your symptoms would not be treated.
On the other hand, you and your doctor might assume the cause of your symptoms is a mild problem, when in fact it is asthma. If your asthma is not treated, you could have severe asthma attacks. About nine people die from asthma attacks every day in the U.S. Untreated or poorly managed asthma can also cause scarring in the lungs, which can lead to COPD. Once the lungs are scarred, asthma medicines wont work as well.
Read Also: How Old To Get Pneumonia Shot
Diagnosis Of The Disease
Doctor first check all your reports back history of family and function of lungs then starts the treatment.
Pneumonia is treated after the physical examination of lungs and the development of the issue. They can take your chests x-ray. Blood and sputum tests are done to check and determine the root cause of infection.
After these tests they can check how well you are able to breathe.
When Would I Need To Be Hospitalized For Pneumonia
If your case of pneumonia is more severe, you may need tostay in the hospital for treatment. Hospital treatments may include:
- Oxygen
- Fluids, antibiotics and other medicines given through an IV
- Breathing treatments and exercises to help loosen mucus
People most likely to be hospitalized are those who are most frail and/or at increased risk, including:
- Babies and young children
- People with weakened immune systems
- People with health conditions that affect the heart and lungs
It may take six to eight weeks to return to a normal level of functioning and well-being if youve been hospitalized with pneumonia.
Read Also: Spot On Lung Pneumonia Or Cancer
Is There A Vaccine For Pneumonia
There isnt a vaccine for all types of pneumonia, but 2 vaccines are available. These help prevent pneumonia caused by pneumococcal bacteria. The first is recommended for all children younger than 5 years of age. The second is recommended for anyone age 2 or older who is at increased risk for pneumonia. Getting the pneumonia vaccine is especially important if you:
- Are 65 years of age or older.
- Smoke.
- Have certain chronic conditions, such as asthma, lung disease, diabetes, heart disease, sickle cell disease, or cirrhosis.
- Have a weakened immune system because of HIV/AIDS, kidney failure, a damaged or removed spleen, a recent organ transplant, or receiving chemotherapy.
- Have cochlear implants .
The pneumococcal vaccines cant prevent all cases of pneumonia. But they can make it less likely that people who are at risk will experience the severe, and possibly life-threatening, complications of pneumonia.
Recurrent Pneumonia In Children
Pneumonia can be a serious illness, recurrent pneumonia is a concerning and potentially dangerous condition in children. Recurrent pneumonia is defined as 2 or more episodes of pneumonia in a year or 3 episodes ever separated by an asymptomatic period of a month or clear chest X-rays. Recurrent pneumonia in children typically has underlying causes.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Get Strep Pneumonia