Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Facts About Pneumonia

Pneumonia


Maybe you’ve heard of it, but do you really know it?  Pneumonia is a very common, yet highly treatable infection of the respiratory tract.



     Pneumonia is one of the most common conditions which affects the respiratory tract, easily spreading through airborne particles.  You can be exposed to pneumonia at school, work or even at the hospital. In fact, there is a type of Pneumonia, known as hospital-acquired pneumonia which commonly affects patients in intensive care or the those which are using breathing machines.

     Pneumonia is the world’s leading cause of death among children younger than five years of age.

     It can be caused by bacteria, virus or fungi. Depending on the cause, there are several types that are well documented. The most common type is bacterial pneumonia, which is also considered the most dangerous.

     Influenza and Respiratory syncytial virus are the most common causes for viral pneumonia.

     Streptoccocus pneumoniae is the most common cause for bacterial pneumonia.

     Many people suffer from pneumonia without being aware of its presence.
     Pneumonia is commonly mistaken for a cold.  This is because of the similarity in the present symptoms.  The most prevalent symptoms for both pneumonia and the common cold are cough, fever and trouble breathing.  Each condition has characteristic symptoms that a trained professional will recognize and imploy treatment for.

     Most commonly diagnosed by performing a chest x-ray.

     Pneumonia is a highly treatable condition. The type of the treatment depends on the cause for the condition, as well as the severity of present symptoms.  Generally it is treated by antibiotics, especially for bacterial pneumonia.  Tertiary treatment includes natural remedies known to have positive effects on the disease.

     Complications of pneumonia include sepsis, pleural effusion and empyema.

     Risk factors and catalysts include smokers, people over 65 years of age, children under two and patients suffering from certain chronic medical conditions.

     Two of five children who die from pneumonia are living in undeveloped and poor communities.

     The antibiotics needed to treat pneumonia cost approximately one dollar per dose.  Even with the low cost of antibiotics, people are still at life-threatening risk when the disease goes untreated.

     Only one in five children receive antibiotics in order to treat pneumonia.

     Good health habits decrease the risk of pneumonia. You can ask your doctor for advice on how to protect yourself from pneumonia.

     There are available vaccines developed that you can get during flu seasons in order to inoculate yourself from the disease.

     Breastfeeding in the first six months is considered a way to protect children not only against pneumonia, but a wide range of other medical conditions.

     Pneumonia can be fatal.  Up to 30% of people diagnosed with pneumonia are confined to an intensive care unit. 


All that separates us from the complications and fatal nature of this condition, is the conveyance of information.  By shedding light on signs, symptoms and treatment options, we hope to bring an informed opinion to a disease that has effected most people in their lifetimes, and will continue to be a burden for future generations.