It also can be caused by fungi or irritants that you breathe into your lungs. How serious pneumonia is depends on many factors. These include what caused the pneumonia, your age, and your overall health. The symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe. This depends on your risk factors and the type of pneumonia you have.
Common symptoms are similar to the symptoms caused by a cold or the flu. They include:. You may also sweat, have a headache, and feel very tired. Some people also experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. If any of these symptoms are severe, call your family doctor.
You should also call your doctor if you suddenly start getting worse after having a cold or the flu. Walking pneumonia is a mild case of pneumonia. It is often caused by a virus or the mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria. When you have walking pneumonia, your symptoms may not be as severe or last as long as someone who has a more serious case of pneumonia. You can also get pneumonia through aspiration. This is when you inhale particles into your lungs.
These could be food, saliva, liquids, or vomit. It occurs most often after vomiting, and you are not strong enough to cough the particles out. The particles cause irritation, swelling and can get infected. This causes pneumonia. Pneumonia can sometimes be hard to diagnose because the symptoms are the same as for a bad cold or flu. If you think it could be pneumonia, you should see your doctor.
Your doctor may diagnose pneumonia based on your medical history and the results from a physical exam. He or she will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. Your doctor may also do some tests, such as a chest X-ray or a blood test. A chest X-ray can show your doctor if you have pneumonia and how widespread the infection is. Blood and mucus tests can help your doctor tell whether bacteria, a virus, or a fungal organism is causing your pneumonia.
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:. But they can make it less likely that people who are at risk will experience the severe, and possibly life-threatening, complications of pneumonia.
Treatment for pneumonia depends on several factors. These include what caused your pneumonia, how severe your symptoms are, how healthy you are overall, and your age. For bacterial pneumonia, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Most of your symptoms should improve within a few days. A cough can last for several weeks. Take all the antibiotic medicine that your doctor prescribes. This can cause your pneumonia to come back.
It can also increase your risk of antibiotic resistance. Most people can manage their symptoms such as fever and cough at home by following these steps: Control your fever with aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen , or acetaminophen. DO NOT give aspirin to children. Drink plenty of fluids to help loosen secretions and bring up phlegm. Do not take cough medicines without first talking to your doctor.
Coughing is one way your body works to get rid of an infection. If your cough is preventing you from getting the rest you need, ask your doctor about steps you can take to get relief.
Drink warm beverages, take steamy baths and use a humidifier to help open your airways and ease your breathing. Contact your doctor right away if your breathing gets worse instead of better over time. Stay away from smoke to let your lungs heal. This includes smoking, secondhand smoke and wood smoke. Talk to your doctor if you are a smoker and are having trouble staying smokefree while you recover.
This would be a good time to think about quitting for good. Get lots of rest. You may need to stay in bed for a while. Get as much help as you can with meal preparation and household chores until you are feeling stronger. It is important not to overdo daily activities until you are fully recovered. Recovering from Pneumonia It may take time to recover from pneumonia. This is because antibiotics do not work for viral infections.
You may also be given fluids intravenously through a drip, and you may need oxygen to help breathing. In serious cases of pneumonia, breathing assistance through a ventilator in an intensive care unit ICU may be required. To do this, an instrument called a bronchoscope may be used to look into your airways and lungs so that the object can be located and removed.
This procedure is known as a bronchoscopy. Page last reviewed: 30 June Next review due: 30 June Treatment - Pneumonia Contents Overview Treatment. After starting treatment, your symptoms should steadily improve. Enter email address This field is required Sign Up. Hence why we often associate it with nursing homes and hospitals. Dr Murphy says that smoking can make people more vulnerable to respiratory tract infections too.
However Dr Murphy also says it would be unusual for GPs to recommend bed rest for pneumonia, except in extreme circumstances. The patient may need to augment their working habits, but if they get lots of sleep, drink lots of fluids, take the prescribed antibiotics and manage any pain with paracetamol or ibuprofen, the condition should improve.
Since Hillary Clinton is years-old and still on the hectic campaign trail, perhaps her doctor was erring on the side of caution advising her to take it easy. It's best to listen to your GP; if they have any doubt in a diagnosis, they can send patients for a blood test or X-ray.
However Dr Murphy says very few cases would end up in hospital. Helen Purcell, 28 from Dublin, has had pneumonia twice. I was sick for about six weeks all in all each time.
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