For pneumonia. How to treat pneumonia

Diseases respiratory system have a high danger to humans. One of these common pathologies is pneumonia, which causes inflammation of the lung tissue and irreversible changes in it. To avoid oxygen starvation of tissues, the disease must be treated on time.

How to treat pneumonia at home in adults

Pneumonia is more often of a viral nature, but even in other cases it is accompanied by bacterial infections, so adults are required to undergo antibiotic therapy, prescribing 1-2 drugs at a time. Treatment standards take into account several factors:

• type of pneumonia;
• volume of damage to lung tissue;
• the patient’s well-being and age;
• concomitant diseases of the heart, kidneys or lungs.

Antibiotics

Adults are prescribed antibiotics for pneumonia, taking into account their age, and even if one drug is insignificantly effective, it is not changed for 3 days or until the patient’s sputum tests are deciphered. To treat pneumonia, modern popular medications are used called:

1. Ceftriaxone. The release form is white powders for the preparation of injections. The course of treatment for pneumonia is determined by the doctor depending on the severity. For an adult, the dose is 1-2 g daily. A solution for injections is prepared from 500 mg of the drug and 2 ml of a 1% lidocaine solution, and 5 ml of sterile water is used for droppers. Price from 25 rubles, available with prescription.
2. Sefpotek. An antibiotic also approved for children over 12 years of age. Effective in treating pneumonia and other infections respiratory tract. Adults need to take 200 mg - 1 tablet, with an interval of 12 hours. The course of treatment must be completed after 2 weeks. Price from 120 rub.
3. Sumamed. In addition to tablets, it is available as powder or lyophilisate. Indicated for infectious and inflammatory diseases, including the respiratory tract. For pneumonia, you need to take 500 mg of the drug per day for a course of treatment of 3 days. Price from 520 rub.

Folk remedies

Traditional treatment of pneumonia in adults is effective in combination with taking medicines if therapy is carried out at home. To do this, you can use the following recipes:

1. Raisin decoction. Rinse 0.5 tbsp. dark raisins, pass them through a meat grinder. Pour a glass of boiling water and simmer under the lid for about 10 minutes. You need to treat pneumonia with this decoction by drinking 1.5 tbsp. daily.
2. "Fig" milk. Prepare 3 dried white figs. Heat the milk, pour over the fruits, cook over low heat for about half an hour. To treat pneumonia, drink 2 glasses a day until symptoms relieve.
3. Infusion on nuts. Take 500 ml of dry red wine. Pour 50 g of peeled nuts over it. Simmer the product over low heat for about a quarter of an hour. Use 1 tbsp. before every meal.

Exercise therapy

To begin with, it is recommended to change your position in bed more often and not lie on your side, which hurts. After 3-4 days, when the acute period of the illness is over, you can begin breathing exercises, for which you lie on your back and put your hands on your stomach. You need to exhale after a deep breath, but do it slowly, tensing your abdominal muscles. There should be at least 5 approaches per day, each of which includes 15 repetitions. It is recommended to use exercise therapy to prevent pneumonia.

Features of the treatment of pneumonia

Treatment of pneumonia in an adult depends on many factors, the first of which is the type of disease. Therapy for older people must be carried out in a hospital; in other cases, the decision is made by the doctor. The treatment algorithm consists of several stages. First, pneumonia is diagnosed, then the source of inflammation is eliminated using antibiotics. Next, additional medications are prescribed for the remaining signs of the disease.

Segmental

In adults, this form occurs more often than others and is divided into right-sided and left-sided. A private variety is bilateral, when there are lesions in both lungs. Treatment of pneumonia in an adult is carried out in a hospital with the use of antibiotics, physiotherapy, inhalations and elimination allergic reactions. With unilateral or bilateral form, it is necessary to ensure the correct position of the patient - semi-sitting to improve lung function.

Viral

Bronchopneumonia

This type of pneumonia is also called focal. It develops against the background of bronchitis, therefore it is especially dangerous for its consequences - pleuropneumonia, abscess and even gangrene, therefore, treatment methods are chosen only by a doctor. Antibiotics become mandatory in therapy, and they are chosen according to the degree of impact on the intestinal microflora. Ecoantibiotics are often used. In addition, adults are treated with agents that thin, remove sputum and restore the immune system.

Atypical

The most serious of all is the atypical form, because it is caused by atypical pathogens and such pneumonia often occurs in an adult without fever. The disease is also insidious in that it has a latent period when symptoms are practically absent. Antibiotics are often unable to cope with the manifestations of this type of pneumonia, so an adult is prescribed immunoglobulins and special procedures to suck fluid in the lungs. Treatment is supplemented with a complex of vitamins and antipyretics.

Prikornevoy

Another complex form of pneumonia is hilar. It is difficult to diagnose, because the symptoms are similar to tuberculosis and central lung cancer. Treatment medications are prescribed immediately after diagnosis, several medications at a time, so that the condition is alleviated within 2-3 days and the patient can be prescribed warming and exercise therapy.

Treatment of pneumonia in hospital

Indications for hospitalization are deterioration of the patient’s condition or the inability to use the necessary medications at home. At timely treatment relief occurs after 2-4 days, but possible complications increase the length of hospital stay to 10 days, and often up to 4 weeks. The patient is given injections or drips with antibiotics, then saline solution is administered in the same way to detoxify the body. In combination with these drugs, adults are prescribed expectorants and antipyretics.

Most often, pneumonia is caused by pneumococcus or Haemophilus influenzae. In addition, mycoplasma, legionella, chlamydia, etc. can act as a causative agent of pneumonia. Today, there are vaccines that prevent the disease or significantly alleviate its symptoms

In the lungs healthy person there are some bacteria. The microorganisms that enter them are destroyed by a full-fledged immune system. But if the body’s protective functions do not work due to certain reasons, a person develops pneumonia. In view of the above, pneumonia is most common in patients with weak immunity, the elderly and children.

The pathogens enter the human lungs through the respiratory tract. For example, mucus from the mouth, which contains bacteria or viruses, can enter the lungs. After all, a number of pathogens that cause pneumonia exist in the nasopharynx of healthy people. Also, the occurrence of this disease is provoked by inhalation of air that contains pathogens. The route of transmission of pneumonia caused by Haemophilus influenzae is airborne.

In children in school age pneumonia can develop due to the presence of chronic foci of infection in the nasopharynx, bronchitis with relapses, cystic fibrosis, immunodeficiency, acquired heart defects.

In adults, pneumonia can be provoked by chronic bronchitis and lung diseases, heavy smoking, endocrine diseases, immunodeficiency, previous surgical interventions in chest And abdominal cavity, alcoholism and drug addiction.

Symptoms of pneumonia

As the disease develops, a person exhibits certain symptoms of pneumonia. Thus, the body temperature rises sharply - it can rise up to several degrees, there is a cough, during which purulent sputum is released. The following symptoms of pneumonia also occur: painful sensations in the chest, severe shortness of breath, constant weakness. At night, the patient may experience very strong sweating. If you do not start treating the disease on time, pneumonia will progress very quickly, and its result can even be fatal. There are types of this disease in which the symptoms of pneumonia are less pronounced. In this case, the patient may have a dry cough, a feeling of weakness, headache.

Types of pneumonia

Types of pneumonia are determined by the area affected. Thus, focal pneumonia occupies only a small part of the lung, segmental pneumonia affects one or more segments of the lung, lobar pneumonia spreads to a lobe of the lung, with confluent pneumonia, small foci merge into larger ones, total pneumonia affects the lung as a whole.

In acute pneumonia occurs inflammatory process in lung tissue, which is usually bacterial in nature. The success of treatment for the disease, which must be carried out in a hospital, directly depends on how timely the patient sought help. With lobar inflammation, the disease develops suddenly: a person’s body temperature rises sharply, reaching 39-40°C, he feels chest pain, severe chills, a dry cough, which after a certain time turns into a cough with sputum.

Pneumonia in children and adults can also occur with some symptoms erased. Thus, the patient may assume the presence of ARVI, but weakness, moderate body temperature, and cough persist for a very long time.

In addition, a distinction is made between unilateral pneumonia (in which one lung is affected) and bilateral (both lungs are affected). Primary pneumonia occurs as an independent disease, and secondary inflammation occurs as an ailment that develops against the background of another disease.

Signs of pneumonia

In most cases, pneumonia in children, as well as in adults, occurs as a consequence of another disease. A number of symptoms that appear in a patient allow one to suspect pneumonia. You should pay special attention to some signs of pneumonia. So, with pneumonia, the most pronounced symptom of the disease is cough. The situation should be alarming if the patient improves after feeling unwell during a cold, or the duration of a cold for more than seven days.

There are other signs of pneumonia: cough when trying to breathe deeply, the presence of severe pallor of the skin, which accompanies the usual symptoms of ARVI, the presence of shortness of breath with relatively low temperature bodies. When pneumonia develops, the patient’s body temperature does not decrease after taking antipyretics (Paracetamol, Efferalgan, Panadol).

