Pneumonia Causes, Symptoms and Treatments

Pneumonia is infection of the lungs. It is characterised by inflammation of the alveoli in the lungs. Though pneumonia can be treated effectively with antibiotics, late detection of the disease can lead to severe complications and even death.

"Late detection of pneumonia can lead to severe complications and even death" - Dr. RAJASHEKAR MB, PULMONOLOGY, MBBS, MD, Apollo Clinic, Bellandur

The causes of pneumonia are numerous and range from mild to severe but the most common cause is flu. The disease spreads when germs enter your lungs while breathing in:

Bacteria - It is caused by Streptococcus pneumonia or pneumococcal bacteria. Bacterial infections are more severe than other types of pneumonia
Viruses - Pneumonia caused by different viruses most commonly affects children
Fungus
Parasites

The symptoms of pneumonia can vary depending on its cause, that is, if it's bacterial, fungus or virus caused. Some of the common symptoms easily diagnosed are:

Shortness of breath
Chest pain that becomes worse when you sneeze or breathe
Cough
Fever and chills
Reduced appetite
Weakness
Headache
Haemoptysis (Blood tinged sputum)

After the symptoms are noticed, a doctor will listen to the patient's lungs with a stethoscope to diagnose the ailment. If the patient does have pneumonia, the chest will make rumbling sounds when inhaling. If you have any of the above mentioned symptoms and need immediate care, visit your nearest Apollo Clinic to get the required assistance.

Some other ways to diagnose pneumonia include:

X-ray of the chest
Blood tests to check the white blood cells count
Sputum culture
CT scan of the chest
Bronchoscopy

Mild cases of pneumonia can be treated at home and do not require the patient to be hospitalised. And the condition is likely to improve within two weeks with some simple steps:

Take antibiotics prescribed by a doctor (if it is a bacterial infection).
As coughing helps in getting rid of mucous from the lungs, do not take cough syrups on your own without the doctor recommending it.
Take lot of fluids.
Get plenty of rest and sleep.
Visit a diagnostics centre near you if the symptoms are severe and home care is not possible.

Visit your nearest Apollo Diagnostics Centre for diagnostic medicare. Or call 040-9205478479 or mail us at [email protected]

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