Treatment For Chest Infections
Most people with bronchitis can be treated at home and make a full recovery. Assessment of the severity of pneumonia is complex. Some patients can be managed at home on simple antibiotics. Those assessed as severe may require admission to the intensive care unit and their illness may be life threatening.Treatment options include:
- Your doctor will advise you about any medications you need to get over this attack.
- Some people need to be admitted to hospital for further treatment, particularly young children and the elderly who are at greater risk of serious complications.
- Review with your local doctor may be needed within 48 hours, especially if you are not improving, and again in six weeks to make sure that you have made a full recovery. A chest x-ray may be needed at this time.
Can Pneumonia Be Prevented
Vaccinations can help prevent some types of pneumonia. Its a good idea to speak to your doctor about whether vaccination is recommended for you or for your children.
One vaccination that reduces the risk of pneumonia is the pneumococcal vaccine. Pneumococcal vaccines are free in Australia under the National Immunisation Program for some people .
Inspiring Hope: A Successful Treatment For Covid
During the two and a half months she spent in the Cardiovascular ICU at UC Medical Center, Ginger achieved many medical firsts: she was the hospitals first patient to require ECMO not once, but twice.
She was the first patient to be part of a tracheostomy collar trial while still on ECMO the device allowed her to speak while helping wean her lungs off the ventilator. And she was the first patient to be able to walk around the unit while also still on the ECMO machine.
In all, Ginger spent 71 days on ECMO at UC Medical Center. To the doctors, nurses, therapists and others who cared for her, she is a true inspiration.
Not only did it feel like a win and a success story for Ginger and her family, and something that might be able to give hope to other patients, it also it felt like a success story and a win for our whole ICU team, said Maggie Mechlin, MD, UC Health critical care physician and assistant professor of anesthesiology at the UC College of Medicine.
All of our ICU team has been diligently working for this last year and a half, and to have something turn out so well a lot of us really needed the inspiration and hope that Ginger gave us, she said.
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Symptoms Of Chest Infections
Pneumonia is more common in winter and spring. It can strike suddenly or come on slowly over a few days. The symptoms will depend on your age, the cause and severity of the infection, and any other medical problems you may have. Symptoms include:
- Fast or difficult breathing
- Coughing with brown or green-coloured phlegm
- Fever
- Blue colour around the lips
- Stomach pain
- A child may vomit, have diarrhoea and be irritable or lethargic.
What Are The Symptoms Of Walking Pneumonia
Symptoms from walking pneumonia are usually pretty mild. In fact, most people have so few symptoms that they dont ever see a healthcare provider. This may mean that theyre never diagnosed with walking pneumonia at all.
Typically, people with walking pneumonia start off having symptoms very similar to a common cold or viral upper respiratory tract infection. These symptoms include:
-
Cough
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Phase : Deep Breathing While Standing
*You may practice humming exhalation here if desired.
Exercises to Facilitate Movement
Where Do You Feel Shortness Of Breath
Shortness of breath is felt in your chest and can manifest as:
- Difficulty catching your breath
- Feeling a need to breathe more quickly or deeply
- Not feeling able to take a full, deep breath
- Feeling huffy and puffy
“You may first notice shortness of breath during physical activity. For instance, maybe you can no longer keep pace with someone you’re walking with or you can’t climb a flight of stairs. Previously, you could stop and take a deep breath and carry on, but that’s harder now,” says Dr. Safdar. “And shortness of breath can progress over time, to the point where you experience it even while at rest.”
But not all shortness of breath develops slowly over time. Sometimes, shortness of breath hits suddenly, and maybe even severely.
When shortness of breath is acute, it’s typically accompanied by other symptoms, such as:
- Fever and cough
- Pain in the chest, blurry vision and lightheadedness
- Chest pain and leg swelling, especially after long travel
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When Is Shortness Of Breath Serious
“You should always take shortness of breath seriously,” stresses Dr. Safdar.
Importantly, if shortness of breath is moderate to severe and occurs suddenly and especially if it’s accompanied by chest pain, lightheadedness and changes to the color of your skin it’s become a medical emergency that warrants a call to 911.
