Causes pneumonia, symptoms pneumonia, treatment pneumonia and prevention

What is Pneumonia?

Causes pneumonia, symptoms pneumonia, treatment pneumonia and prevention

Pneumonia is an infection caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. It leads to inflammation in the air sacs of one or both lungs. These sacs, called alveoli, fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe.

 

How often have you walked into an old age home and heard the nurse saying “shame that lady has pneumonia” and on the other side of the spectrum in children’s hospitals the nurse says “that newborn baby has pneumonia and is on a ventilator that is supplying oxygen helping the baby to breathe.” What is pneumonia? The simple answer is the onset of pneumonia is an infection that can be caused by inhaling liquid, dust, food, gas and by various fungi.

 

Pneumonia is an infection that can affect one or both lungs, which can be caused by bacteria, fungi or viruses. It causes inflammation in the lung air sacs that fill with fluid or pus causing breathing difficulties. Depending on the severity, symptoms can range from mild to life threatening. Factors such as age, overall health, the type of inflammation and the organism causing the infection are important.

 

Major types of pneumonia include bacterial which can develop after a serious colds or flu, viral usually caused by respiratory viruses, and mycoplasma, which is not bacteria or virus related, causes mild onsets of pneumonia in older children and young adults. No person is immune to pneumonia.

 

Causes

Pneumonia happens when germs get into your lungs and cause an infection. The immune system’s reaction to clear the infection results in inflammation of the lung’s air sacs (alveoli). This inflammation can eventually cause the air sacs to fill up with pus and liquids, causing pneumonia symptoms.

Several types of infectious agents can cause pneumonia, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

 

What’s the difference between viral and bacterial pneumonia?

While all pneumonia is inflammation caused by an infection in your lungs, you may have differ

ent symptoms depending on whether the root cause is a virus, bacteria or fungi.

Bacterial pneumonia tends to be more common and more severe than viral pneumonia. It’s more likely to require a hospital stay. Providers treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms and is more likely to resolve on its own. You usually don’t need specific treatment for viral pneumonia.

 

* Bacteria Infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease, is the most common cause of CAP. Pneumococcal disease can also cause ear infections, sinus infections and meningitis. Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria causes atypical pneumonia, which usually has milder symptoms. Other bacteria that cause CAP include Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease).

 

* Viruses: Viruses that cause the common cold, the flu (influenza), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can sometimes lead to pneumonia.

* Fungi (molds): Fungi, like Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis jirovecii and Coccidioides, are uncommon causes of pneumonia. People with compromised immune systems are most at risk of getting pneumonia from a fungus.

* Protozoa: Rarely, protozoa like Toxoplasma cause pneumonia

 

Symptoms

Pneumonia symptoms can be mild to life threatening. They can include:

* Coughing that may produce Phlegm (mucus)

* Fever

* sweating or chills

* Shortness of breath that happens while doing normal activities, or even while resting

* Chest pain that’s worse when you breathe or cough

* Feelings of tiredness or fatigue

* Loss of appetite

* Nausea or vomiting

* Headaches

Other symptoms can vary according to your age and general health:

* Infants may appear to have no symptoms, but sometimes they may vomit, lack energy, or have trouble drinking or eating.

* Children under 5 years old may have fast breathing or wheezing.

* Older adults may have milder symptoms. They can also experience confusion or a lower-than-normal body temperature.

 

 

Diagnosis pneumonia

A chest X-ray is often used to diagnose pneumonia. Blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) see whether your immune system is fighting an infection. Pulse oximetry measures how much oxygen is in your blood. Pneumonia can keep your lungs from getting enough oxygen into your blood.

 

Treatment

Treatment for pneumonia involves curing the infection and preventing complications. People who have community-acquired pneumonia usually can be treated at home with medication. Although most symptoms ease in a few days or weeks, the feeling of tiredness can persist for a month or more.

Specific treatments depend on the type and severity of your pneumonia, your age and your overall health. The options include:

* Antibiotics. These medicines are used to treat bacterial pneumonia. It may take time to identify the type of bacteria causing your pneumonia and to choose the best antibiotic to treat it. If your symptoms don't improve, your doctor may recommend a different antibiotic.

* Cough medicine. This medicine may be used to calm your cough so that you can rest. Because coughing helps loosen and move fluid from your lungs, it's a good idea not to eliminate your cough completely. In addition, you should know that very few studies have looked at whether over-the-counter cough medicines lessen coughing caused by pneumonia. If you want to try a cough suppressant, use the lowest dose that helps you rest.

* Fever reducers/pain relievers. You may take these as needed for fever and discomfort. These include drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

Hospitalization

You may need to be hospitalized if:

* You are older than age 65

* You are confused about time, people or places

* Your kidney function has declined

* Your systolic blood pressure is below 90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) or your diastolic blood pressure is 60 mm Hg or below

* Your breathing is rapid (30 breaths or more a minute)

* You need breathing assistance

* Your temperature is below normal

* Your heart rate is below 50 or above 100

You may be admitted to the intensive care unit if you need to be placed on a breathing machine (ventilator) or if your symptoms are severe.

Children may be hospitalized if:

* They are younger than age 2 months

* They are lethargic or excessively sleepy

* They have trouble breathing

* They have low blood oxygen levels

* They appear dehydrated

 

Prevention pneumonia

You can take a few steps to try and prevent it. Vaccines can help prevent some types of pneumonia. Good hygiene (washing your hands often), quitting smoking, and keeping your immune system strong by getting regular physical activity and eating healthy are other ways to lower your risk of getting pneumonia.