It should be noted that if you have the above signs of pneumonia, you should immediately seek help from a specialist.

Diagnosis of pneumonia

Today, doctors are able to accurately diagnose pneumonia using different methods examinations. After the patient contacts the specialist, first of all, conducts a detailed survey and listens to the patient. In some doubtful cases it is carried out clinical analysis blood, as well as x-ray examination. As additional research in some cases it is carried out CT scan chest, bronchoscopy followed by biopsy, urine test and other examinations prescribed by the attending physician.

The results of these studies make it possible to diagnose pneumonia with high accuracy.

Treatment of pneumonia

When treating pneumonia, an important success factor is the selection of an antibiotic, as well as the dosage and methods of introducing the drug into the patient’s body. So, antibiotics are administered both by injection and taken in the form of tablets or syrups. Medicines are selected depending on the type of pathogen causing pneumonia.

Also in the process of treating pneumonia, a number of medicines, which have bronchodilator properties, vitamin complexes, expectorants. After some improvement in the condition, when the patient’s body temperature normalizes, treatment for pneumonia includes physiotherapy and therapeutic massage. If these methods are used, improvement occurs much faster. After recovery, in some cases the patient is prescribed a repeat x-ray to ensure the success of the treatment.

After completing the main course of treatment for pneumonia, the patient is prescribed an additional dose. vitamin complex within a month. Indeed, during the course of pneumonia, a large number of beneficial microorganisms that produce B vitamins die in the body.

Every day, people who have had pneumonia are recommended to do special breathing exercises. These are exercises that help increase the mobility of the chest, as well as stretching adhesions that could have formed as a result of the disease. Breathing exercises are especially recommended for elderly patients. Also, after an illness, people should spend more time in the fresh air.

With the correct approach to treatment, recovery occurs 3-4 weeks after the onset of the disease.

Nutrition for pneumonia

In parallel with the course drug treatment Patients with pneumonia are advised to follow certain dietary principles, which allows them to achieve more effective treatment results. Thus, during the period of acute pneumonia, the patient is advised to follow a diet whose energy value does not exceed 1600-1800 kcal. To reduce the inflammatory process, you should limit your salt intake (6 g of salt per day is enough for the patient), and also increase the amount of foods high in vitamins C and P in your diet. Black currants, gooseberries, rose hips, herbs, citrus fruits, and lemons are considered especially valuable foods , raspberries, etc. Equally important is compliance with the drinking regime - you need to drink at least two liters of liquid per day. To ensure that the body contains the required amount of calcium, it is worth consuming more dairy products, and at the same time eliminating foods containing oxalic acid from the diet.

You should eat in small portions, six times a day. Especially healthy dishes and products during the treatment of pneumonia are vegetables, fruits, berries, cranberry juice, tea with lemon, dairy dishes, eggs, cereals and mucous decoctions of cereals, low-fat broths from meat and fish. You should not eat baked goods, fatty, salty and smoked foods, fats, chocolate, and spices.

During the recovery process, the patient's diet must be made more calorie-rich with additional proteins, and foods that improve the secretion of the stomach and pancreas should also be consumed.

Complications of pneumonia

As complications of pneumonia, patients may experience a number of serious conditions: abscess and gangrene of the lung, pleural empyema, pleurisy, manifestations of acute respiratory failure, endocarditis, meningitis, pericarditis, sepsis, pulmonary edema. If the treatment regimen was chosen incorrectly, or the patient has severe immunodeficiency, pneumonia can be fatal.

Prevention of pneumonia

Methods for preventing pneumonia coincide with the prevention of bronchitis and acute respiratory infections. Children need to be gradually and regularly hardened, starting from the very beginning. early age. It is also important to strengthen the immune system, as well as prevent factors that provoke a state of immunodeficiency.

A risk factor for acute pneumonia is considered to be a tendency to microthrombosis, which occurs with constant bed rest and taking a number of drugs (infekundin, bisecurin, rigevidon). To prevent acute pneumonia in this case, it is recommended to carry out physical therapy, breathing exercises, and massage every day. Special attention should be considered for the prevention of pneumonia in older patients due to a decrease in T and B immunity.

Education: Graduated from Rivne State Basic Medical College with a degree in Pharmacy. Graduated from Vinnitsa State Medical University named after. M.I. Pirogov and internship at his base.

Work experience: From 2003 to 2013 – worked as a pharmacist and manager of a pharmacy kiosk. She was awarded diplomas and decorations for many years of conscientious work. Articles on medical topics were published in local publications (newspapers) and on various Internet portals.

Marina: Diosalin is the most reliable drug! Helps me well with allergies.

Tatyana: When treating with Acnecutane, the most important thing is to gain a cumulative dose, then there will be an effect.

Inna: I have a strange feeling. We took it for a month, but still didn’t understand what these vitamins were for. Not.

Sveta: I spent almost a month on Ginkum, which hardly helped me. I thought maybe more.

All materials presented on the site are for reference and informational purposes only and cannot be considered a method of treatment prescribed by a doctor or sufficient advice.

How to treat pneumonia?

Pneumonia video

Therapeutic tactics for acute pneumonia changed as knowledge, experience and ideas about the role of individual pathogens of this disease, the reactivity of the body, the effectiveness of chemotherapy and various methods treatment. The requirement to ensure adequate care and monitoring of patients with pneumonia remained unchanged. Unfortunately, insufficient attention is currently paid to the care of patients with pneumonia. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the main one is considered antibacterial treatment, and all other methods of therapy are considered outdated and have lost their significance. This misconception is quite widespread even among medical professionals.

Patients with pneumonia should be treated in a hospital. This is especially important for the treatment of lobar pneumonia and severe forms of focal pneumonia. In a hospital setting, you can use the entire arsenal of modern diagnostic and therapeutic tools and achieve a speedy recovery without complications.

In cases where treatment of pneumonia for one reason or another is impossible in a hospital and is carried out at home, it is carried out by a doctor who prescribes the necessary therapy, guided by the course of the disease and changes that occur in the patient’s condition as a result of the use of antibacterial drugs, symptomatic medications and other therapeutic methods.

A patient with pneumonia must follow a gentle regimen, even if the disease is relatively mild. A gentle regimen during antibacterial therapy is an important condition for the successful treatment of pneumonia and the prevention of complications. The expansion of the regimen is carried out immediately after the temperature decreases and the composition of the peripheral blood improves.

Powerful antimicrobial drugs, antibiotics and sulfonamides, are used to treat pneumonia. Their use requires compliance with certain rules related to the characteristics of the antimicrobial action of these drugs. If treatment with one or another antibiotic is started, then it is necessary to complete the course in full and exactly in the doses prescribed by the doctor. Sometimes patients, after a decrease in temperature and improvement in their condition, tend to stop treatment, as their weakness disappears, their cough decreases, and they consider themselves recovered.

Really, antibacterial drugs the reproduction and development of microbes quite quickly stop, the phenomena of intoxication of the body decrease, and therefore the condition and well-being of patients improves, but this does not mean at all that the patient has recovered. Anatomical changes that occur in the lungs as a result of the inflammatory process undergo reverse development much slower than the improvement in well-being. The patient feels well, but the pneumonia is not over yet. Therefore, it is important to remember that after the temperature drops and the condition improves, it is necessary to continue treatment with antibiotics or sulfonamide drugs for another 2-3 days, depending on the doctor’s instructions, i.e., completely complete the treatment according to the doctor’s prescribed regimen. When the administration of drugs is stopped without permission, the bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect of antibiotics or sulfonamide drugs is prematurely reduced when pneumonia has not yet passed, and pathogenic microorganisms again have the opportunity to grow and develop.

Diseased lung tissue is highly susceptible to further damage. This results in various complications, in particular the disease can take a protracted or chronic course. Therefore, treatment of pneumonia with antibiotics and sulfonamide drugs must be continued after the temperature has normalized for several days (2-3 or more, depending on the doctor’s instructions).

Arbitrary reduction of the dose of medication should not be allowed. When treating pneumonia, antibiotics and sulfonamide drugs are prescribed in doses that provide the necessary concentration of antibacterial substances at the site of infection. Without this, recovery may not occur. Treatment of pneumonia with sulfonamides and antibiotics is prescribed and modified by the doctor depending on the need. the patient's condition and the course of the disease. But general principle remains unchanged: treatment can be effective only if there is a sufficient content of the antibacterial drug in the patient’s body, i.e., when a therapeutic concentration is created.

Sometimes patients, and more often their relatives, show unjustified wariness and even a negative attitude towards the prescription of medicine in such large doses, in their opinion. Outwardly agreeing with the medical staff on the need for a course of therapy, they then independently reduce the dose, thereby bringing not benefit, but serious harm to the patient: this is especially true for drugs administered by injection. It is clear that injections do not bring pleasure to the patient, but this is a necessary therapeutic measure, without which it is still impossible to do in the treatment of pneumonia.

