The routine vaccinations that most people receive as kids help prevent certain types of pneumonia and other infections.
If you have a chronic illness, such as sickle cell disease, you may have received extra vaccinations and disease-preventing antibiotics to help prevent pneumonia and other infections caused by bacteria. People should get a pneumococcal vaccination if they have diseases that affect their immune system like diabetes , HIV infection , or cancer , are 65 years or older, or are in other high-risk groups.
Depending on the bugs that are likely to affect them, these people also may get antibiotics to prevent pneumonia, as well as antiviral medicine to prevent or lessen the effects of viral pneumonia. Doctors recommend that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu shot.
That's because someone with the flu could then come down with pneumonia. Call your doctor's office or check your local health department to see when these vaccines are available. Because pneumonia is often caused by germs, a good way to prevent it is to keep your distance from anyone you know who has pneumonia or other respiratory infections. Use separate drinking glasses and eating utensils; wash your hands often with warm, soapy water; and avoid touching used tissues and paper towels.
You also can stay strong and help avoid some of the illnesses that might lead to pneumonia by eating as healthily as possible, getting a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of sleep a night, and not smoking. It takes a certain amount of time to start to feel sick after getting exposed to a germ. This length of time is called the incubation period, and it depends on many things, especially which bug is causing the illness. With influenza pneumonia, for example, someone may become sick as soon as 12 hours or as long as 3 days after exposure to the flu virus.
But with walking pneumonia, a person may not feel it until 2 to 3 weeks after becoming infected. Most types of pneumonia clear up within a week or two, although a cough can linger for several weeks more. In severe cases, it may take longer to completely recover. If you think you may have pneumonia, tell a parent or other adult and be sure you see a doctor. Pay attention to your breathing; if you have chest pain or trouble breathing or if your lips or fingers look blue, go to a doctor's office or to a hospital emergency department right away.
If doctors think a person has pneumonia, they will do a physical exam and might order a chest X-ray and blood tests. People with bacterial or atypical pneumonia will probably be given antibiotics to take at home. But they can make it less likely that people who are at risk will experience the severe, and possibly life-threatening, complications of pneumonia. Treatment for pneumonia depends on several factors.
These include what caused your pneumonia, how severe your symptoms are, how healthy you are overall, and your age. For bacterial pneumonia, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Most of your symptoms should improve within a few days. A cough can last for several weeks. Take all the antibiotic medicine that your doctor prescribes.
This can cause your pneumonia to come back. It can also increase your risk of antibiotic resistance. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor will likely talk to you about ways to treat your symptoms. Over-the-counter OTC medicines are available to lower fever, relieve pain, and ease your cough.
However, some coughing is okay because it can help clear your lungs. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take a cough suppressant. If your case of pneumonia is severe, you may need to be hospitalized. If you are experiencing shortness of breath, you may be given oxygen to help your breathing. You might also receive antibiotics intravenously through an IV. People who have weakened immune systems, heart disease or lung conditions, and people who were already very sick before developing pneumonia are most likely to be hospitalized.
Babies, young children, and adults who are 65 years of age and older are also at increased risk. Your doctor may schedule a follow-up appointment after he or she diagnoses you with pneumonia.
At this visit, he or she might take another chest X-ray to make sure the pneumonia infection is clearing up. Keep in mind that chest X-rays can take months to return to normal. However, if your symptoms are not improving, your doctor may decide to try another form of treatment. Pneumonia can be life-threatening if left untreated, especially for certain at-risk people.
You should also call your doctor if you suddenly begin to feel worse after having a cold or the flu. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
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Symptoms of pneumonia The symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe. They include: cough fever bringing up mucus when you cough difficulty breathing chills chest pain You may also sweat, have a headache, and feel very tired. What is walking pneumonia? What causes pneumonia? Most cases of pneumonia are caused by: They are the most common cause of pneumonia in adults. Bacterial pneumonia usually only affects one area of a lung.
Any virus that affects the respiratory tract can cause pneumonia. This includes the flu virus and the virus that causes the common cold. In children under 1 year old, the respiratory syncytial virus RSV is the most common cause. Viral pneumonia tends to be mild. It often gets better on its own in 1 to 3 weeks.
Some fungal infections can lead to pneumonia, especially in people with weakened immune systems. There are also some fungi that occur in the soil in certain parts of the United States that can lead to pneumonia. How is pneumonia diagnosed? Can pneumonia be prevented or avoided? Bed rest or hospitalization are usually not needed, and symptoms can be mild enough that you can continue about your daily activities, hence the term "walking.
But don't be fooled. Walking pneumonia can still make you miserable, with cough, fever, chest pain, mild chills, headache, etc. It feels more akin to a bad cold, and despite what the term "walking" implies, taking care of yourself is the best path to recovery. Albert Rizzo, senior medical advisor to the American Lung Association.
Rizzo notes that walking pneumonia is treatable with antibiotics if your doctor believes bacteria to be the cause. Over-the-counter medications can also be used to relieve symptoms, such as antihistamines for nasal congestion or cough medications to help ease the cough and loosen any mucus sputum. Most people start to feel better within three to five days, but a cough from pneumonia can last weeks or months after treatment.
Just like typical pneumonia, walking pneumonia spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. To reduce your risk of infection, follow these tips and learn more about avoiding pneumonia :.
Learn more: 5 questions about pneumonia to ask your doctor.
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