Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment of PNEUMONIA…

Pneumonia is a lung infection that involves the lung alveoli (air sacs) which are usually caused by microbes which includes bacteria, viruses, and fungi. It is the leading infectious cause of hospitalization and death in the United States and exacts an enormous cost in economic and human terms.

Healthy individuals can develop pneumonia, but the likelihood of being affected is greatly increased by a variety of personal characteristics. In the 1930s, before the discovery of antibiotics, Pneumonia was the third-leading cause of death in the United States. Notably, it remains a leading cause of death. In 2006, it was the eighth-leading cause of death accounting for about 55,000 deaths.

The human and economic burden of pneumonia is usually large. In fact, World Health Organization (WHO) data indicates that respiratory infections, a term which in this context is synonymous with pneumonia, account for more deaths among children worldwide than any other cause and for more disability-adjusted life years lost around the world than any other category of disease, including cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

The lungs are particularly susceptible to infections because they interact with the outside immediate environment. They are exposed to about 10,000 liters of air per day, which may contain infectious or toxic agents (Free Radicals). The lungs are also connected to the upper airways and therefore results to frequent exposure to small amounts of saliva and oral secretions that contain bacteria.

Although pneumonia can occur in anyone, it occurs with increased frequency in individuals whose immune systems are lacking.

There are two basic ways of developing or contracting pneumonia which are

• Community acquired Pneumonia – Meaning Pneumonia commonly developed in   individuals living in their home communities
• Hospital acquired Pneumonia -- as well as in individuals who are hospitalized for other reasons

Symptoms of Pneumonia…

Symptoms of pneumonia can also vary depending on whether your pneumonia is bacterial or viral.

• In bacterial pneumonia, the temperature of an individual may rise as high as 105 degrees F. This pneumonia causes profuse sweating, and rapidly increased breathing and pulse rate. Lips and nail beds may have a bluish color due to lack of oxygen in the blood. A patient's mental state may be confused or delirious.
• The initial symptoms of viral pneumonia are the same as influenza symptoms: fever, a dry cough, headache, muscle pain, and weakness. Within 12 to 36 hours, there is increasing breathlessness; the cough becomes worse and produces a small amount of mucus. There is a high fever and there may be blueness of the lips.

Other common symptoms of pneumonia includes

1. Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough
2. Excessive sweating and clammy skin
3. Confusion, especially in older people
4. Headache
5. Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue
6. Shortness of breath, which may only occur when you climb stairs
7. Shaking chills
8. Fever, which may be mild or high

How is Pneumonia Diagnosed...?

Pneumonia can be diagnosed using the following methods..

1. Physical Examination-- In this case the examiner (Doctor) gets to listen to the sound of your lungs with a stethoscope, there may be crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale or it may be hard to hear sounds of breathing in some areas of your chest.
2. Chest x-ray (if your doctor suspects pneumonia)
3. CBC blood test to check white blood cell count
4. Arterial blood gases to see if  there is enough oxygen getting into your blood from the lungs
5. CT (or CAT) scan of the chest  to see how your lungs are functioning
6. Sputum tests to look for the organism (that can detected by microscopically your spit) causing your symptoms
7. Bronchoscopy, a procedure used to look into the lungs' airways, which would be performed if you are hospitalized and antibiotics are not really working.
8. Pleural fluid culture if  the space surrounding the lungs has some fluid in it.
9. Pulse oximetry is used to measure how much oxygen is moving through your bloodstream, done by simply attaching a small clip to your finger for a brief time.

Treatment of Pneumonia...

Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia that you have and how severe it is, depending if you also have other chronic diseases. The main purpose of the treatment is to cure the infection and prevent complications.
Most people can be treated at home applying the following methods:-

• By drinking plenty of fluids to help loosen secretions and bring up phlegm.
• By getting lots of rest. Have someone else do your household chores routine.
• Do not take cough medicines without first talking to your doctor. Cough medicines may make it harder for your body to cough up the extra sputum.

If your pneumonia becomes so harsh that you are being treated in the hospital, you may be given fluids and antibiotics in your veins, oxygen therapy, and possibly breathing treatments.
You are more likely to be admitted to the hospital if you:

• Have another serious medical problem
• Have severe symptoms
• Are unable to care for yourself at home, or are unable to eat or drink
• Are older than 65 or a young child
• Have been taking antibiotics at home and are not getting better

With all these being said.. depending on the different types of patient, the symptoms they show and their risks factors, substances that can stimulate immunity could also be employed to enhance the body’s response to vaccination and treatment.



#stayHealthy

Citations:

Medline Plus Pneumonia 

www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000145.htm 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Pneumonia

 www.cdc.gov/nchs/FASTATS/pneumonia.htm 

http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/pneumonia/symptoms-diagnosis-and.html

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pneumonia/Pages/Symptoms

 chealth.canoe.ca

www.healthline.com  

Photo Credit:

 Google.com

 

Friday, January 23, 2015