The pneumonia is a respiratory disease that causes a lung infection. It can be caused by various agents like viruses, bacteria, fungi, and affects many people during the year. In most cases, pneumonia in adults is produced by bacteria.
The most common type of bacteria that causes pneumonia is pneumococcus (Streptococcus pneumoniae). In addition, there are different types depending on where it occurs. Thus, for example, pneumonia may be intrahospital, the condition occurring when the patient has been hospitalized or in medical centers. In this case they are given out of hospitals or outside medical centers.
What are pneumonia causes?
The causes that get sick from pneumonia can be several:
- The bacteria and viruses that live in the mouth, the nostrils, the nose and from there spread to the lungs causing an infection in the lungs.
- By inhaling the germs that cause pneumonia and get them to the lungs.
- As a result of inhaling liquids, food, secretions or vomiting, from the mouth to the lungs, this pneumonia is known as aspiration pneumonia.
- When pneumonia is caused by other bacteria it is known as atypical pneumonia.
- Flu caused by viruses can also trigger pneumonia.
Some considered risk factors can also predispose us to suffer from pneumonia such as those detailed below:
- Some diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, heart disease, diabetes.
- Pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, COPD.
- Diseases of the mouth such as, gingivitis, periodontitis.
- The obesity.
- Problems of the immune system.
- Cerebrovascular diseases.
- Surgery of the lung, mouth, or throat from cancer.
- A cold or flu badly cured.
- Be a smoker or a smoker.
And what symptoms does pneumonia produce?
There are several symptoms that can alert you to the possible existence of pneumonia. The most common signs are:
- Cough, which can be productive with mucus, blood, or yellowish or greenish mucus.
- We find it hard to breathe especially when we make some effort.
- Pain in the thorax, throbbing especially hurts more when coughing.
- Tremors, chills.
- Fever that may be high or low grade.
- General malaise, fatigue, lack of appetite, lack of energy.
- Headache, confusion.
All of these symptoms and the suspicion that we are not well should promptly seek medical advice to make us the timely review and prescribe us treatment. The doctor will observe us listening with a stethoscope to the chest and the back looking for abnormal noises when breathing and crackles.
In addition to this observation we will have a chest x-ray to complete the study and make sure we have pneumonia.
Other tests usually performed by the doctor to confirm the diagnosis of pneumonia can be:
- Analyze the sputum with a cultivation and blood.
- Arterial blood gases.
- TAC.
- Bronchoscopy.
Once the diagnosis is confirmed and depending on the severity of the pneumonia, the doctor will decide if the patient should enter a hospital or cure pneumonia at home.
Treatment will consist of taking antibiotics, always prescribed by the doctor for pneumonia that is cured at home.
Usually pneumonia heals in 2 weeks, whenever complications do not arise.
Healthy Living Habits to Prevent Pneumonia
To maintain a suitable and correct hygiene of the mouth since the bacteria of the mouth, on having been inhaled, come to the lung and infect it, especially when we have an oral disease such as gingivitis and periodontitis.
To take care of your mouth it is advisable to visit the dentist once a year, and brush your teeth well several times a day, complete the cleaning using floss.
Do not smoke, nor do you expose yourself to breathe the smoke from other smokers’ cigarettes. Also, breathe clean air, try not to heat your house with firewood, try not exposing yourself to pollution.
Avoid being sedentary and overweight, do not drink alcohol. Take a healthy life with a healthy and balanced diet, hydrate well, and drink at least 2 liters of water every day.
If your diet is healthy and balanced when you are cold or have a cold, strengthen your diet with these foods:
- Blue Fish.
- Nuts.
- Garlic and onion.
- Eggs.
- Drinking about 8 glasses of water per day will help eliminate mucus and prevent infection.
Another healthy habit when we are having a cold, with flu is to blow our noses properly to eliminate mucus and prevent mucus from coming down to the lungs and causing pneumonia. By eliminating mucus, we keep the area clean and reduce the risk of infection.