What is Pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, that can be bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic. The diagnosis should always be based on a chest x-ray; however many times clinicians will make a presumptive diagnosis without one. There are many factors that dictate treatment and whether treatment should be in-patient or out-patient. Some of those factors are age, predisposition, history of lung disorders such as asthma, COPD, and any co-morbid condition( another condition that could compromise the patients recovery.) Also it is important to note the severity of the pneumonia. Is the pneumonia on one side of the chest, both lungs, and how much infection is present as well as how compromised is the patient.

Approximately, over two million patients get diagnosed with pneumonia every year in the United States and around fifty-thousand die from pneumonia. Community acquired pneumonia is the most common, and can easily be contracted from another individual in crowded areas ie: mall, airplane, hospital, and nursing home to name a few. Pneumonia compromises breathing and can lead to further complications including heart arrhythmias and sepsis. At Peace and Healing we want to give you the truth behind the diagnosis. Some sites are confusing. An example for clarification, pneumonia IS NOT influenza. Be cautious of where you go for web information on medical topics. Reputable sites are the CDC, WebMD, and the Mayo Clinic. Many are not written in non-medical terminology; however, the information is on target.

What are the symptoms of Pneumonia?

There is a fine diagnostic line between early stages of pneumonia, bronchitis and influenza. To complicate our lives a little further an individual can have a couple issues going on at once. Of course there are other respiratory diagnoses, like Sarcoidosis, Tuberculosis and others;however, that is beyond the scope of this article.For the non-medical individual a classic presentation is moderate to high fever around 101 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid heart rate (read my article on fever, for increased temperature increases heart rate) night sweats, cough which may or may not be productive,( do not hold to much stock in the color of the phlegm), and it is more common to have exertional shortness of breath. Please take note I have examined patients who have had pneumonia with no fever and minimal symptoms. Pneumonia is most concerning in the very young and the elderly. Their systems have a quicker chance of going sour and treatment should be expedited.

What is the treatment for Pneumonia?

Treatment for pneumonia varies from antibiotics to just supportive treatment. All bacterial pneumonias must be treated with an antibiotic. It depends on the severity whether this is by taking pills by mouth or a hospital admission and intravenous antibiotics. Fluids, fever reducing agents to make one more comfortable and possibly an inhaler. The myth expectorant versus suppressant for cough has long been discussed, and for this author I find more patients sleep better and would prefer a suppressant. Antibiotics should be given for a minimum of ten days and usually fourteen days is the mainstay of treatment.

What is walking Pneumonia?

A term to only define a treatable pneumonia as an outpatient. All patients that walk into an urgent care facility or emergency department and are treated as an outpatient have walking pneumonia. A follow up x-ray is imperative to monitor progression of resolution. Most all walking pneumonias are community acquired pneumonias.

What conditions prolong treatment of Pneumonia?

Conditions such as Asthma, and other chronic lung diseases prolong and even complicate pneumonia. Smoking, is a major contributor of complications with not only the treatment of pneumonia but the length of resolution. Smokers take twice as long to recover, and are at higher risk for pneumonia in the future.

When should you seek care for possible pneumonia?

A fever that does not respond well to fever reducing agents, shortness of breath, chest pain, sweating the bed during sleep, a previous history of pneumonia, any blood tinged sputum, and a feeling general fatigue. Please be advised many conditions can give a similar presentation, however proper testing, chest x-ray and a thorough physical exam are imperative to rule out pneumonia. Pneumonia is contagious so family members need to be observed. After twenty-four hours on an antibiotic you are not contagious.