How Can Walking Pneumonia Be Prevented
Unfortunately, no vaccines are available to prevent walking pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Even if you have recovered from walking pneumonia, you will not become immune, so it is possible to become infected again in the future.
Tips for preventing walking pneumonia include:
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you sneeze or cough. If a tissue isnt available, sneeze or cough into the inside of your elbow or sleeve. Never sneeze or cough into your hands. Place used tissues into a waste basket.
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
- Wear a mask around sick people if you have respiratory conditions or other chronic health conditions that would make getting pneumonia even riskier for you.
- Get your annual Influenza shot. Bacterial pneumonia can develop after a case of the flu.
- Ask your doctor about the pneumococcal vaccine. Two types of vaccines are available, Prevnar 13® and Pneumovax 23®. Each vaccine is recommended for people at different age points or who are at increased risk for pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia.
How Is Walking Pneumonia Diagnosed
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, how long youve had them and if any other family members or people you regularly interact with are also ill with similar symptoms. He or she will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal breath sounds. Your doctor may order chest X-rays to see if there is an infection in your lungs. Your blood or mucus might be tested to determine if your pneumonia is caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, another bacteria, virus or fungus.
What Are The Different Types Of Antibiotics
There are over 100 antibiotics prescribed in modern medicine, but the majority are derived from seven main classes that are widely used today. They include penicillins, cephalosporins, macroclides, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, tetracyclines and aminoglycosides.
Amoxicillin and penicillin fall into the penicillin class of antibiotics. These types of antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections such as gonorrhea and pneumonia. Sometimes, amoxicillin is prescribed along with clarithromycin to treat stomach ulcers. Some minor side effects include nausea and vomiting, thrush and swollen or black tongue. Penicillins can decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills, so patients should let their healthcare provider know if they are using birth control.
Macrolides such as erythromycin, clarithromycin and azithromycin are used to treat skin and respiratory infections, stomach ulcers and sexually transmitted diseases. Side effects associated with these antibiotics include nausea and vomiting, mild stomach pain and vaginal itching or discharge. People with liver or kidney problems should consult with a medical professional before taking these antibiotics.
You May Like: Is Pneumonia Contagious Mayo Clinic
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.
Risk Factors For Community
CAP is the most common type of pneumonia. It develops outside of the hospital. Each year 2 to 4 million people in the US develop CAP, and 600,000 are hospitalized. Older people, infants, and young children are at greatest risk for the disease.
Chronic Lung Disease
Chronic obstructive lung disease , which includes long-term bronchitis and emphysema, affects 15 million people in the US. This condition is a major risk factor for pneumonia. Long-term use of corticosteroid inhalers may increase the risk of pneumonia in people with COPD. People with other types of chronic lung diseases, such as bronchiectasis and interstitial lung diseases, are also at increased risk for getting pneumonia and more likely to have complications.
Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi, the main air passages to the lungs. It generally follows a viral respiratory infection. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and fatigue.
People With Compromised Immune Systems
People with impaired immune systems are extremely susceptible to pneumonia. It is a common problem in people with HIV and AIDS. A wide variety of organisms, including P jiroveci, Myobacterium species, Histoplasma capsulatum, Coccidioides immitis, Aspergillus species, cytomegalovirus, and Toxoplasma gondii, can cause pneumonia.
In addition to AIDS, other conditions that compromise the immune system include:
- Adult and pediatric cancers, such as leukemia and Hodgkin lymphoma
- Organ transplantation
- Children
Recommended Reading: What Shot Do They Give For Pneumonia
Antibiotics For Walking Pneumonia
Walking pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics like clarithromycin, erythromycin, and azithromycin. In general, the antibiotics are not necessary as the symptoms are mild and go away without any medical intervention.
Walking pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics like clarithromycin, erythromycin, and azithromycin. In general, the antibiotics are not necessary as the symptoms are mild and go away without any medical intervention.
Walking pneumonia, a bacterial infection of the respiratory tract shows symptoms that are similar to those linked with seasonal flu or common cold. In most cases, home remedies like taking sufficient rest and increasing fluid intake, can help to overcome this type of pneumonia. However, in few instances, antibiotics may be recommended to treat this lung infection.
Treatment For 3 Types Of Pneumonia: 8 Meds To Know
Pneumonia is a major cause of sickness and death in the Black American community. A postby Jay Harold states that over 5500 Black Americans died of Pneumonia and the Influenza in 2015. This post,Treatment for 3 Types of Pneumonia: 8 Meds to Know, gives an overview of some medications used in the treatment of Pneumonia. As always, your doctor will develop an individual treatment plan for each patient.
Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. Many germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia. You can also get pneumonia by inhaling a liquid or chemical. People most at risk are older than 65 or younger than 2 years of age or already have health problems.
