Pneumonia if You Have Had It Before

Pneumonia

As well called: Bronchopneumonia

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Summary

What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. It causes the air sacs of the lungs to make full upwardly with fluid or pus. It can range from balmy to astringent, depending on the type of germ causing the infection, your historic period, and your overall wellness.

What causes pneumonia?

Bacterial, viral, and fungal infections can cause pneumonia.

Bacteria are the most common cause. Bacterial pneumonia tin can occur on its own. It tin can also develop afterward you've had certain viral infections such as a common cold or the flu. Several different types of bacteria tin can cause pneumonia, including:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Legionella pneumophila; this pneumonia is oftentimes called Legionnaires' illness
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae
• Chlamydia pneumoniae
• Haemophilus influenzae

Viruses that infect the respiratory tract may cause pneumonia. Viral pneumonia is often mild and goes away on its own within a few weeks. But sometimes information technology is serious plenty that you need to become treatment in a hospital. If you accept viral pneumonia, yous are at risk of also getting bacterial pneumonia. The dissimilar viruses that can crusade pneumonia include:

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
• Some common cold and influenza viruses
• SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-nineteen

Fungal pneumonia is more than common in people who take chronic health problems or weakened immune systems. Some of the types include:

• Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP)
• Coccidioidomycosis, which causes valley fever
• Histoplasmosis
• Cryptococcus

Who is at hazard for pneumonia?

Anyone can get pneumonia, but certain factors can increase your risk:

• Age; the chance is higher for children who are age 2 and under and adults historic period 65 and older
• Exposure to sure chemicals, pollutants, or toxic fumes
• Lifestyle habits, such as smoking, heavy alcohol use, and malnourishment
• Being in a hospital, specially if yous are in the ICU. Existence sedated and/or on a ventilator raises the hazard even more.
• Having a lung disease
• Having a weakened immune organisation
• Have problem cough or swallowing, from a stroke or other condition
• Recently being sick with a common cold or the flu

What are the symptoms of pneumonia?

The symptoms of pneumonia tin can range from mild to severe and include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Cough, usually with phlegm (a slimy substance from deep in your lungs)
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain when you breathe or coughing
• Nausea and/or airsickness
• Diarrhea

The symptoms can vary for different groups. Newborns and infants may not show any signs of the infection. Others may vomit and have a fever and coughing. They might seem ill, with no energy, or be restless.

Older adults and people who have serious illnesses or weak allowed systems may have fewer and milder symptoms. They may even have a lower than normal temperature. Older adults who accept pneumonia sometimes have sudden changes in mental awareness.

What other problems tin can pneumonia crusade?

Sometimes pneumonia can cause serious complications such every bit:

• Bacteremia, which happens when the leaner motion into the bloodstream. It is serious and tin can lead to septic stupor.
• Lung abscesses, which are collections of pus in cavities of the lungs
• Pleural disorders, which are conditions that affect the pleura. The pleura is the tissue that covers the exterior of the lungs and lines the inside of your breast crenel.
• Kidney failure
• Respiratory failure

How is pneumonia diagnosed?

Sometimes pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose. This is because it can cause some of the same symptoms as a cold or the flu. It may take time for you to realize that y'all have a more serious status.

Your wellness care provider may use many tools to make a diagnosis:

• A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms
• A physical test, including listening to your lungs with a stethoscope
• Various tests, such as
  • A chest x-ray
  • Claret tests such as a complete claret count (CBC) to see if your immune system is actively fighting an infection
  • A Blood civilization to observe out whether yous accept a bacterial infection that has spread to your bloodstream

If you are in the hospital, have serious symptoms, are older, or accept other health bug, you may also have more tests, such as:

• Sputum test, which checks for bacteria in a sample of your sputum (spit) or phlegm (slimy substance from deep in your lungs).
• Chest CT scan to meet how much of your lungs is affected. It may likewise show if you have complications such as lung abscesses or pleural effusions.
• Pleural fluid civilisation, which checks for leaner in a fluid sample that was taken from the pleural space
• Pulse oximetry or blood oxygen level test, to bank check how much oxygen is in your claret
• Bronchoscopy, a process used to look inside your lungs' airways

What are the treatments for pneumonia?

Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia, which germ is causing it, and how severe information technology is:

• Antibiotics treat bacterial pneumonia and some types of fungal pneumonia. They do not work for viral pneumonia.
• In some cases, your provider may prescribe antiviral medicines for viral pneumonia
• Antifungal medicines treat other types of fungal pneumonia

You may demand to exist treated in a hospital if your symptoms are severe or if you are at risk for complications. While there, you may go additional treatments. For case, if your blood oxygen level is low, you may receive oxygen therapy.

It may take fourth dimension to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better inside a calendar week. For other people, information technology can take a month or more.

Can pneumonia be prevented?

Vaccines can help forestall pneumonia acquired past pneumococcal leaner or the flu virus. Having skilful hygiene, not smoking, and having a good for you lifestyle may also help prevent pneumonia.

NIH: National Center, Lung, and Blood Institute

• Sputum Civilization (National Library of Medicine) Besides in Castilian

• FastStats: Pneumonia (National Center for Health Statistics)

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pneumonia (National Institutes of Health)

• How the Lungs Work (National Center, Lung, and Blood Institute) Likewise in Castilian

• Chlamydia Pneumoniae Infections (American University of Pediatrics) Also in Castilian
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae Infections (American Academy of Pediatrics) Likewise in Spanish
• Pneumonia (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Castilian

• Pneumonia (Nemours Foundation) Too in Spanish

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Source: https://medlineplus.gov/pneumonia.html

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