“This can be a sign of a heart attack or pulmonary embolism, which are both life-threatening emergencies,” says Dr. Safdar. “Additionally, the symptoms of a panic attack can overlap with these medical emergencies. Still, even if you think your symptoms are due to a panic attack, it’s important to go to the ER to get checked out and confirm you’re not in immediate danger.”
Then there’s the milder shortness of breath experienced on occasion with physical activity. While this isn’t a medical emergency, it’s not something to ignore either.
“Even mild shortness of breath can be a harbinger of a more serious condition,” says Dr. Safdar. “And if it progresses to the point where it’s causing you to modify your activity level, it’s definitely time to talk to your primary care doctor about your symptoms.”
Apply A Lukewarm Compress Or Take A Lukewarm Bath
Submerging your body in a lukewarm bath might help you bring down your body temperature.
You can also use a lukewarm compress to help cool your body from the outside inward if a bath is not convenient. Although it may be tempting to use a cold compress, the sudden temperature shift can cause chills. A lukewarm compress provides a more gradual, comfortable temperature change.
Chills may come on before or during a fever. They typically subside after your fever breaks. This may last up to a week, depending on when you begin treatment for pneumonia.
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What Is Covid Pneumonia
Dr. Lee: Pneumonia occurs when a bacterial or viral infection causes significant damage and inflammation in the lungs. The resulting fluid and debris build-up makes it hard for a person to breathe sometimes to such an extent that oxygen therapy or ventilator support is required. Regardless of the bacteria or virus causing it, pneumonia can become very serious, even life-threatening.
In the case of COVID pneumonia, the damage to the lungs is caused by the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
When COVID pneumonia develops, it causes additional symptoms, such as:
- Shortness of breath
- Increased heart rate
- Low blood pressure
What’s more is that COVID pneumonia often occurs in both lungs, rather than just one lung or the other. Additionally, the widespread inflammation that occurs in some people with COVID-19 can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome a severe type of lung failure.
Like other respiratory infections that cause pneumonia, COVID-19 can cause short-term lung damage. In more severe cases, the damage can last a long time. In fact, early data is showing that up to a third of COVID pneumonia patients have evidence of scarring on X-rays or lung testing a year after the infection.
How To Recover From Pneumonia
This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support , Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support , Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. She received her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Tennessee in 2006.There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 52 testimonials and 92% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 445,548 times.
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How Can Parents Help
Kids with pneumonia need to get plenty of rest and drink lots of liquids while the body works to fight the infection.
If your child has bacterial pneumonia and the doctor prescribed antibiotics, give the medicine on schedule for as long as directed. Keeping up with the medicine doses will help your child recover faster and help prevent the infection from spreading to others in the family. If your child is wheezing, the doctor might recommend using breathing treatments.
Ask the doctor before you use a medicine to treat your child’s cough. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are not recommended for any kids under 6 years old. If your child doesnt seem to be feeling better in a few days, call your doctor for advice.
What’s The Link Between Covid
A quick refresher first: COVID-19 is a serious respiratory illness caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. It can lead to a range of intense symptoms, including a cough, fever, trouble breathing, and loss of taste or smell, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Pneumonia is an infection of the tiny air sacs in the lungs that can cause mild to severe illness in people, the CDC says.
Some patients with COVID-19 develop pneumoniain fact, the World Health Organization first called the virus -infected pneumonia , before shortening the name to COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was also first identified in Wuhan, China due to cases of “pneumonia of unknown etiology,” or unknown cause, the WHO reported in January 2020.
It’s not uncommon to develop pneumonia as the result of any virus, Raymond Casciari, MD, a pulmonologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, tells Health. In the case of COVID-19, the virus can damage your alveoli and cause fluid to build in your lungs as your body fights the infection, he explains. That can also lead to the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome , which is a serious form of respiratory failure that makes the alveoli fill with fluid. “The immune system starts attacking the lung itself, which results in ARDS,” Dr. Casciari says.
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Survival And Recovery From Covid
Ginger Munro doesnt remember most of the 77 days she spent at UC Medical Center, receiving lifesaving treatment for COVID-19 pneumonia.
She remembers FaceTiming with her husband and teenage daughters on Aug. 11, 2021, shortly before she was placed on a ventilator after arriving from a community hospital.
She remembers Oct. 26, the day she was finally discharged to a rehabilitation facility as her care team lined the hallway in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, clapping and cheering.
