Prevention of pneumonia in adults: how to avoid getting pneumonia, will the sea and a sanatorium help, as well as a reminder that will help you avoid the disease

Editor

Daria Tyutyunnik

Doctor, forensic expert

With such a common disease as pneumonia (or pneumonia), not only drug treatment is required, but also timely prevention. Otherwise, the course of the disease may take an unexpected turn and lead to relapses.

In this article we will consider the topic of preventing pneumonia, starting with its types.

Pneumonia - definition of the disease and pathogens, whether the disease is contagious to others

Pneumonia, or pneumonia, is an infectious inflammatory process. It affects not only the bronchi, but also the surrounding lung tissue. Is it possible to get infected from another person? The most common cause of pneumonia is a bacterial infection – streptococcus or pneumococcus. There is a viral form of pneumonia that is less dangerous. This is a complication of influenza or seasonal ARVI, most often developing in the fall or winter.

Viral pneumonia is less dangerous, but also requires mandatory treatment.

The main symptoms of bacterial pneumonia are:

Fever;
Cough with phlegm;
Tachycardia;
Weakness;
Accelerated breathing;
Weakness;
Blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle and nails;
Profuse sweating.

The insidiousness of pneumonia is that sometimes it can be practically asymptomatic. The first symptoms of the disease may be similar to a cold or flu. But most often this is how viral pneumonia occurs, which sometimes goes away without fever or cough. “Sluggish” viral pneumonia can be determined by the following signs:

Dry cough;
Headache;
Dyspnea;
Weakness;
“Aches” and muscle pain.

If you suspect pneumonia, you should immediately seek help from a doctor. This will help make a diagnosis in time and begin treatment, after which the person becomes non-infectious. Symptoms that should cause you to call a doctor at home:

The appearance of severe coughing attacks that intensify at night;
A sharp deterioration in health on the 5th – 7th day of influenza or ARVI;
Temperature rise to 39 - 40 C;
Severe shortness of breath, sweating;
Severe chills;
Labored breathing.

This will help avoid serious complications and prevent you from infecting other people.

How to avoid getting pneumonia?

To avoid contracting pneumonia, the following preventive procedures will help:

Ventilate the room and avoid contact with sick people.
If you have a flu, cold or pneumonia in your loved ones, you should take preventive medications – amantadine, rimantadine;
Strengthen the immune system using ginseng tincture or immunal;

The protective capabilities of the immune system are reduced in people who consume drugs, alcohol, and smoke. Inflammation is provoked by both bacterial and viral agents.

If you follow preventive measures, you can significantly reduce the risk or even prevent pneumonia.

Kinds

The causes of pneumonia can be microorganisms such as:

Viruses;
Bacteria;
Pathogenic fungi;
Mycoplasma;
Chlamydia;
The simplest microorganisms.

The disease can be caused by various underlying factors. It could be:

Community-acquired pneumonia. The most common type, with proper treatment it can be treated quite easily. Most often caused by a viral or streptococcal infection.
Hospital. Develops when infected with a hospital infection, most often bacterial. Upon admission to the hospital there are no symptoms, the disease appears on average after 3 days.
Aspiration. Caused by water, food or other foreign bodies entering the bronchi. The inflammatory process occurs due to mechanical irritation of the bronchial mucosa.
Atypical. The cause of the disease is specific infections, such as chlamydia, mycoplasma or legionella.

Each type of disease has characteristic symptoms, which make it easy for an experienced doctor to diagnose.

What to do if you have pneumonia

Massage for pneumonia is indicated only as acupressure massage to enhance sputum discharge

Pneumonia should be treated by a pulmonologist or therapist. Self-medication is excluded, as this may have irreversible consequences.

In case of lobar pneumonia, the patient is subject to mandatory hospitalization; milder forms in the early stages can be treated on an outpatient basis. The main component of complex therapy is antibiotics; in parallel, symptomatic treatment is prescribed (bronchodilators, mucolytics, mineral-vitamin complexes, antiviral and fever-reducing drugs).