When treating pneumonia at home, in addition to strictly following drug therapy, it is very important to organize proper care for the patient. First of all, this concerns the creation of necessary conditions similar to hospital ones. Bed rest is important, especially in the first days of illness. To the nurse, relatives and friends caring for the patient need to monitor the slightest changes in the patient’s condition, reporting everything to the doctor at his next visit. If there is a clear deterioration in the patient’s condition, it is necessary to urgently seek help. medical care. You need to be especially careful during periods of falling temperatures, when sudden drops are possible. blood pressure and the development of vascular collapse. In these cases, emergency therapeutic assistance is required. If mental agitation or delirium appears, the patient must be monitored around the clock by relatives and urgently call a doctor.

Clean air in the room where a patient with pneumonia is located is an important condition for successful treatment, so it is necessary to ventilate the room several times a day, even when the patient’s temperature is high. During ventilation, it is necessary to cover the patient well, especially the head, leaving only the face exposed.

The diet of a patient with pneumonia should be varied, easily digestible, high in calories, but not burdensome. In the first days of illness, when appetite is usually reduced, you should not particularly insist on eating. If there is no appetite, give strong broths, sour dairy products, fruits or fruit juices. If you have an appetite, you can expand your diet. It is very important to give the patient fluids (up to 2 liters per day, if there is no circulatory failure), since a febrile patient loses a lot of fluid through sweat. In addition, abundant fluid administration helps relieve the patient of toxic metabolic products that poison the body. These can be syrups, fruit drinks, fruit decoctions, juices, etc. In cases where the patient is taking sulfa drugs, alkaline liquids are also needed - Borzhom, soda water, etc. They contribute to better dissolution of these drugs and provide a more complete removing them from the body. Hot drinks are useful: milk with soda, tea with raspberries, since, according to most doctors, profuse sweating reduces intoxication and thus promotes a faster recovery.

It is necessary to monitor the oral cavity to avoid secondary infection (rinsing after eating, and in severely ill patients, wiping the oral cavity with a swab moistened with a weak 1% solution of hydrogen peroxide). Normal function intestines is regulated by diet (prunes, boiled beets with vegetable oil on an empty stomach, yogurt, kefir) or by prescribing appropriate medications and procedures (taking laxatives, petroleum jelly, cleansing enemas).

If sleep is disturbed, it is necessary to ensure its normalization with the help of sedatives and hypnotics.

Among the symptomatic remedies for pneumonia, antitussives, expectorants, antipyretics, analgesics, cardiac and vascular drugs are used, which are prescribed by a doctor depending on the indications.

The use of oxygen undoubtedly contributes to a more successful treatment of pneumonia. At home, the patient can use oxygen cushions by inhaling oxygen through nasal catheters (small diameter rubber tubes) inserted into the nasal passages.

Physiotherapeutic methods of treatment at home include the use of cupping and mustard plasters on the affected side. It is very good to warm the sore half of the chest with dry warming compresses or woolen cloth.

Patients in serious condition require the most careful care. At high temperatures, oral care, wiping the skin with alcohol, washing the face with lukewarm water, and cleansing enemas are especially important.

If the patient cannot swallow the tablets, they should be crushed, mixed in water and given a sufficient amount of liquid to drink. If you refuse to take medication, you must be persistent and get the drug administered. In no case should you cancel prescribed medication, even once, without your doctor’s permission.

Thus, when treating a patient with pneumonia, in addition to the usual general hygienic care for the patient, monitoring his diet, etc., it is necessary to fulfill the following requirements: 1) strictly observe the time of taking the prescribed medication and the dose prescribed by the doctor; 2) combine the administration of sulfonamide drugs with the administration of plenty of fluids, especially alkaline liquids; 3) carefully monitor the patient in order not to miss the appearance possible complications, including from taking medications; If any changes occur in the patient’s condition, immediately inform the attending physician about this in order to take the necessary measures to eliminate the complications that have arisen.

Related articles:

Thanks to modern highly effective treatment methods, pneumonia in the vast majority of cases ends in recovery. However, sometimes the disease can be accompanied by a variety of complications, both directly from the lungs and pleura, and from other organs. Complications from the respiratory system include: prolonged pneumonia, effusion pleurisy, pulmonary suppuration (abscess), proliferation of connective tissue in the lungs (pneumosclerosis), transition to chronic pneumonia, etc.

Pneumonia may be accompanied by damage to the most various systems and organs, for example, inflammation of the meninges (meningitis), kidney damage (nephritis), liver (hepatitis), inflammation of the membranes of the heart (endocarditis, pericarditis), etc. Complications of pneumonia are sometimes so severe that they lead to disability, up to complete loss of ability to work. This indicates the need for timely and proper treatment for the fastest recovery of the patient without any complications. Organizing good patient care is one of the important sections of complex treatment of pneumonia.

Pneumonia

Respiratory tract infections occupy a leading position among all infectious diseases. Pneumonia most often develops against the background of infection of the body by pathogenic microflora. But sometimes gases or irritating particles can trigger pneumonia. How does the disease manifest? What medications and folk remedies effective for treatment?

Types of pneumonia

Pneumonia - what is it? Pneumonia is an acute infectious disease and ranks fourth among the main causes of mortality. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first signs or suspicion of inflammation. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children, the elderly, and in various immunodeficiency states.

The cause of the disease is damage to the respiratory system by bacteria, viruses, atypical pathogens, fungi against the background of weakened immunity. The main pathogens are streptococci, enterobacteria, and staphylococci. Atypical pathogens include mycoplasma, chlamydia, legionella, and hemophilus influenzae.

Main types of pneumonia:

1. Streptococcal - most patients die from it. The reason is hypothermia, weakened immunity, which leads to the active proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms.
2. Enterobacterial pneumonia is a rare form of pneumonia that often accompanies chronic kidney inflammation.
3. Staphylococcal - most often diagnosed in older people.
4. Chlamydia is a disease that is difficult to treat because pathogenic microorganisms multiply inside cells and do not respond to antibacterial drugs. The disease often becomes chronic.
5. Mycoplasma often appears in middle-aged people, is combined with infections of the genitourinary organs, and occurs in a mild form.
6. Legionella bacteria rarely cause pneumonia, but this form of the disease often causes death.
7. Haemophilus influenzae is often found in smokers; inflammation develops against the background of destruction in the respiratory tract.

Pneumonia can develop against the background of helminthic infestations, after taking certain medications, or when working in hazardous industries.

Important! Viral pneumonia is a dangerous type of disease that has appeared recently. There is no clear specific treatment for the disease; the speed of recovery depends on the patient’s immunity. If the body cannot cope, pathological changes begin in the alveoli, and the person dies from lack of oxygen.

Is pneumonia contagious or not? Even doctors don’t have a clear answer to this question; it all depends on the type of disease. If the cause of the disease is bacteria, then this form of the disease is considered harmless. A viral form that develops against the background of influenza, ARVI is contagious - pneumonia pathogens enter the air along with a cough or during a conversation.

The most dangerous forms of pneumonia are atypical, caseous (occurs with tuberculosis), transmitted by airborne droplets, and almost always result in death.

Symptoms

Pneumonia can be acute or chronic, and the acute form can manifest itself as lobar or focal pneumonia.

Signs of lobar pneumonia:

• an entire lobe of the lung is damaged due to infection with pneumococci;
• acute onset of the disease - the temperature rises sharply to 39 degrees, accompanied by increased sweating and chills;
• weakness, headache, drowsiness;
• with severe intoxication, vomiting and confusion may occur;
• dry cough, shortness of breath;
• chest pain occurs from the inflamed respiratory organ, which intensifies when coughing and inhaling, sometimes there is no cough initial stage diseases.

A patient with lobar pneumonia often has a feverish flush, redness of the skin is observed, and the person tries to lie on the side where the inflammatory process is localized.

With focal inflammation, a separate area of ​​the respiratory organ is affected; the disease is a common complication of infectious and viral diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Symptoms in adults and children are acute - heat, signs of intoxication. The cough appears immediately and can be dry or wet. The sputum has a grayish tint and sometimes contains blood. Chest pain is absent or mild.

Inflammation of the respiratory system can occur on one or both sides. Right-sided pneumonia occurs more often - the right process of the bronchial tree is directed obliquely from top to bottom, which allows bacteria to penetrate into the lower parts of the respiratory system. The disease is caused by streptococci; treatment is difficult because the bronchial tree on the right side is less well supplied with blood.

Left-sided pneumonia is a dangerous form of pneumonia, since the source of inflammation is located close to the heart muscle and often causes death.

Important! Bilateral pneumonia is most often caused by pneumococci, the most dangerous type of pneumonia. As the disease progresses, the sites of small hemorrhages in the alveoli become covered with fibrin - respiratory failure develops, and the person dies from lack of air.