Don’t Miss: How Do You Get Strep Pneumonia
Regarding Efficacy Of Antibiotics
Four studies comparing survivors and non-survivors found no significant difference regarding antibiotic use. However, there was no study on survival rate according to presence or absence of empiric antibiotic treatment. Antibiotic efficacy should be further investigated prospectively in Covid-19 patients to minimize their unrelevant use. Conversely, impact of empiric antibiotherapy on secondary infections should also be further investigated, given that one study reported an association between use of combination of antibiotics and occurrence of secondary infection.
What Are The Complications Of Pneumonia
Most people with pneumonia respond well to treatment, but pneumonia can be very serious and even deadly.
You are more likely to have complications if you are an older adult, a very young child, have a weakened immune system, or have a serious medical problem like diabetes or cirrhosis. Complications may include:
-
Acute respiratory distress syndrome . This is a severe form of respiratory failure.
-
Lung abscesses. These are pockets of pus that form inside or around the lung. They may need to be drained with surgery
-
Respiratory failure. This requires the use of a breathing machine or ventilator.
-
This is when the infection gets into the blood. It may lead to organ failure.
Recommended Reading: Age Requirement For Pneumonia Vaccine
Other Ways To Prevent Pneumonia
You can take the following steps to help prevent pneumonia:
- Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizers to kill germs.
- Dont smoke. Smoking prevents your lungs from properly filtering out and defending your body against germs. For information about how to quit smoking, visit Smoking and Your Heart and Your Guide to a Healthy Heart. These resources include basic information about how to quit smoking. For free help and support, you may call the National Cancer Institutes Smoking Quitline at 1-877-44U-QUIT .
- Keep your immune system strong. Get plenty of physical activity and follow a healthy eating plan. Read more about heart-healthy living.
- If you have problems swallowing, eat smaller meals of thickened foodand sleep with the head of your bed raised up. These steps can help you avoid getting food, drink, or saliva into your lungs.
- If you have a planned surgery, your doctor may recommend that you dont eat for 8 hours or drink liquids for 2 hours before your surgery. This can help prevent food or drink from getting into your airway while you are sedated.
- If your immune system is impaired or weakened, your doctor may recommend you take antibiotics to prevent bacteria from growing in your lungs.
Diagnostic Tests And Procedures
If your doctor thinks you have pneumonia, he or she may do one or more of the following tests.
- Chest X-ray to look for inflammation in your lungs. A chest X-ray is often used to diagnose pneumonia.
- Blood tests, such as a complete blood count to see whether your immune system is fighting an infection.
- Pulse oximetry to measure how much oxygen is in your blood. Pneumonia can keep your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your blood. To measure the levels, a small sensor called a pulse oximeter is attached to your finger or ear.
If you are in the hospital, have serious symptoms, are older, or have other health problems, your doctor may do other tests to diagnose pneumonia.
Also Check: Does Blue Cross Blue Shield Cover Pneumonia Vaccine
How Is Pneumonia Treated
When you get a pneumonia diagnosis, your doctor will work with you to develop a treatment plan. Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia you have, how sick you are feeling, your age, and whether you have other health conditions. The goals of treatment are to cure the infection and prevent complications. It is important to follow your treatment plan carefully until you are fully recovered.
Take any medications as prescribed by your doctor. If your pneumonia is caused by bacteria, you will be given an antibiotic. It is important to take all the antibiotic until it is gone, even though you will probably start to feel better in a couple of days. If you stop, you risk having the infection come back, and you increase the chances that the germs will be resistant to treatment in the future.
Typical antibiotics do not work against viruses. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral medication to treat it. Sometimes, though, symptom management and rest are all that is needed.
Most people can manage their symptoms such as fever and cough at home by following these steps:
If your pneumonia is so severe that you are treated in the hospital, you may be given intravenous fluids and antibiotics, as well as oxygen therapy, and possibly other breathing treatments.
Best Antibiotic For Walking Pneumonia
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Also Check: How Do People Catch Pneumonia
Follow Your Treatment Plan
It is important that you take all your medicines as your doctor prescribes. If you are using antibiotics, continue to take the medicine until it is all gone. You may start to feel better before you finish the medicine, but you should continue to take it. If you stop too soon, the bacterial infection and your pneumonia may come back. It may also become resistant to the antibiotic, making treatment more difficult.
How Should I Take Tetracycline
Take tetracycline exactly as it was prescribed for you. Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.
Take tetracycline on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
Do not take this medicine with milk or other dairy products, unless your doctor has told you to. Dairy products can make it harder for your body to absorb the medicine.
Shake the oral suspension well just before you measure a dose. Measure liquid medicine with the dosing syringe provided, or with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.