The patient is advised to rest in bed and drink plenty of fluids. The room should be regularly ventilated after wet cleaning. When the temperature is normalized, physiotherapy, acupressure and exercise therapy are indicated.

Important. It is almost impossible to cure pneumonia with the help of herbal medicine, homeopathy or other non-traditional methods. Neglecting antibacterial therapy can have serious consequences and even cause death.

Incubation period

The incubation period for the development of pneumonia directly depends on the pathogen that causes the disease. Viral infections caused by influenza or other respiratory infections spread most quickly. Once on the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract, viruses begin to multiply rapidly. The most effective folk remedies for colds, runny nose and cough are collected in this material.

The latent period of infection can develop up to 2 weeks, which makes timely diagnosis difficult.

Depending on the pathogen, the incubation period for the development of the disease is:

Pneumococcal infection (up to 3 days);
Influenza, parainfluenza (from 2 to 7 days);
Staphylococcus aureus (up to 5 days);
Sreptococcal infection (up to 4 days).

The longest incubation period is for microorganisms that can cause atypical pneumonia. For example, for legionella it is up to 14 days.

How is pneumonia transmitted?

Microorganisms that cause pneumonia in most cases are the causative agents of all respiratory infections:

Staphylococcus;
Streptococcus;
Pneumococcus;
Haemophilus influenzae.

These bacteria are spread through close contact, through shared objects, and through the air.

Bacteria that cause pneumonia are widespread in the environment. For example, streptococcus lives on the mucous membranes of the throat, mouth and nose in 99% of people. The body's defense mechanisms do not allow the infection to enter the lower respiratory tract.

Thus, the state of the body's immune system is a key factor in the possible transmission of microorganisms that cause pneumonia.

Complications if left untreated

Pneumonia is a serious disease that can lead to severe pathologies of the respiratory tract. Even if it is almost asymptomatic, late treatment can lead to unpleasant consequences. Complications may include:

Pleurisy;
Abscess in the lungs;
Infectious-allergic asthma;
Severe shortness of breath;
Chronic obstructive bronchitis;
Cardiovascular failure.

In particularly severe cases, this can lead to life-threatening consequences such as sudden pneumothorax or pulmonary edema.

Pregnant women are at risk

The risk of getting both the flu and viral pneumonia is higher among those who have bad habits - lovers of alcohol and cigarettes. The same increased risk is observed in people after injuries, operations, anesthesia, and in people taking steroid hormones and antibiotics for a long time.

And perhaps the most vulnerable group is pregnant women. This is due to a physiological decrease in immunity during this period. Expectant mothers are much more likely than others to encounter serious complications of pneumonia - pleurisy, pulmonary edema, renal and respiratory failure, inflammation of the heart muscle. Therefore, they are often treated in a hospital setting, where there is the possibility of round-the-clock medical supervision, IV drips and, if necessary, artificial ventilation.

Important

If during ARVI with cough it becomes difficult to breathe, foamy sputum appears, blood pressure drops and/or pulse quickens, you should immediately call an ambulance. Such symptoms are very dangerous and may indicate pulmonary edema. The person requires emergency hospitalization.

Modern methods of preventing pneumonia

The development of pneumonia can be prevented by following simple preventive measures and seeking medical help on time. The complex of preventive measures includes vaccination against diseases that can cause pneumonia:

Flu (annually);
Pneumococcal infection.

First of all, people at risk should be vaccinated. Is it dangerous to get a flu shot described here. In addition, it is imperative to treat diseases that may be complicated by pneumonia. Pneumonia in children can be prevented with timely vaccination. In addition to annual flu shots, vaccinations against the following diseases are required:

Haemophilus influenzae infection;
Measles;
Pneumococcal infection;
Whooping cough.

Children under 3 years of age do not need to be vaccinated against influenza if all adults and older children are vaccinated.

Community-acquired pneumonia: definition of the disease, characteristics, prognosis
COPD: treatment with folk remedies is described here.
Medicines for bronchial asthma: list //drlor.online/zabolevaniya/gortani-glotki-bronxov/astma/lekarstva-ot-bronxialnoj-perechen-preparatov-osobennosti-primeneniya.html

Prevention of pneumonia in children

Preventing the disease in children is difficult, especially in infancy. Children under two years of age are at particular risk. Often, a child cannot describe the symptoms of pneumonia, which include shortness of breath, chest and back pain, sweating, loss of appetite, fever, weakness, chills, and cough.