Can you have pneumonia without fever?

Sometimes pneumonia is hidden and occurs without fever. This form greatly complicates diagnosis; a person may see a doctor too late.

Symptoms without fever are often observed in people with weakened immune systems; diseased teeth and inflammation of the tonsils can provoke the development of the disease.

Signs of latent pneumonia:

• shortness of breath, increased sweating even with minor physical exertion;
• cough for more than 2 weeks, sputum scanty or profuse;
• extreme thirst, increased fatigue, decreased appetite;
• asymmetrical oscillation of the chest, wheezing.

Important! Hidden pneumonia is difficult to detect; only an experienced doctor can detect it.

Pneumonia in children

The clinical picture and pathogenesis of pneumonia in children has some features; the disease is very dangerous for infants and children preschool age.

Features of pneumonia in children:

• the temperature during segmental inflammation rarely rises above 38 degrees;
• fever has classic symptoms, and antipyretic drugs do not provide relief;
• the first signs of the disease are always accompanied by rapid breathing, while a cough may be absent;
• pneumonia in newborns is characterized by severe shortness of breath, which is accompanied by retraction of the costal spaces of the chest.

The onset of inflammation in the lung tissues in children is indicated by general weakness, increased sweating, and appetite worsens after a few days.

Important! Temperatures up to 38 degrees help the body fight pathogenic organisms - it should only be brought down if the child is prone to seizures.

In a child with pneumonia, the number of breaths per minute exceeds 50, while the norm is 20–40. If you carefully examine the chest, you can see a clear retraction of tissue in the intercostal spaces.

Atypical types of pneumonia begin in a child with a slight sore throat, a runny nose, and a dry cough. Against the background of a high temperature, severe intoxication begins, vomiting, loss of appetite, and infants often regurgitate. Such forms of the disease are very dangerous for preschool children due to their not fully developed immunity.

How to determine pneumonia

If you have a persistent cough that is accompanied by fever or chest pain, you should consult a doctor. After careful listening, the doctor will prescribe the necessary diagnostic methods.

The basis of diagnosis is an x-ray of the lungs, which shows all changes in the tissues of the respiratory organs. Will fluorography show pneumonia? On fluorography you can see the condition of the lung tissue - in a healthy person it has a homogeneous structure, with inflammation, cancer, tuberculosis, darkened areas appear. But you can do it no more than once a year.

X-ray is a diagnostic method, and fluorography is a preventive method. On an x-ray, pathologies and darkening are visible better.

A clinical blood test will show changes that are characteristic of the inflammatory process - leukocytosis, an increase in stab bodies, an increase in ESR. Sputum analysis will allow you to determine the causative agent of inflammation and determine sensitivity to antibiotics.

How to treat pneumonia

Pneumonia in adults can be treated in a hospital or at home; children are subject to mandatory hospitalization. The basis of treatment for pneumonia is antibacterial agents. At home, it is better to use medications in the form of tablets so that you take the medicine strictly by the hour. You cannot interrupt or prolong the course of antibiotic treatment on your own.

What antibiotics are used to treat pneumonia:

• aminopenicillins – Ampiox, Amoxicillin;
• II generation cephalosporins – Axetil, Cefuroxin;
• macrolides – Erythromycin, Azithromycin;
• fluoroquinolones – Levofloxacin.

Expectorants such as Lazolvan, Bromhexine are used as additional agents in treatment. Heparin is intended to improve blood supply to the respiratory organs and reduce swelling of the mucous membrane.

Treatment at home

Folk remedies in the treatment of pneumonia can only be used in combination with drug therapy - natural remedies help cough up, strengthen the immune system, and eliminate inflammation.

Figs or raisins can be used to treat children and adults.

How to prepare a decoction of dried fruits:

1. Grind 120 g of black raisins or figs using a meat grinder.
2. Pour 240 ml of boiling water over the mixture.
3. Cook raisins for 10 minutes over low heat, figs for a quarter of an hour.

Drink 240 ml of the medicine three times a day; for children, half the dose is enough.

Honey is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that strengthens the immune system. You can make compresses from it - mix 15 g of honey, dry mustard and vodka. Apply the mixture to the area between the shoulder blades and chest, cover with film, and leave overnight.

For oral administration, prepare a mixture of 500 ml of Cahors, 350 ml of liquid honey, 250 g of crushed aloe. Place the medicine in a cool place for 14 days and filter. Drink 15 ml three times a day.

Is it possible to put mustard plasters on pneumonia? Mustard plasters help eliminate the severe cough that occurs with pneumonia, they eliminate congestion in the respiratory system, remove phlegm, and have a mild analgesic effect. But they can be placed only 2 days after the temperature subsides.

Pneumonia is a complex respiratory disease, many forms of which are difficult to treat. The best prevention against pneumonia is strengthening the body’s protective functions, giving up bad habits, and clean and sufficiently humidified air. Hypothermia should be avoided and colds and viral diseases treated promptly.

Any person periodically suffers from diseases of the respiratory system. A number of such diseases include atypical pneumonia, the symptoms of which are similar to acute respiratory infections. At the slightest sign of its appearance it is necessary.

One of the most dangerous diseases respiratory system is pneumonia. Symptoms in children may vary depending on the form of the disease and the type of pathogen. Treatment.

Pneumonia is called inflammation of the lungs. The main cause of the disease is pathogenic microorganisms. Some of them are constantly in the human respiratory tract. But if the immune system weakens, bacteria begin.

Pathogenic microorganisms that infect the lower respiratory tract cause pneumonia. Viral pneumonia occurs at any age and can lead to serious consequences, especially if not treated promptly.

Bilateral pneumonia, also called pneumonia, is a dangerous complication of some respiratory infections, colds of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. This complication can occur without timely treatment.

Signs of pneumonia appear when there are problems with work immune system, infected with toxic pathogens: mycoplasma, pneumococcus, chlamydia. The most common time for symptoms of pneumonia to appear is in the fall and winter.

Pneumonia is an infectious disease that affects the lung tissue. The inflammatory process can affect the entire organ, or maybe only a separate part of it. Pneumonia is always caused.

Pneumonia or pneumonia is a serious disease that is the appearance of an inflammatory process in the lung tissues. The reasons for the development of this disease are varied. But nonetheless.

Pneumonia or pneumonia – acute illness infectious in nature, which consists in the appearance of an inflammatory process in the respiratory tissues of the lung. The disease is quite severe, so it is dangerous.

Pneumonia is one of the most common and dangerous infectious diseases; the nosocomial form is often fatal. How does pneumonia manifest itself, the main symptoms in adults? (Further…)

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The incidence of pneumonia in children of the first year of life is 15-20 per 1000 children, over 3 years old 5-6 per 1000, in adults 10-13 per 1000 adults. The high incidence of pneumonia in young children is associated with the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the respiratory system.

Anatomy and physiology of the lungs

Pneumonia is a very serious disease, and in order to better understand what happens in the lungs and in the body as a whole, let us turn to the anatomy and physiology of the lungs.

The lungs are located in the chest cavity. Each lung is divided into parts (segments), the right lung consists of three segments, the left lung of two, since it is adjacent to the heart, therefore the volume of the left lung is less than that of the right by about 10%.

The lung consists of the bronchial tree and alveoli. The bronchial tree in turn consists of bronchi. Bronchi come in different sizes (caliber). The branching of bronchi from large caliber to smaller bronchi, up to the terminal bronchioles, is the so-called bronchial tree. It serves to conduct air during inhalation and exhalation.

The bronchioles, decreasing in diameter, pass into the respiratory bronchioles and ultimately end in the alveolar sacs. The walls of the alveoli are very well supplied with blood, which allows gas exchange.

The inside of the alveoli is covered with a special substance (surfactant). It serves to protect against microbes, prevents the collapse of the lung, and is involved in the removal of germs and microscopic dust.

Features of the respiratory system in young children

1. The larynx, trachea and bronchi in infants are narrow. This leads to the retention of sputum in the respiratory tract and the proliferation of microorganisms in them.

2. In newborns horizontal position ribs and underdeveloped intercostal muscles. Children at this age are in a horizontal position for a long time, which leads to stagnation of blood circulation.

3. Imperfect nervous regulation of the respiratory muscles, which leads to respiratory failure.

Main forms of pneumonia

Also, depending on the involvement of the lungs, there are unilateral (when one lung is inflamed) and bilateral (when both lungs are involved in the process).

Causes of pneumonia

Pneumonia is infection which is caused by various microorganisms.

According to many scientists, in 50% of all patients with pneumonia the cause remains unknown.

Pathogens of pneumonia in early childhood is most often staphylococcus, mycoplasma, microviruses, adenoviruses.

