What Can Pneumonia Lead To

More Severe Cases May Also Cause:

• quick breathing
• rapid heartbeat
• nausea and vomiting

Some people get a sharp pain in their chest when they breathe in and out. This may be because the thin lining between the lung and ribcage, called the pleura, is infected and inflamed. 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. To get a proper diagnosis youll need to visit your GP.

If you feel unwell with these symptoms, see your GP or call 111. If you have chest pain, a rapid heartbeat, quick breathing, shivers or confusion, get urgent advice from your GP or call 999. Take extra care if youre over 65.

What Is Pneumonia Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention

Pneumonia is a lower respiratory lung infection that causes inflammation in one or both lungs.

Air sacs in your lungs called alveoli can then fill up with fluid or pus, causing flu-like symptoms that can persist for weeks or cause rapid deterioration of breathing leading to hospitalization. Pneumonia doesn’t respond to over-the-counter cold and sinus medicines.

Pneumonia comes in different forms and is caused primarily by bacteria or viruses, which are contagious, and less commonly by fungi or parasites.

The type of germ contributes to how serious the illness can become and how its treated. The severity of an infection depends on many factors, including your age and overall health, as well as where you may have acquired the illness.

Why Is Pneumonia Dangerous What Are The Possible Complications Of Leaving This Condition Untreated

Pneumonia can usually be treated successfully without leading to complications. However, complications like the ones listed below can develop in some patients, especially those in high-risk groups.

Fluid or pus could get accumulated between the covering of the lungs and the inner lining of the chest wall this is called a pleural effusion . A chest tube may be needed to drain the fluid/pus.

Pus might collect in the lung area infected with pneumonia . Rarely this may require surgery.

Bacteria can spread to the bloodstream and other organs. This is a serious complication since the infection can cause the blood pressure to be dangerously low.

Although most people recover from pneumonia, it can be fatal in some cases. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of patients admitted to a general medical ward, and almost 30 percent of patients with severe infection admitted to an intensive care unit can die.

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How Is Pneumonia Spread From Person To Person

Pneumonia is spread when droplets of fluid containing the pneumonia bacteria or virus are launched in the air when someone coughs or sneezes and then inhaled by others. You can also get pneumonia from touching an object previously touched by the person with pneumonia or touching a tissue used by the infected person and then touching your mouth or nose.

Get Vaccinated If You Qualify

Pneumococcus is the most common cause of pneumonia in adults and children more than 5 years old, and it can often be prevented with vaccination. While the vaccines are not recommended for healthy people between the ages of 18 and 64, they may decrease the risk that bronchitis will turn into pneumonia, at least pneumococcal pneumonia, for a number of people.

The pneumonia vaccine is indicated for:

• Children
• People 65 years and older
• People who have recently had surgery or a serious illness
• People with lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma
• People who smoke or drink heavily
• People who may be immunocompromised
• People who have had organ transplants

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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.

Kidney Liver & Heart Damage

Your body needs oxygen to function. For older adults, more commonly those with underlying chronic health conditions, pneumonia can cause severe shortness of breath and other respiratory complications that restrict oxygen to the lungs. This complication can cause organ damage to the kidneys, liver, and heart, which is why its so important for seniors to get properly diagnosed and treated for pneumonia as soon as possible.

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Is Bacterial Pneumonia Contagious

Whether or not bacterial pneumonia is contagious depends upon the type of bacteria causing the infection. In many cases, people contract pneumonia when bacteria they normally carry in the nose or throat are spread to the lungs. Most kinds of bacterial pneumonia are not highly contagious. However, pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae and tuberculosis are exceptions. Both these types of bacterial pneumonia are highly contagious. These are spread among people by breathing in infected droplets that come from coughing or sneezing, similar to the spread of viral infections.

