Pneumonia is a respiratory infection caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi that can cause symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, and shortness of breath.
Symptoms of pneumonia may appear suddenly or gradually, appearing when the immune system weakens, for example, after a cold or flu, which does not go away or worsens over time.
- Although there are different types of pneumonia.
- In most cases the symptoms are similar.
- Varying only the treatment indicated by the pneumologist.
- To find out if you may have pneumonia.
- Select your symptoms:.
These symptoms may also vary slightly depending on whether they are an adult, infant, or older person. Thus, in addition to the indicated symptoms, a baby or child, who has more difficulty explaining what he or she is feeling, may also have other signs such as agitation, tremors, vomiting, decreased appetite and, in the case of babies, excessive crying.
In the elderly, other symptoms may develop, such as confusion and memory loss, associated with fever, shortness of breath and coughing.
Pneumonia is usually diagnosed by assessing symptoms and an X-ray to check the health of the lungs. In addition, other tests, such as conventional blood tests, snot tests, cultures, or an arterial blood gas test, may also be prescribed, which are used to evaluate changes in the blood and identify the type of infection present. Find out what arterial blood gases are.
Treatment of pneumonia can be done with antibiotics, but keeping your airways clear and eating foods easy to digest and increasing immunity are great ways to recover faster. Thus, the treatment indicated by the pneumologist can be done with the following options:
In mild cases, most of the treatment of pneumonia can be done at home, taking medicines that fight the microorganisms responsible for the disease. After confirming pneumonia, in most cases it is not possible to know immediately which microorganism is causing the disease. However, because bacteria are the most common infectious agent, your doctor may choose to prescribe antibiotics.
In children younger than one year old and those over 70 with other associated health problems, such as diabetes, the doctor may prefer that the person be admitted for treatment in the hospital. In the most severe cases, when the person is virtually unable to breathe alone, it may be necessary to remain in the ICU.
Treatment can last up to 21 days, and some precautions are recommended, which may be considered a home treatment for pneumonia, such as:
These precautions prevent the transmission and aggravation of the disease, ensuring an adequate cure.
Feeding is also a very important factor throughout the recovery process, and it is recommended to rely on the consumption of vegetable soups, echinacea tea, garlic, onion or propolis extract. Watch our nutritionist’s video for more tips:
Some conditions that can cause pneumonia include
Children under the age of 5 and people over 70 are the most affected and more easily sick. However, anyone can get pneumonia, especially if they have changes, such as difficulty swallowing, not removing mucus, or having a weakened immune system, because they are being treated for cancer or HIV, for example.