The most dangerous is a mixed viral-microbial infection. Viruses infect the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and provide access to microbial flora, which aggravates the manifestations of pneumonia.
I would like to note other causes of pneumonia

Risk factorsfor the development of pneumoniaamong adults:

1. Constant stress that depletes the body. 2. Poor nutrition. Insufficient consumption of fruits, vegetables, fresh fish, lean meat. 3. Weakened immunity. Leads to a decrease in the barrier functions of the body. 4. Frequent colds, leading to the formation of a chronic focus of infection. 5. Smoking. When smoking, the walls of the bronchi and alveoli become covered with various harmful substances, preventing surfactant and other lung structures from working normally. 6. Alcohol abuse. 7. Chronic diseases. Especially pyelonephritis, heart failure, coronary heart disease.

Pneumonia symptoms (manifestations)

Symptoms of pneumonia consist of “pulmonary complaints,” symptoms of intoxication, and signs of respiratory failure.

The onset of the disease can be either gradual or sudden.

Signs of intoxication.
1. Increase in body temperature from 37.5 to 39.5 degrees Celsius.
2. Headache of varying intensity.
3. Deterioration of well-being in the form of lethargy or anxiety, decreased interest in the environment, sleep disturbances, night sweats.

From " pulmonary symptoms» Cough may be noted. Its character is dry at the beginning, and after some time (3-4 days) it becomes moist with the production of copious sputum. Usually the sputum is rusty in color due to the presence of red blood cells.

In children, cough with rusty sputum occurs mainly at an older age. Cough occurs as a result of inflammation of the bronchial and tracheal mucosa under the influence of inflammatory mediators, or mechanical (sputum) irritation.
Edema interferes with the normal functioning of the lung and therefore the body tries to clear it with the help of coughing. When a cough lasts 3-4 days, there is a persistent increase in pressure in all structures of the lung, so red blood cells move from the vessels into the lumen of the bronchi, forming rust-colored sputum along with mucus.

In addition to coughing, chest pain appears on the side of the damaged lung. The pain usually gets worse when you inhale.

Signs of pulmonary failure include symptoms such as: shortness of breath, cyanosis (blue discoloration) of the skin, especially the nasolabial triangle.
Shortness of breath appears more often with extensive pneumonia (bilateral); inhalation is especially difficult. This symptom appears due to the shutdown of the affected part of the lung from function, which leads to insufficient oxygen saturation of the tissues. The larger the focus of inflammation, the stronger the shortness of breath.

Rapid breathing, for example, in children over one year old (more than 40 breaths per minute) is one of the main signs of pneumonia. Blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle is especially noticeable in young children (during breastfeeding), but adults are no exception. The cause of cyanosis is again a lack of oxygen.

Course of pneumonia: The duration of the disease depends on the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment and the reactivity of the body. Before the advent of antibiotics, the high temperature dropped on days 7-9.

When treated with antibiotics, the temperature drop may be early dates. Gradually the patient's condition improves, the cough becomes more wet.
If the infection is mixed (viral-microbial), the disease is accompanied by damage to the cardiovascular system, liver, and kidneys.

Diagnosis of pneumonia

If you suspect that you have pneumonia, you should definitely consult a doctor (GP or pediatrician). Without medical examination It is impossible to make a diagnosis of pneumonia.

What awaits you at the doctor?

1.	Conversation with a doctor	At the appointment, the doctor will ask you about your complaints and various factors that could cause the disease.
2.	Chest examination	To do this, you will be asked to undress to the waist. The doctor will examine the chest, especially the uniformity of its participation in breathing. With pneumonia, the affected side often lags behind the healthy side when breathing.
3.	Tapping the lungs	Percussion necessary for diagnosing pneumonia and localizing affected areas. During percussion, finger tapping of the chest is performed in the projection of the lung. Normally, the sound when tapped is ringing, like a box-shaped sound (due to the presence of air); with pneumonia, the sound is dulled and shortened, since instead of air, a pathological fluid called exudate accumulates in the lung.
4.	Listening to the lungs	Auscultation(listening to the lung) is performed using a special device called a stethoscope. This simple device consists of a system of plastic tubes and a membrane that amplifies sound. Normally, a clear pulmonary sound is heard, that is, the sound of normal breathing. If there is an inflammatory process in the lungs, then exudate interferes with breathing and the sound of labored, weakened breathing and various types of wheezing appear.
5.	Laboratory research	General blood analysis: where there will be an increase in the number of leukocytes - cells responsible for the presence of inflammation, and increased ESR same as an indicator of inflammation. General urine analysis: is carried out to exclude an infectious process at the kidney level. Analysis of sputum during coughing: to establish which microbe caused the disease, and also to adjust treatment.
6.	Instrumental studies	X-ray examination To understand in which area of ​​the lung the inflammation is located, what size it is, as well as the presence or absence of possible complications (abscess). On an x-ray, the doctor sees a light spot against the background of the dark color of the lungs, called clearing in radiology. This clearing is the source of inflammation. Bronchoscopy Bronchoscopy is also sometimes performed - this is an examination of the bronchi using a flexible tube with a camera and a light source at the end. This tube is passed through the nose into the lumen of the bronchi to examine the contents. This study is done for complicated forms of pneumonia.

There are diseases similar in symptoms to pneumonia. These are diseases such as acute bronchitis, pleurisy, tuberculosis, and in order to correctly diagnose and then cure, the doctor prescribes a chest x-ray for all patients with suspected pneumonia.

In children, radiographic changes characteristic of pneumonia may develop before the appearance of symptoms of pneumonia (wheezing, decreased breathing). In children, when the lower lobe of the lung is affected, it is necessary to differentiate pneumonia even from appendicitis (children complain of pain in the abdominal area).

Pneumonia in the picture

Effective treatmentpneumonia

Hygiene, regimen and nutrition for pneumonia

1. Bed rest is recommended throughout the acute period.
Children in the first months of life are placed in a half-turn position to prevent choking on vomit. Swaddling of the chest is not allowed. If there is shortness of breath, the child should be positioned correctly in bed with the upper body elevated.
When the child's condition improves, you should change the child's position in bed more often and pick him up

2. Balanced diet: increase fluid intake 1.5-2.0 liters per day, preferably warm. You can use fruit drinks, juices, tea with lemon. Do not eat fatty foods (pork, goose, duck), confectionery products (cakes, pastries). Sweets enhance inflammatory and allergic processes.

3. Clearing the respiratory tract of mucus, by expectoration.
In children under one year of age, the respiratory tract is cleansed of mucus and sputum at home by the mother (the oral cavity is cleaned with a napkin). In the department, mucus and sputum are sucked out using an electric suction device. oral cavity and nasopharynx.

4. Regular ventilation and wet cleaning of the room, when there is no patient in the room.
When the air temperature outside is more than 20 degrees, the window in the room should always be open. At lower temperatures outside, the room is ventilated at least 4 times a day, so that in 20-30 minutes the temperature in the room drops by 2 degrees.
In winter, to avoid rapid cooling of the room, close the window with gauze.

What medications are used for pneumonia?

The main type of treatment for pneumonia is medication. It is aimed at fighting infection.
In the acute period of pneumonia, this is treatment with antibiotics.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics are most often used. The choice of group of antibiotics and the route of their administration (orally, intramuscularly, intravenously) depends on the severity of pneumonia.

For mild forms of pneumonia, antibiotics are usually used in tablet form and in the form of intramuscular injections. The following drugs are used: Amoxicillin 1.0-3.0 grams per day in 3 doses (orally), cefotaxime 1-2 grams every 6 hours intramuscularly.

Treatment of pneumonia in mild form possible at home, but under the mandatory supervision of a doctor.

Severe forms of pneumonia are treated in the hospital in the pulmonology department. Antibiotics in the hospital are administered either intramuscularly or intravenously.

The duration of antibiotic use should be at least 7 days (at the discretion of the attending physician)
The frequency of administration and dosage are also selected individually. As an example, we give standard drug regimens.

Cefazolin 0.5-1.0 grams intravenously 3-4 times a day.

Cefepime 0.5-1.0 grams intravenously 2 times a day.

On the 3-4th day of taking antibiotics (or simultaneously with the start of taking antibacterial drugs), an antifungal drug (fluconazole 150 milligrams, 1 tablet) is prescribed to prevent fungal infection.

An antibiotic destroys not only pathogenic ( causing disease) flora, but also the natural (protective) flora of the body. Therefore, a fungal infection or intestinal dysbiosis may occur. Therefore, the manifestation of intestinal dysbiosis can manifest itself loose stools, bloating. This condition is treated with drugs such as bifiform, subtil after completing a course of antibiotics.

When using antibiotics, it is also necessary to take vitamins C and group B in therapeutic doses. Expectorants and sputum thinners are also prescribed.

When the temperature normalizes, physiotherapy (UHF) is prescribed to improve the resorption of the source of inflammation. After the end of the UHF, 10-15 sessions of electrophoresis with potassium iodide, platiphylline, lidase are carried out.