Since most medications cannot be taken until 10–12 years of age and treating the disease is problematic, in childhood it is important to prevent pneumonia. If you follow the recommendations of specialists, you can avoid the appearance of pneumonia from the first days of a child’s life.

Preventive measures are aimed at properly caring for a small patient, increasing immunity and relieving acute forms of infectious diseases. Prevention of recurrent disease requires timely diagnosis and proper therapy.

Parents should adhere to the following preventive rules:

Carry out frequent wet cleaning in the room with constant ventilation.
Make sure your baby's diet is fortified, including fresh fruits and vegetables.
For infants, mother's milk plays an important role. Many experts are convinced that excessive pain is due to the lack of natural feeding.
Maintain physical activity: moderate physical activity combined with walks in the fresh air reduces the possibility of getting sick.
Limit contact with sick patients.
Carry out general strengthening measures: preventive massage, hardening, water procedures.
Make sure your child washes their hands regularly for 20 seconds.
Get vaccinated against pneumococcus to protect the body from the possibility of the disease.
Carry out inhalations based on natural ingredients.

Inhalations for the prevention of pneumonia

conclusions

Pneumonia is a dangerous and often unpredictable infectious disease of the lungs. Unlike bronchitis and upper respiratory tract diseases, it can be transmitted by airborne droplets. The most common pathogen is the influenza virus or streptococcal infection. Particular danger is posed by the so-called atypical pneumonia, or caused by nosocomial infection.

The greatest danger is not for people from the main risk group. It includes older people, pregnant women, and other people whose immune systems are weakened. One of the most effective methods of prevention is vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus. And other infections.

Types of pneumonia and their danger?

The contagiousness of pneumonia is largely determined by its type:

Congestion occurs when blood stagnates in the lungs or bronchi. This type of pneumonia is not contagious.
Atypical (community-acquired) is an infectious bacterial infection. It is possible to become infected with this disease, but often those around you do not develop pneumonia, but another disease provoked by a pathogen.
Focal pneumonia - x-ray
Focal - acute pneumonia with a focus in several parts or in one lung. It is easy to become infected and is dangerous if it is asymptomatic.
Basal. Children are most often infected. This variety has a fairly high degree of infectivity.
Chronic is a consequence of the advanced acute stage of this disease. Contagious.
Bronchopneumonia is caused by a variety of bacteria and viruses. You can only become infected with viruses and bacteria, which are considered to be the causative agents of this type of pneumonia, but the patient will not necessarily become infected with inflammation.
Sick leave is one of the most dangerous. The causative agents of the disease are often resistant to medications. This type of inflammation is contagious.
Caseous pneumonia is a dangerous type of pulmonary tuberculosis, characterized by rapid and transient development. A dangerous variant of pneumonia that is contagious to others.

Why does pneumonia develop?

The leading role in the occurrence of pneumonia is not infectious factors, but the state of the body, the likelihood of failures in general immunological reactivity and the degree of functioning of the protective barriers of the respiratory tract. The human respiratory tract is formed in such a way that the lungs are maximally protected, and it is almost impossible for any infectious agent to enter them.

The likelihood of developing pneumonia increases significantly in the following categories of patients:

after a complex viral respiratory infection, severe infectious or somatic disease;
in patients taking antibiotics, glucocorticoids, or immunosuppressive therapy for a long time;
after chemotherapy;
those suffering from HIV;
for autoimmune diseases;
after severe hypothermia;
in patients with chronic pathology of the respiratory system, metabolic disorders and endocrine diseases;
with severe psycho-emotional or physical stress;
for chronic foci of infection, especially in the nasal cavity and nasopharynx.

All these pathological conditions or diseases lead to decreased immunity - the most significant factor in the development of pneumonia in adults.

