Pnemonia: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention

Pnemonia is a lung infection. It is an acute respiratory illness linked with freshly developed radiological pulmonary shadowing that could be lobar, segmental or multi-lobar. You may suffer from cough, have a fever and also suffocate with breath; most of the times it clears anything between 2 to 3 weeks. However, babies, elderly people and people already suffering from other diseases may become seriously ill causing them to get hospitalized.

It’s easy to be a target of pnemonia. You can acquire it anytime during your everyday life. School and work-place are the most common places that are prone to infection.

Pnemonia may be caused by bacteria and viruses and in rare cases, fungus also.

Pnemonia could be community-acquired, hospital acquired (nosocomial) or can be those that occur in immuno-compromised- hosts. Pnemonia may also be triggered as a result of an underlying damaged lung. Suppuraative and Aspirational pnemonias are examples of this kind of Pnemonia.  Lobar Pnemonia is a medical term that refers to the homogenous consolidation of more than one lung-lobe. It is most of the times associated with pleural inflammation. Similarly, Brochopnemonia is the patchy alveolar consolidation with bronchiolar or bronchiolar inflammation. It often affects both of the lower lobes. 

Pnemonia usually gets triggered when a person breathes the germs into his/her lungs. If you already have a flu or cold you are become highly prone to the disease, the underlying cause for this being your decreased resistance to the infection because of the already prevalent condition.

If you are already suffering from chronic or long-term disease like diabetes, heart disease, asthma or cancer, it further increases the probability of you getting infected by the disease.

Pnemonia’s symptoms may appear swiftly and without warning. Cough is the most common symptom of Pnemonia. You may cough mucous from your lungs which may be rusty, green or even tinged with blood. You may also have fever along with coughing. Breathing fast, shortness of breath and fast heartbeat may also be prevalent. Teeth-chattering chills and frequent shaking may also be visible.

Chest pain that further aggravates while coughing or breathing in is also one of the most common symptoms of pnemonia. Fatigue, weakness, nausea and vomiting and diarrhea may also be noticeable.
The doctor may term your mild symptoms as walking pneumonia.

The symptoms of pnemonia may vary from individual to individual and its most likely that older adults have mild, or fewer symptoms. In older adults, the cognition process might get affected and they would develop the tendency to think differently than otherwise.

In case you are suffering from these symptoms of pneumonia you may need to do a chest X-ray or even a blood test. You physician may test mucus from your lungs to determine what is actually causing (bacteria or virus) the symptoms and would further advise you with the best treatment.

You may need to take antibiotics in case pneumonia that is often caused by bacterial infections. Adherence to medicine dosages as prescribed is highly recommended to prevent relapses. Make sure that you get plenty of rest(sleep) and maintain a regular intake of fluids.

To prevent pnemonia, it’s advised that you get a pnemonia vaccine. This is emphatically vital particularly in case you are over 65 and you smoke. Sanitation and personal hygiene are also very important in the prevention of the infection. So, stay alert and tuned!