Herbal medicine for pneumonia

Herbal treatment is used in the acute period. They use preparations with an expectorant effect (elecampane root, licorice root, sage, coltsfoot, thyme, wild rosemary) and anti-inflammatory effect (Icelandic moss, birch leaves, St. John's wort).

These plants are mixed in equal parts, ground and 1 tablespoon of the collection is poured with 1 glass of boiling water, simmered for 10-20 minutes (boiling bath), infused for 1 hour, drunk 1 tablespoon 4-5 times a day.

Physiotherapy an obligatory part of the treatment of patients with acute pneumonia. After normalization of body temperature, short-wave diathermy and UHF electric field can be prescribed. After completing the UHF course, 10-15 sessions of electrophoresis with potassium iodine and lidase are performed.

Adequate treatment of pneumonia is possible only under the supervision of the attending physician!

Therapeutic exercise for pneumonia

Usually, chest massage and gymnastics begin immediately after the temperature normalizes. The objectives of exercise therapy for pneumonia are:

1. Strengthening general condition sick
2. Improving lymph and blood circulation
3. Prevention of the formation of pleural adhesions
4. Strengthening the heart muscle

In the initial lying position, breathing exercises with simple movements of the limbs are performed 2-3 times a day. Then include slow turns of the body and bends of the body. The duration of classes is no more than 12-15 minutes.

For preschool children, gymnastics is used partly using a play method. For example, walking in various variations. Using the story “a walk in the forest” - a hunter, a bunny, a clubfooted bear. Breathing exercises (the porridge is boiling, the woodcutter, the ball burst). Drainage exercises - from a position, standing on all fours and lying on its side (the cat is angry and kind). Exercises for the chest muscles (mill, wings). Ends with walking with a gradual slowdown.

To finally convince you that treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor, I will give several possible complications pneumonia.

An abscess (accumulation of pus in the lung), which, by the way, is treated with surgery.

Pulmonary edema - which, if not treated promptly, can lead to death.

Sepsis (the entry of microbes into the blood) and, accordingly, the spread of infection throughout the body.

Prevention of pneumonia

The best prevention is maintaining a rational lifestyle:

• Proper nutrition (fruits, vegetables, juices), walks in the fresh air, avoiding stress.
• In winter and spring, to avoid a decrease in immunity, you can take a multivitamin complex, for example, Vitrum.
• To give up smoking .
• Treatment of chronic diseases, moderate alcohol consumption.
• For children, it is important to avoid passive smoking, consult an otolaryngologist if the child often suffers from colds, and timely treatment of rickets and anemia.

Here are some recommendations for breathing exercises that are useful for people who often suffer from colds. This breathing exercise should be done every day. It helps not only improve oxygenation (saturation of cells with oxygen) of tissues, but also has a relaxing and calming effect. Especially when you think only about good things while doing exercises.

Breathing exercises using yoga techniques for the prevention of diseases of the respiratory system

1. Stand up straight. Extend your arms forward. Take a deep breath and hold your arms to the sides and forward several times. Lower your arms and exhale vigorously through your open mouth.

2. Stand up straight. Hands forward. Inhale: while holding the breath, wave your arms like a mill. Exhale vigorously with your mouth open.

3. Stand up straight. Grab yourself by the shoulders with your fingertips. While inhaling, connect your elbows to your chest and spread them wide several times. Exhale vigorously with your mouth wide open.

4. Stand up straight. Inhale in three vigorous, gradual breaths. In the first third, stretch your arms forward, in the second, to the sides, at shoulder level, in the third, up. Exhale forcefully, opening your mouth wide.

5. Stand up straight. Inhale, rising onto your toes. Hold your breath while standing on your toes. Exhale slowly through your nose, lowering onto your heels.

6. Stand up straight. As you inhale, rise onto your toes. Exhaling, sit down. Then stand up.

How does pneumonia manifest in children?

Pneumonia in children manifests itself differently, depending on the area of ​​the inflammatory process and the infectious agent ( microorganism that causes inflammation).
Typically, the development of pneumonia occurs against the background of acute respiratory infections such as bronchitis ( inflammation of the bronchial mucosa), laryngotracheitis ( inflammation of the mucous membrane of the larynx and trachea), angina . In this case, the symptoms of pneumonia are superimposed on the picture of the primary disease.

In most cases, pneumonia in children manifests itself in the form of three main syndromes.

The main syndromes of pneumonia in children are:

• general intoxication syndrome;
• syndrome of specific inflammation of lung tissue;
• respiratory distress syndrome.

General intoxication syndrome
Inflammation of lung tissue in a small area rarely causes pronounced symptoms of intoxication syndrome. However, when several segments of the lungs or entire lobes are involved in the process, signs of intoxication come to the fore.
Young children who cannot express their complaints become capricious or apathetic.

Signs of general intoxication syndrome are:

• increased body temperature;
• increased heart rate ( more than 110 – 120 beats per minute for preschool children, more than 90 beats per minute for children over 7 years old);
• fatigue;
• fast fatiguability;
• drowsiness;
• pale skin;
• decreased appetite to the point of refusing to eat;
• rarely sweating;
• rarely vomiting.

When small areas of the lungs are affected, the body temperature remains within 37 – 37.5 degrees. When the inflammatory process covers several segments or lobes of the lung, body temperature rises sharply to 38.5 - 39.5 degrees or more. At the same time, it is difficult to reduce with antipyretic drugs and quickly increases again. Fever may persist ( will be preserved) 3 – 4 days or more without adequate treatment.

Syndrome of specific inflammation of lung tissue
The most characteristic signs of pneumonia in children are signs indicating organic lesion lungs, infection and inflammation.

Signs of specific inflammation of the lung tissue during pneumonia are:

• cough;
• pain syndrome;
• auscultatory changes;
• radiological signs;
• deviations from the norm in the hemoleukogram ( general blood test).

A feature of cough with pneumonia in children is its constant presence, regardless of the time of day. The cough is paroxysmal in nature. Any attempts to take a deep breath lead to another attack. The cough is constantly accompanied by phlegm. In preschool children, parents may not notice the appearance of sputum when coughing because children often swallow it. In children aged 7–8 years and older, mucopurulent sputum is produced in varying quantities. The color of sputum in pneumonia is reddish or rusty.

Pneumonia in children usually goes away without pain. Painful sensations in the form of aching pain in the abdomen may appear when the lower segments of the lungs are affected.
When the inflammatory process from the lungs moves to the pleura ( the lining of the lungs), children complain of chest pain when breathing. The pain is especially worse when trying to take a deep breath and when coughing.

On radiographs of pneumonia in children, darker areas of lung tissue are noted, which correspond to the affected areas of the lungs. Areas can cover several segments or entire lobes. In a general blood test for pneumonia, it is observed increased level leukocytes due to neutrophils ( leukocytes with granules) and increased ESR ( erythrocyte sedimentation rate).

Respiratory distress syndrome
As a result of damage to the lung tissue during pneumonia, the area of ​​the “breathing” surface of the lungs decreases. As a result, children develop respiratory failure syndrome. How less baby, the faster he develops respiratory failure. The severity of this syndrome is also influenced by concomitant pathologies. So, if a child is weak and often gets sick, then the symptoms of respiratory failure will quickly increase.

Signs of respiratory failure with pneumonia are:

• dyspnea;
• tachypnea ( increased breathing movements);
• difficulty breathing;
• mobility of the wings of the nose when breathing;
• cyanosis ( bluish coloration) nasolabial triangle.

From the first days of the disease, pneumonia in children is characterized by the appearance of shortness of breath both against the background of elevated body temperature and low-grade fever ( long-term temperature retention in the region of 37 - 37.5 degrees). Shortness of breath can occur even at rest. Tachypnea, or rapid shallow breathing, is a common symptom of pneumonia in children. In this case, there is an increase in respiratory movements at rest to 40 or more. Breathing movements become shallow and incomplete. As a result, much less oxygen penetrates into the body, which, in turn, leads to disruption of gas exchange in tissues.

With pneumonia, children experience difficult, irregular breathing. Attempts to take a deep breath are accompanied by great efforts involving all muscle groups of the chest. During breathing in children, you can see retraction of the skin in the subcostal or supraclavicular area, as well as in the spaces between the ribs.
During inhalation, mobility of the wings of the nose is observed. The child seems to be trying to inhale more air by inflating the wings of his nose. This is another one hallmark which indicates respiratory failure.

What are the features of pneumonia in newborns?

Pneumonia in newborns is characterized by a number of features. First of all, these are very quickly growing symptoms. If in adults the clinical stage of the disease can be divided into stages, then pneumonia in newborns is characterized by an almost lightning-fast course. The disease progresses by leaps and bounds, and respiratory failure increases rapidly.

Another feature of pneumonia in newborns is the predominance of symptoms of general intoxication. So, if in adults pneumonia is more manifested by pulmonary symptoms ( cough, shortness of breath), then intoxication syndrome predominates in newborns ( refusal to feed, convulsions, vomiting).