When To See A Healthcare Provider

Certainly, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider if you have any concerns at all. Our bodies are fairly good at telling us when something is wrong, and if you just don’t feel right, by all means call. But it’s also important to contact your practitioner if:

• You have symptoms such as coughing or wheezing that persist beyond two to three weeks.
• Your symptoms start to get better, and then worsen again.
• You cough up mucus that smells foul or has a rusty or blood-tinged appearance.
• You develop a high fever .
• You feel short of breath, especially if you note any shortness of breath at rest.
• You have chest discomfort .
• You develop nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea after you have been dealing with bronchitis for more than a day or so.
• You cough up blood, even if it is just a trace.
• You note a bluish color to your fingers or lips.

It’s especially important to see your healthcare provider if you are feeling short of breath, have an elevated respiratory rate, or an elevated heart rate.

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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.

Will Sinus Infection Lead To Pneumonia

Experts classify respiratory infections into two main groups, upper and lower respiratory tract infections. Sinusitis is one of upper respiratory tract infections. And for pneumonia, it is a kind of lower respiratory infection.

As mentioned before that sinus infection can also spread to other parts of the body. Although this is rare, but some people wonder whether it can lead to infection in the lower parts of the respiratory system such as the lungs.

So is sinus infection linked to pneumonia? Again sinusitis is usually not serious the body immune system is often able to successfully fight against the infection. But if it does cause serious complications, the main ones are as follows:

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What Can I Do To Feel Better If I Have Pneumonia

• Finish all medications and therapies prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop taking antibiotics when you start feeling better. Continue taking them until no pills remain. If you dont take all your antibiotics, your pneumonia may come back.
• If over-the-counter medicines to reduce fever have been recommended , take as directed on the label. Never give aspirin to children.
• Drink plenty of fluids to help loosen phlegm.
• Quit smoking if you smoke. Dont be around others who smoke or vape. Surround yourself with as much clean, chemical-free air as possible.
• Use a humidifier, take a steamy shower or bath to make it easier for you to breathe.
• Get lots of rest. Dont rush your recovery. It can take weeks to get your full strength back.

If at any time you start to feel worse, call your doctor right away.

What Causes Bacterial Pneumonia

Doctors often refer to typical and atypical pneumonias, based on the signs and symptoms of the condition. This can help to predict the type of bacteria causing the pneumonia, the duration of the illness, and the optimal treatment method.

Typical pneumonia comes on very quickly.

• Typical pneumonia usually results in a high fever and shaking chills.
• Typical pneumonia usually leads to the production of yellow or brown sputum when coughing.
• There may be chest pain, which is usually worse with breathing or coughing. The chest also may be sore when it is touched or pressed.
• Typical pneumonia can cause shortness of breath, especially if the person has any chronic lung conditions such as asthma or emphysema.
• Because chest pain also can be a sign of other serious medical conditions, do not try to self-diagnose.
• Older people can have confusion or a change in their mental abilities as a sign of pneumonia or other infection.

Atypical pneumonia has a gradual onset.

• It is often referred to as “walking pneumonia.”
• Sometimes it follows another illness in the days to weeks before the pneumonia.
• The fever is usually lower, and shaking chills are less likely.

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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.

How Is Pneumonia Diagnosed And Evaluated

Your primary doctor will begin by asking you about your medical history and symptoms. You will also undergo a physical exam, so that your doctor can listen to your lungs. In checking for pneumonia, your doctor will listen for abnormal sounds like crackling, rumbling or wheezing. If your doctor thinks you may have pneumonia, an imaging test may be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

One or more of the following tests may be ordered to evaluate for pneumonia:

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Bacterial Pneumonia In Cats

Bacterial Pneumonia causes inflammation of cells and fluid in the lungs and airways caused by pathogenic bacteria. Although bacterial pneumonia is more common in dogs, cats can also be at risk.

What Causes Bacterial Pneumonia in Cats?

Pathogenic bacteria are the most common cause of bacterial infections in cats and dogs. The following are the most common causes of bacterial infections in cats.