If you need surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using tetracycline.
If you use this medicine long-term, you may need frequent medical tests.
Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Skipping doses may also increase your risk of further infection that is resistant to antibiotics. Tetracycline will not treat a viral infection such as the flu or a common cold.
Do not share this medicine with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.
Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Throw away any unused tetracycline after the expiration date on the label has passed. Taking expired tetracycline can cause damage to your kidneys.
Don’t Miss: Scar Tissue On Lungs From Pneumonia
Treatment With Antibiotics Mycoplasmal Pneumonia
If a mycroplasma is detected in the sputum, pneumonia is treated to fight a particular pathogen. Getting into the body, mycoplasma is introduced into the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract, where secreting a special secret causes first a strong inflammation, and then begins the destruction of the intercellular membranes, epithelial tissues, which ends with the necrotic degeneration of the tissue.
In the pulmonary vesicles, mycoplasma rapidly multiply, the alveoli increase, and possibly the interalveolar septa. Mycoplasmal pneumonia develops slowly, the onset of the disease looks like a cold, then the temperature rises to 39-40 degrees, a violent cough begins. The temperature lasts about 5 days, then sharply decreases, fixing at around 37-37.6 degrees and lasts for a long time. On the X-ray image clearly visible darkened foci, degeneration in connective tissue septums.
The difficulty of treating mycoplasmal pneumonia is that the pathogen is inside neutrophils, and this makes penicillins, cephalosporins and aminoglycosides ineffective. First of all, macrolides are prescribed: azithromycin , spiromycin , clarithromycin, applied 2 times a day, no more than 2 weeks, with a smaller rate of relapse.
Antibiotics For Pneumonia In Adults
Antibiotics for pneumonia in adults are prescribed depending on the age of the patient and the severity of the condition. Pneumonia is most often caused by a variety of bacteria, less often fungi and protozoa. At the first stage of treatment, up to the end results, antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action are appointed, and also specify in the patient whether he had previously had pneumonia, tuberculosis, diabetes mellitus, chronic bronchitis, whether he is a smoker. In addition, in elderly patients, pathogens differ from similar cases in younger patients.
If the prescribed drug is ineffective and until the bacteriological analysis of sputum is obtained, the recommended antibiotic should not be changed within 3 days. This is the minimum time frame for the antibiotic concentration in the blood to reach its maximum, and it began to act on the lesion site.
, , , , , , , , ,
Don’t Miss: Can You Have A Dry Cough With Pneumonia
Pneumonia Can Be Severe And Life
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with pneumonia, you may be wondering if this lung infection can be fatal. Can you die from pneumonia? The sad answer is yes, you can.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that fills them with fluid. If the air sacs in the lungs fill up with fluids, its harder for them to do their job of transferring oxygen into the blood and getting rid of carbon dioxide thats built up in the body.
RuslanDashinsky / Getty
Pneumonia may develop after you come down with a virus like a cold or flu, or it can happen without any previous illness. The key symptoms of pneumonia include:
- Difficulty breathing
- A cough that brings up mucus or pus
- Fever and chills
Pneumonia is a very common infection. It can impact anyone and can vary from mild to severe. For some people, it can also be quite seriouseven deadly. In the United States, pneumonia is responsible for about 1 million hospitalizations a year, and 50,000 deaths. It kills more children under 5 than any other infection.
This article will cover who is at high risk of serious complications from pneumonia, different types of pneumonia, how pneumonia can become deadly, and how to avoid getting pneumonia.
Antibiotics For Congestive Pneumonia
Antibiotics for congestive pneumonia appoint a course of at least 2 weeks. Stagnant pneumonia develops with prolonged bed rest, in elderly people, weakened, as well as complication after complicated operations. The flow of congestive pneumonia is slow, asymptomatic, there is no chill, fever, cough. The patient can be disturbed only by shortness of breath and weakness, drowsiness, later there is a coughing.
To treat congestive pneumonia it is possible and at home, but adhering to all prescriptions, and only under the control of a doctor, so most often the patient is hospitalized in a hospital. If a bacterial infection is found in the sputum , antibiotics – cefazolin, digitum or protected penicillin – are prescribed. The course of treatment is 2-3 weeks.
With congestive pneumonia developing against the background of heart failure, additionally prescribed glycosides and diuretic medicinal complexes, along with antibacterial, bronchodilator, expectorant. In addition, therapeutic exercise is shown, a diet rich in vitamins. With aspiration pneumonia, bronchoscopy is mandatory.
In general, with a timely diagnosis and antibacterial therapy, quality prevention and maintenance of the patient’s body, complications with congestive pneumonia do not develop, and recovery occurs 3-4 weeks later.
, , ,
You May Like: How Do You Know If You Had Pneumonia