Pneumonia in newborns may have the following manifestations:

• refusal to breastfeed;
• frequent regurgitation and vomiting;
• shortness of breath or wheezing;
• convulsions;
• loss of consciousness.

The first thing the mother notices is that the child refuses to eat. He whines, is restless, throws up his chest. In this case, a high temperature may not be observed, which will complicate the diagnosis of the disease. Slight increase temperature or its decrease is usually observed in premature infants. High temperature is typical for children born at normal terms.

Newborns immediately show signs of respiratory failure. In this condition, an insufficient amount of oxygen enters the child’s body, and body tissues begin to experience oxygen starvation. Therefore, the child’s skin acquires a bluish tint. The skin of the face begins to turn blue first. Breathing becomes shallow, intermittent and frequent. The frequency of respiratory excursions reaches 80–100 per minute, while the norm is 40–60 per minute. At the same time, the children seem to groan. The breathing rhythm is also interrupted, and children often develop foamy saliva on their lips. Against the background of fever, convulsions occur in more than half of the cases. So-called febrile convulsions occur at high temperatures and are clonic or tonic in nature. Children's consciousness is rarely preserved at such moments. It is often confused, and children are sleepy and lethargic.

Another difference between pneumonia in newborns is the presence of so-called intrauterine pneumonia. Intrauterine pneumonia is one that developed in a child while he was still in the womb. The reason for this may be various infections that a woman suffered during pregnancy. Also, intrauterine pneumonia is typical for premature babies. This pneumonia appears immediately after the birth of the child and is characterized by a number of symptoms.

Intrauterine pneumonia in a newborn baby may have the following features:

• the baby’s first cry is weak or absent altogether;
• the baby's skin has a bluish tint;
• breathing is noisy, with multiple moist rales;
• decrease in all reflexes, the child reacts poorly to stimuli;
• the baby does not latch on to the breast;
• swelling of the limbs is possible.

Also, this type of pneumonia can develop when a child passes through the birth canal, that is, during the birth itself. This occurs due to aspiration of amniotic fluid.

Intrauterine pneumonia in newborns is most often caused by bacterial flora. These can be peptostreptococci, bacteroides, E. coli, but most often they are group B streptococci. In children after six months, pneumonia develops against the background of a viral infection. So, it first develops viral infection (for example, flu), to which bacteria subsequently attach.

The most common pathogens of pneumonia in children of the first year of life

For children in the first month of life ( that is, for newborns) is characterized by the development of small focal pneumonia or bronchopneumonia. On an x-ray, such pneumonia appears in the form of small foci, which can be within one lung or two. Unilateral small-focal pneumonia is typical for full-term infants and has a relatively benign course. Bilateral bronchopneumonia has a malignant course and is mainly found in prematurely born children.

The following forms of pneumonia are typical for newborn children:

• microfocal pneumonia– on X-ray images there are small areas of darkening ( appears white on film);
• segmental pneumonia– the focus of inflammation occupies one or more segments of the lung;
• interstitial pneumonia– it is not the alveoli themselves that are affected, but the interstitial tissue between them.

What temperature can there be with pneumonia?

Considering that pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lung tissue, it is characterized by an increase in temperature. Elevated temperature ( above 36.6 degrees) – is a manifestation of the general intoxication syndrome. The cause of high temperature is the action of fever-causing substances ( pyrogens). These substances are synthesized either by pathogenic bacteria or by the body itself.

The nature of the temperature depends on the form of pneumonia, the degree of reactivity of the body and, of course, the age of the patient.

Type of pneumonia	Character of temperature
Lobar pneumonia	39 – 40 degrees, accompanied by chills and wet sweat. Lasts 7 – 10 days.
Segmental pneumonia	39 degrees if pneumonia is caused by bacterial flora; 38 degrees if pneumonia is of viral origin.
Interstitial pneumonia	within normal limits ( that is 36.6 degrees) – in patients over 50 years of age, as well as in cases where pneumonia develops against the background systemic diseases; 37.5 – 38 degrees, with acute interstitial pneumonia in middle-aged people; above 38 degrees - in newborns.
Pneumonia of viral origin	37 - 38 degrees, and with the addition of bacterial flora it rises above 38.
Pneumonia in HIV-infected people	37 – 37.2 degrees. The so-called low-grade fever can persist throughout the entire period of the illness, only in rare cases the temperature becomes febrile ( more than 37.5 degrees).
Hospital pneumonia (one that develops within 48 hours of being in hospital)	38 – 39.5 degrees, does not respond well to taking antipyretics, lasts more than a week.
Pneumonia in people with diabetes.	37 – 37.5 degrees, with severe decompensated forms of diabetes mellitus; above 37.5 degrees – for pneumonia caused by Staphylococcus aureus and microbial associations.
Intrauterine pneumonia of premature infants	less than 36 degrees with severe weight deficiency; 36 – 36.6 degrees with Pneumocystis pneumonia; in other forms of pneumonia, the temperature is either within normal limits or reduced.
Early neonatal pneumonia (those that develop during the first weeks of life)	35 – 36 degrees, accompanied by breathing disorders ( respiratory arrest).

Temperature is a mirror of the human immune system. The weaker a person’s immunity, the more atypical his temperature. The nature of the temperature is influenced by concomitant diseases, as well as medications. It happens that with viral pneumonia, a person starts taking antibiotics on his own. Since antibacterial drugs are ineffective in this case, the temperature continues to persist for a long time.

How does pneumonia caused by Klebsiella occur?

Pneumonia caused by Klebsiella is much more severe than other types of bacterial pneumonia. Its symptoms are similar to those of pneumonia caused by pneumococci, however, it is more pronounced.

The main syndromes that dominate the clinical picture of pneumonia caused by Klebsiella are intoxication syndrome and lung tissue damage syndrome.

Intoxication syndrome
One of the important features of Klebsiella pneumonia is its acute, sudden onset due to the action of microbial toxins on the human body.

The main manifestations of intoxication syndrome are:

• temperature;
• chills;
• general weakness;
• increased sweating;
• dizziness;
• headache;
• delirium;
• prostration.

In the first 24 hours, the patient has a body temperature of 37.5 - 38 degrees. At the same time, the first signs of the disease appear - chills, general fatigue and malaise. As Klebsiella toxins accumulate in the body, the fever increases to 39 - 39.5 degrees. The general condition is deteriorating sharply. One-time vomiting and diarrhea appear. Hyperthermia ( heat) negatively affects brain function. The headache gives way to prostration and delirium, and appetite decreases. Some patients experience hallucinations.

Lung tissue damage syndrome
Klebsiella are quite aggressive towards lung tissue, causing destruction ( destruction) lung parenchyma. For this reason, the course of Klebsiella pneumonia is particularly severe.

Symptoms of lung tissue damage due to pneumonia caused by Klebsiella are:

• cough;
• sputum;
• pain syndrome;
• dyspnea;
• cyanosis ( bluish coloration).

Cough
At the initial stages of the disease, patients complain of a constant dry cough. After 2–3 days, a persistent productive cough appears against a background of high fever. Due to the high viscosity, sputum is difficult to separate, and the cough becomes excruciatingly painful.

Sputum
Sputum from Klebsiella pneumonia contains particles of destroyed lung tissue, so it has a reddish color. It can be compared to currant jelly. Sometimes there are streaks of blood in the sputum. Also, sputum has a sharp, specific odor, reminiscent of burnt meat. On the 5th – 6th day from the onset of the disease, large quantities of bloody sputum are released.

Pain syndrome
Firstly, there is constant pain in the throat and chest area due to persistent cough. Secondly, pleural pain appears. The inflammatory process from the lungs quickly spreads to the pleural layers ( membranes of the lungs), which have a large number nerve endings. Any irritation of the pleura causes severe pain in the chest area, especially in the lower sections. The pain intensifies when coughing, walking, bending the body.

Dyspnea
Due to the destruction of lung tissue by Klebsiella, the area of ​​the alveoli involved in the breathing process decreases. For this reason, shortness of breath occurs. When several lobes of the lungs are affected, shortness of breath becomes severe even at rest.

Cyanosis
Severe respiratory failure leads to the appearance of a bluish coloration of the nasolabial triangle ( area covering the nose and lips). This is especially pronounced on the lips and tongue. The rest of the face becomes paler with a grayish tint. The bluish color of the skin under the nails also stands out.

In particularly severe cases of Klebsiella pneumonia with severe intoxication syndrome, other organs and systems are often affected. If treatment is not timely, in 30–35 percent of cases the disease ends in death.

What are the features of the course of lobar pneumonia?

Due to the particular severity of lobar pneumonia and the characteristics of its development, this form is usually considered as a separate disease. With lobar pneumonia, an entire lobe of the lung is affected, and in extreme cases, several lobes. The causative agent is pneumococcus. Pneumococcus is particularly pathogenic, which is why pneumonia caused by it is extremely severe.