Top 3 Culprits of Bacterial Infections and Bacterial Pneumonia in Cats

Anaerobic bacteria can also be responsible for bacterial infections and bacterial Pneumonia in cats, but these are the most often seen in cultures and swabs of cats with Pneumonia.

Bordetella Bronchiseptica

Again with the Bordetella??

Yep. Bordetella Bronchiseptica is such a common and contagious bacteria that no one is safe! Even the cats.

Okay, thats a little dramatic. Regardless, the bordetella bacteria causing kennel cough and canine infectious tracheobronchitis can also cause respiratory infection in cats.

Can cats get kennel cough? Yes, but cats are less likely to pick up the bacteria simply because cats arent usually in the same socializing situations. For example, cats dont require boarding as often when parents vacation and they sure arent begging to go on a play date with their friends at the park.

Pasteurella

Pasteurella is a common cause of bacterial Pneumonia in cats, as well as the following infections:

• Ear infections

Chlamydia Felis

Does Sinus Infection Lead To Pneumonia

Sinus infection a.k.a. sinusitis can be very bothersome, though many times its mild or not serious. But in a few cases, it may turn serious. For example, the infection can spread to other areas of the body which then may lead to serious complications. A challenging question, does it also lead to pneumonia?

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Can Asthma Cause Pneumonia

The short answer is, no. Not really, anyways. I always like to know ‘why’, though. Chances are, because youre reading this, you do too! So heres the ‘why’:

Asthma is not a virus, bacteria, or fungi rather, it is existing inflammation in the airways. Pneumonia is an infection that is the effect of one of the microbes previously mentioned. Therefore, asthma is not a cause of pneumonia. However, because asthma compromises the airways and can make one more susceptible to lung infections, it can be said that asthma increases the risk of contracting pneumonia.3

How Soon After Treatment For Pneumonia Will I Begin To Feel Better

How soon you will feel better depends on several factors, including:

• Your age
• The cause of your pneumonia
• The severity of your pneumonia
• If you have other at-risk conditions

If you are generally healthy, most symptoms of bacterial pneumonia usually begin to improve within 24 to 48 hours after starting treatment. Symptoms of viral pneumonia usually begin to improve within a few days after starting treatment. A cough can last for several weeks. Most people report being tired for about a month after contracting pneumonia.

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Things You Need To Know About Pneumonia

Suddenly in the spotlight, this common lung infection has a lot of causes but can also be prevented in many cases. Learn more to protect yourself.

It doesnt usually get a lot of attention. But all of a sudden, pneumonia has captured attention thanks to Hillary Clintons case. Two experts offer some key information to help you and your loved ones avoid it or get the best treatment if needed.

What Actually Is Sinus Infection

The word sinusitis simply points to the irritation of sinuses, a linked system of hollow air-filled cavities in the skull such as:

Another thing you need to know, not all cases of sinusitis are the same! For example, the infection can be triggered by virus or bacteria.

The sinuses produce mucus that drains into the nose. The infection can lead to the obstruction in the small channels that drain mucus to the nose, causing the following symptoms:

The only way to clearly figure out whether you have sinus infection or just a common cold is by swabbing inside your nose to look for any inflammation. But specific tests are often not required to diagnose this infection, because it is usually a mild problem and will relieve on its own.

The same goes for the treatment. It is not always necessary to treat the infection.

In general, its recommended to wait a few days before seeking the treatment. Sinus infection often improves itself in that period of time with lifestyle measures .

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Visit A Mana Clinic Today

Even healthy people can get the flu and suffer complications from the flu. Dont take your chances with pneumonia. Get your flu shot today, and talk your doctor if you suspect that you have the flu, or if you have cold symptoms that last more than a few days.

myMANA makes scheduling appointments easy, and MediServe Walk-In clinics are are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 7 days a week for your convenience.

Our pediatric walk-in clinic is open Monday Friday 8 am to 7:30 pm and Saturday 8 am to 11 am.

Several Family Medicine clinics and Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic offer walk-in hours as well or you can request a same day appointment.