Treating Pneumonia

Treating Pneumonia

“Late detection of pneumonia can lead to severe complications and even death”

Pneumonia is infection of the lungs. It is characterised by inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs.

Though pneumonia can be treated effectively with antibiotics, late detection of the disease can lead to

severe complications and even death.

The causes of pneumonia are numerous and range from mild to severe but the most common cause is

flu. The disease spreads when germs enter your lungs while breathing in:

Bacteria – It is caused by Streptococcus pneumonia or pneumococcal bacteria. Bacterial

infections are more severe than other types of pneumonia

Viruses – Pneumonia caused by different viruses most commonly affects children

Fungus

Parasites

The symptoms of pneumonia can vary depending on its cause, that is, if it’s bacterial, fungus or virus

caused. Some of the common symptoms easily diagnosed are:

Shortness of breath

Chest pain that becomes worse when you sneeze or breathe

Cough

Fever and chills

Reduced appetite

Weakness

Headache

Haemoptysis (Blood tinged sputum)

After the symptoms are noticed, a doctor will listen to the patient’s lungs with a stethoscope to

diagnose the ailment. If the patient does have pneumonia, the chest will make rumbling sounds when

inhaling. If you have any of the above mentioned symptoms and need immediate care, visit your nearest

Apollo Clinic to get the required assistance.

Some other ways to diagnose pneumonia include:

X-ray of the chest

Blood tests to check the white blood cells count

Sputum culture

CT scan of the chest

Bronchoscopy

Mild cases of pneumonia can be treated at home and do not require the patient to be hospitalised. And

the condition is likely to improve within two weeks with some simple steps:

Take antibiotics prescribed by a doctor (if it is a bacterial infection).

As coughing helps in getting rid of mucous from the lungs, do not take cough syrups on your

own without the doctor recommending it.

Take lot of fluids.

Get plenty of rest and sleep.

Visit a hospital if the symptoms are severe and home care is not possible.

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