What Can a Doctor do for Pneumonia?

Chances are you have recognized symptoms of pneumonia and are looking for some advice on how to prepare for your doctor’s appointment. Maybe you have read articles online on how to treat pneumonia using natural remedies, wondering if there is even a need for scheduling an appointment with your doctor. 

We’ve compiled a littany of facts surrounding the disease, and hope to inform you in ways other online articles have failed.

Pneumonia is one of the most common respiratory infections today.  The main reason this infection is so common is due to how easily it can spread.  Causation is credited to bacteria, viruses, and fungi.  The most common symptoms are cough, fever and trouble breathing.  It is not uncommon for pneumonia to be mistaken for the common cold due to its symptoms.  Pneumonia is a highly manageable condition but treatment varies depending on cause, and the stage of the condition in which the doctor diagnosed it. This is why it is so important to not hesitate visiting your doctor when recognizing symptoms.

But what can a doctor do for Pneumonia?

In order to diagnose it, the doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you about your medical history.  A chestX-ray is usually performed as well.  The X-ray will provide a chance to look for any changes in the lungs and to check for any other potential causes. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, your age and medical history, the doctor may decide to perform an arterial blood gas test. In the case of severe symptoms, a doctor will perform a test to inspect the present mucus. There are many other tests available to determine the presence of symptoms and their respective causes.

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As mentioned before, pneumonia is a highly treatable condition. But the type of the treatment depends on present symptoms as well as the cause for their presence. The most common type is bacterial pneumonia, and is usually treated using antibiotics. Depending on age and specific symptoms, your doctor will prescribe proper antibiotics to treat your condition. During treatment the doctor will want to track your condition, performing tests in order to determine the quality of your recovery time. The doctor may decide to make adjustments to the dose, or to the treatment itself. The doctor may decide to discontinue treatment with certain medications if serious side effects worsen, or your condition does not improve.  In order to decrease your body temperature, the doctor will prescribe ibuprofen or paracetamol.  Remember to inform your doctor about any allergic reactions you have to certain medications, prescribed or over-the-counter. The doctor may also advise you to choose from a variety of available home remedies for tertiary treatment. Pneumonia requires plenty of rest and fluids to ensure full recovery. If severe symptoms are present, a doctor may ask you to remain in the hospital for a complete observation and evaluation.

Pneumonia is a highly manageable disease when properly recognized, and diagnosed.  It is important to understand the differences in symptom severity, and how to approach the situation moving forward. Collaborating with your doctor early and often is generally the best way to prevent major complications with pneumonia and other diseases.

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Walking Pneumonia or Just Sick?

Pneumonia is a generally one of the most common respiratory infections worldwide.  An easily treatable condition that usually does not require the use of medications.  The three most common symptoms are cough, fever and difficulty breathing. The most common types are bacterial, viral, fungal, hospital-acquired and walking pneumonia.

Walking Pneumonia is commonly defined as a mild case of bacterial pneumonia.   This classifies it as an infection of the respiratory tract, caused by bacteria. The most common bacteria that causes walking pneumonia is mycoplasma pneumonia.  The symptoms are the least severe of any forms of the disease, and could exist within an individual without any apparent signs. This makes it difficult for a person to feel the difference between that of a common cold, and something more serious akin to walking pneumonia.  For instance, mistaking a sore throat and coughing for a cold when in fact it is something much more serious.

These symptoms are considered the most common in both cases. However, the two have other characteristic symptoms that will help you to determine the difference between the two conditions. For example, walking pneumonia causes trouble breathing, fever, and loss of appetite among other symptoms. On the other hand, the common cold causes sneezing and a blocked or runny nose to occur. The two share certain symptoms, and are independent of one another in other emerging symptoms.

            Regardless of the severity of symptoms, their presence should be reported to a doctor. The doctor will diagnose the condition and advise you on how to proceed with treatment moving forward, as well prevention advice. 

 The sign post that will help you recognize the presence of walking pneumonia, directly relates to the symptoms. Risk catalysts for walking pneumonia include smoking, children under two years of age, people older than 65, and those who are currently suffering from other conditions in hospitals. Understanding the difference in symptoms between walking pneumonia and the common cold is paramount when diagnosing the condition.  Having knowledge and knowing the difference between the two, will either save you the trip, or present you with an opportunity to see a doctor. 

Related: Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia

Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a treatable infection of the respiratory tract.  Its symptoms are consitently confused with the common cold including fever, cough, and trouble breathing.  Depending on the cause, there are several types charcterized by different attributes.  Bacterial pneumonia is the most common type, caused by an infection with certain bacteria. Viral pneumonia is caused by certain viruses, and fungal pneumonia, which is the least common type, is caused by certain fungi.  Hospital-acquired pneumonia, is indavertantly aquired in hospitals, as it houses many different infections which are airborne. These represent the most common forms of the disease.

Walking pneumonia is the least dangerous type of the illness, unlike bacterial pneumonia, which is considered the most serious manifestation of the disease. Being unaware of the presence of such a disease can have massive repercussions in even the most dosile forms of pneumonia.

What causes it?

Walking pneumonia, also known as atypical pneumonia, is best described as a mild case of bacterial pneumonia. Certain bacteria enter your respiratory tract causing inflammation and the emergence of related symptoms. The most common cause for walking pneumonia is considered to be mycoplasma pneumoniae. The bacteria that causes walking pneumonia easily spreads through the air affecting a large number of people in a small amount of time.

So what are the symptoms?

●     Persistent nonproductive (dry) cough, especially at night

●     Fever, however not too high

●     Trouble breathing, shortness of breath

●     Fatigue/tiredness

●     Weight loss due to loss of appetite

●     Diarrhea

●     Sore throat

If you notice any of the aforementioned symptoms, do not hesitate to visit a doctor.  Schedule an appointment, especially if symptoms persist or worsen over time.

What is the treatment?

Walking pneumonia is just as easily treated as other forms of the disease. Porported symptoms can be veiled at best, and properly recognizing symptoms will benefit greatly when undergoing diagnosis.  In cases where the symptoms are reported to the doctor, he or she can prescribe medications to help relieve symptoms and share relevant advice to include in your everyday life.  While dealing with walking pneumonia, make sure you get enough rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat as healthy as possible.  Taking these steps will ensure a quick recovery.

Related: Natural cures for Pneumonia

Facts About 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.