Quite often, patients have several provoking factors and the risk of developing pneumonia increases significantly

Indications for hospitalization

In the practice of treating pneumonia, doctors use the Guidelines for the management of adult patients with lower respiratory tract infections. The standard complies with international standards and offers the most advanced therapeutic techniques.

According to the document, outpatients include people with mild to moderate pneumonia. They are treated at home for 1 to 3 weeks. The length of time until complete recovery depends on:

type of pathogen;
severity of the disease;
reactions to antibiotic treatment;
general condition of the body.

Patients with severe pneumonia are admitted to hospital for treatment. It is determined by CURB65 scores and clinical assessment. Each of the following factors is worth one point:

impairment of consciousness (determined by asking simple questions that do not require special knowledge);
blood urea level is more than 7 mmol/l;
decreased blood pressure (systolic below 90 mmHg and/or diastolic below 60 mmHg);
age over 65 years.

With a CURB65 score of 0, the patient will remain an outpatient, and scores of 1, 2, and 3 indicate the need for hospitalization.

In practice, people are admitted to the hospital with:

bilateral pneumonia;
high temperature and severe intoxication;
purulent sputum;
high respiratory rate (more than 30 per minute);
acute respiratory failure;
disturbance of consciousness;
severe dehydration;
severe concomitant diseases;
lonely.

First mistake. Unauthorized use of certain cough remedies

Since coughs can be of different types (dry, wet, wet), cough medicines are completely different. With a wet cough, the patient coughs up phlegm, which in itself is good. This means that the process is allowed. If the cough is dry, it needs to be made wet. It is a wet cough that helps remove phlegm along with infection.

When the cough receptors, which are located in the trachea and small bronchi, are excited, a person begins to cough. If the cough is wet, sputum is coughed up. Taking one or another antitussive that actually works helps a person stop coughing. In this case, sputum with infection continues to be in the respiratory tract. As a result, the absence of a cough leads to the accumulation and stagnation of sputum. Subsequently, the development of a pyogenic infection begins in it. And if previously the sputum was transparent, now it may already have a yellow or green color. It becomes increasingly difficult for the body to fight an infection that develops in sputum, which subsequently leads to pneumonia. This is how pneumonia actually occurs.

At the pharmacy you can often hear something like “Give me something for the cough.” And it’s good if the pharmacist at least asks what kind of cough is bothering you. It is not always necessary to take cough suppressants when you cough. Sputum can begin to accumulate in the lungs, and this, by and large, is the path to the appearance of pneumonia due to stagnation of infection. It is important to go to a doctor who will prescribe the medicine necessary in this situation.

What determines the duration of therapy?

The duration of hospital treatment for pneumonia is assessed according to the CURB65 standard. Depends on the following criteria: stage of the disease, source, condition of the body. Age is also taken into account. If health problems occur, hospitalization is recommended.

The patient is sent to the hospital in the following cases:

There is a disturbance of consciousness. To determine the deviation, the patient interview method is used.
Other acute complications threatening health arose.
The patient's complaints are supported by clinical signs of pneumonia.
Childhood or old age of a person requires constant monitoring by doctors.

According to statistics, people with a critical body condition are sent to the hospital when inflammation of the respiratory tract creates the preconditions for the formation of complications. Acute pneumonia is often manifested by the following symptoms:

Respiratory failure - manifested by rapid movement of the chest, shallow inhalation.
Intoxication of the body or abscess - a critical condition of the body is formed when the bacterial environment actively multiplies.
According to the results of laboratory tests, a strong excess of leukocytes was detected in the general blood test.
In case of pulmonary aspiration or sepsis.
Delusional states and febrile manifestations, when the patient loses contact with the outside world.
Frequent shallow breathing is accompanied by disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory system.
When did focal confluent pneumonia develop?
In the absence of positive changes after treatment for 3 days.
They are sent to the hospital when pneumonia has led to an exacerbation of chronic diseases. These may include hepatitis and nephritis.
If the patient has an immunodeficiency state, tumor areas on the body.

Also, people with abundant spread of pus, advanced dehydration and a persistently high body temperature are subject to hospitalization.