But most of the days in between are a blur for Ginger, a 40-year-old mother from Washington Court House, Ohio.
You can go to sleep on oxygen one day and wake up on life-support, she said. I just feel so blessed to be here. I want to give people hope.
Gingers family and care team remember every moment, however: the dark ones as well as the happy ones. And to them, she is truly a beacon of hope and perseverance.
It wasnt just one time that we thought we were going to lose her there were many times, said her husband, Kendal. But there is hope. The ride is wild its up and down. You have to trust God and put your faith in him.
Were thankful that God put the correct people in the correct place at the right time to get her through this dark endeavor that we had to experience, he continued.
Phase : Deep Breathing While On Your Back
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Benefits Of Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing can help restore diaphragm function and increase lung capacity. The goal is to build up the ability to breathe deeply during any activity, not just while at rest, notes Lien.
Deep breathing exercises can also lessen feelings of anxiety and stress, which are common for someone who experienced severe symptoms or was admitted to a hospital. Sleep quality may also improve with these breathing exercises.
Anyone can benefit from deep breathing techniques, but they play an especially important role in the COVID-19 recovery process. The exercises can be started at home during self-isolation and easily incorporated into your daily routine.
Important Tips To Recover Faster From Pneumonia
Pneumonia was once a lung infection that was more common among children under two years, and the very elderly. However, today, were witnessing an alarming increase in pneumonia cases, with the rising air pollution adversely affecting lung functioning. Recovering from pneumonia can take some time, but here are some tips that can speed up the healing process.
The Diet Route
When it comes to faster recovery, managing overall health and boosting immunity become crucial. Try to avoid processed and pre-packaged foods, as they fail to offer essential vitamins and minerals. Changing to a diet which includes whole grains, vitamin-laden fruit, citrus fruits such as berries, oranges, papayas, leafy greens, oily fish, and probiotic-rich food, will aid in quicker recovery.
Fluid Intake
Fluids such as soups, herbal teas and warm water are often prescribed to people suffering from respiratory illnesses, in order to hasten recovery. This is because patients often lose their appetites and can only bring themselves to drink fluids instead of eating. These soups and teas could thus be the only nourishment they receive. They are also important because the labored breathing during respiratory illnesses puts pressure on the respiratory rate which means there is fluid loss during breathing. Thus, fluid intake is recommended to mitigate dehydration.
The Vaccine Way
Vitamin Magic
Breathing to Recovery
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Our Air Quality Is Better Than Usual Right Now
The COVID-19 pandemic has kept many of us in our homes more and in our cars less and Houston’s air quality has benefited significantly from it.
“Houston’s air quality is typically pretty poor, and unfortunately, this regularly triggers a person’s pre-existing breathing or airway issues,” explains Dr. Connolly. “Adding a cloud of Saharan dust into the mix tends to make matters worse for these people.”
But this summer’s improved air quality might actually mean that the dust cloud may not be as problematic as usual.
People with underlying airway issues will still need to take extra precautions. To lessen the severity of symptoms you might experience, Dr. Connolly recommends:
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.
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Ginger Or Turmeric Tea
A persistent cough can result in chest pain. Drinking warm tea made with fresh ginger or turmeric root may help reduce this pain.
The roots of both of these plants can have a natural anti-inflammatory effect in the body.
Chop up a thumb sized piece of either root and boil it in a pint or so of water. If a person prefers strong tea, they can boil it for longer or add more of the root. If the flavor is too sharp, they can try adding a spoonful of honey.
Can Coronavirus Patients Lessen The Chance Of Lung Damage
There are things patients can do to increase their chances for less severe lung damage, Galiatsatos says.
If you have a health issue that puts you at higher risk, make sure youre doing everything you can to minimize the chance of contracting the virus. Also, make sure that your chronic health conditions are managed as well as they can be. For example, people living with diabetes, COPD or heart disease should be especially careful to manage those conditions with monitoring and taking their medications as directed.
Galiatsatos adds that proper nutrition and hydration can also help patients avoid complications of COVID-19. Staying well fed is important for overall health. Proper hydration maintains proper blood volume and healthy mucous membranes in the respiratory system, which can help them better resist infection and tissue damage.
Coronavirus: Smoking, Vaping, Wildfire Smoke and Air Pollution
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