Main features of the course of lobar pneumonia

Main characteristics	Lobar pneumonia
Onset of the disease	The onset of the disease begins with chills and a sharp rise in temperature to 39 degrees. Lobar pneumonia has the most dramatic onset of the disease. Gradual development is excluded.
Main symptoms	Cough accompanied by stabbing pain in the chest. In the first two days it is dry. Fever lasts 7 – 11 days. Sputum appears on the 3rd day. There are streaks of blood in the sputum, which is why it takes on a rusty tint ( “rusty sputum” is a specific symptom of lobar pneumonia). Frequent, shallow and difficult breathing. Chest pain, especially when breathing. The development of pain syndrome is caused by damage to the pleura ( lobar pneumonia always occurs with damage to the pleura). If pneumonia affects the lower segments of the lungs, then the pain is localized in various segments of the abdominal cavity. This often imitates the picture of acute appendicitis, pancreatitis, and biliary colic.
Changes from the side internal organs	Most often the nervous system, liver, and heart are affected. The gas composition of the blood is disrupted - hypoxemia and hypocapnia develop. Dystrophic change in the liver - it enlarges, becomes painful, and bilirubin appears in the blood. The skin and sclera become icteric. Dystrophic changes in the heart muscle are common.
Stage of the disease	The pathological process of lobar pneumonia occurs in several stages: Tide stage– the lung tissue fills with blood, and there is stagnation of blood in the capillaries. Lasts the first 2 – 3 days. Red liver stage– the alveoli of the lungs fill with effusion. Red blood cells and fibrin penetrate from the bloodstream into the lungs, which makes the lung tissue dense. In fact, this area of ​​the lungs ( where effusion accumulates) becomes non-functional, as it ceases to take part in gas exchange. Lasts from 4 to 7 days. Gray hepatization stage– leukocytes join the effusion, which gives the lung a gray tint. Lasts from 8th to 14th day. Resolution stage– effusion begins to leave the lungs. Lasts several weeks.
Changes in blood, urine, and cardiac activity	A general blood test shows leukocytosis 20 x 10 9, a decrease in the number of eosinophils and an increase in neutrophils, erythrocyte sedimentation rate ( COE) increases to 30–40 mm per hour or more. A biochemical blood test reveals an increase in the level of residual nitrogen. Pulse 120 beats per minute or more, signs of ischemia on the cardiogram, decreased blood pressure. There is protein and red blood cells in the urine. All these changes are due to the high toxicity of pneumococcus and its destructive effect on body tissue.

It should be noted that classic lobar pneumonia is becoming less and less common these days.

What is the difference between viral pneumonia and bacterial pneumonia?

Viral pneumonia has a number of features that distinguish it from bacterial pneumonia. However, viral pneumonia is often complicated by a bacterial infection. In such cases, diagnosis becomes difficult. “Pure” viral pneumonia is observed in children in more than 85 percent of cases. In adults, mixed type pneumonia is most often diagnosed - viral-bacterial.

Differences between viral and bacterial pneumonia

Criterion	Viral pneumonia	Bacterial pneumonia
Contagiousness (contagiousness)	It is contagious, like any acute respiratory viral disease ( acute respiratory infections).	Epidemiologically, it is not considered contagious.
Incubation period	Short incubation period - from 2 to 5 days.	Long incubation period - from 3 days to 2 weeks.
Pre-existing disease	Pneumonia always appears as a complication of acute respiratory viral disease, most often as a result of the flu.	Preexisting disease is not typical.
Prodromal period	Lasts about 24 hours. Particularly expressed. The main symptoms are : severe muscle pain; aching bones;	Almost invisible.
Onset of the disease	A pronounced onset of the disease, in which body temperature quickly increases to 39 - 39.5 degrees.	Usually it begins gradually, with a temperature not exceeding 37.5 - 38 degrees.
Intoxication syndrome	Weakly expressed. The most common symptoms of general intoxication syndrome are: fever; chills; muscle and headaches; general fatigue; dyspeptic disorders in the form of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea.	Expressed The most common symptoms of intoxication syndrome are: heat; chills; headache; general weakness; loss of appetite; cardiopalmus ( more than 90 beats per minute).
Signs of lung tissue damage	Symptoms of lung damage are mild at the onset of the disease. Symptoms of general malaise of the body come to the fore.	Pulmonary symptoms are evident from the first days of the disease.
Cough	A moderate nonproductive cough has been observed for a long time. Gradually, a small amount of mucous sputum begins to be released. The sputum is clear or whitish in color and odorless. Sometimes streaks of blood appear in the sputum. If the sputum becomes purulent, it means there is a bacterial infection.	A dry cough quickly turns into a wet cough. Initially, a small amount of mucous sputum is produced. The volume of sputum increases and it becomes mucopurulent. The color of sputum can be different - greenish, yellowish or rusty with an admixture of blood.
Signs of respiratory failure	In advanced stages of the disease, acute respiratory failure appears with severe shortness of breath and cyanosis of the lips, nose and nails.	The main symptoms of respiratory failure are: severe shortness of breath, even at rest; cyanosis of lips, nose and fingers; rapid breathing - more than 40 respiratory movements per minute.
Pain syndrome	Moderate chest pain is noted. The pain intensifies when coughing and taking deep breaths.	Severe pain appears in the chest when coughing and taking a deep breath.
Auscultatory data (listening)	Throughout the illness, harsh breathing with occasional isolated wheezing can be heard.	Many moist rales of varying size and intensity are heard. Inflammation of the pleura is heard in the form of crepitations.
X-ray data	There is a picture of interstitial ( intercellular) pneumonia. The main X-ray characteristics of viral pneumonia are: thickening of the interlobar septa, which gives the lung tissue the appearance of a honeycomb; moderate compaction and darkening of the tissue around the bronchi; enlargement of peribronchial nodes; emphasizing the vessels in the area of ​​the roots of the lungs.	There are no highly specific signs of bacterial pneumonia. The main characteristics of an x-ray are: darkened areas of the lung of various sizes ( focal or diffuse); the contours of the lesion are blurred; slight darkening of the lung tissue ( reduction of airiness); identifying the level of fluid in the pleural cavity.
General blood analysis	There is a decrease in the number of leukocytes ( white blood cells ec). Sometimes lymphocytosis appears ( increase in the number of lymphocytes) and/or monocytosis ( increase in monocyte count).	Severe leukocytosis and an increase in erythrocyte sedimentation rate are detected ( ESR).
Response to antibiotic therapy	Negative reaction for antibiotics. Antiviral therapy is effective in the first days of the disease.	A positive reaction to antibiotics is visible from the first days of treatment.

What is nosocomial pneumonia?

Intrahospital ( synonyms nosocomial or hospital) pneumonia is that pneumonia that develops within 48 - 72 hours ( 2 or 3 days) after the patient is admitted to the hospital. This type of pneumonia is identified as a separate form, due to the characteristics of its development and extremely severe course.

The term "hospital-acquired" means that pneumonia is caused by bacteria living within the walls of hospitals. These bacteria are particularly resistant and have multidrug resistance ( resistant to several drugs at once). Also, nosocomial pneumonia in most cases is caused not by one microbe, but by a microbial association ( several pathogens). Conventionally, early and late hospital-acquired pneumonia are distinguished. Early pneumonia develops within the first 5 days from the moment of hospitalization. Late hospital pneumonia develops no earlier than the sixth day after the patient is admitted to the hospital.

Thus, the course of hospital-acquired pneumonia is complicated by both the polymorphism of bacteria and their special resistance to medications.

The most common pathogens of hospital-acquired pneumonia

Pathogen name	Characteristic
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa	It is the most aggressive source of infection and is multiresistant.
Enterobacteriaceae	It occurs very often and also quickly develops resistance. Often found in combination with P. aeruginosa.
Acinetobacter	As a rule, it is a source of infection together with other types of bacteria. It is naturally resistant to many antibacterial drugs.
S. Maltophilia	It is also naturally resistant to most antibiotics. At the same time, this type of bacteria is capable of developing resistance to administered drugs.
S.Aureus	It has the ability to mutate, as a result of which new strains of this type of staphylococcus constantly appear. Various strains occur with frequencies ranging from 30 to 85 percent.
Aspergillus fumigatus	Causes pneumonia of fungal etiology. It is much less common than the pathogens listed above, but in recent decades there has been an increase in fungal pneumonia.

Nosocomial pneumonia is an infection with a high risk of mortality. Also, due to resistance to treatment, it is often complicated by the development of respiratory failure.

Risk factors for the development of nosocomial pneumonia are:

• old age ( over 60 years);
• smoking;
• previous infections, including those of the respiratory system;
• chronic diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is of particular importance);
• unconsciousness with a high risk of aspiration;
• feeding through a tube;
• long horizontal position ( when the patient is lying down for a long time);
• connecting the patient to a ventilator.

Clinically, nosocomial pneumonia is very severe and has numerous consequences.

Symptoms of hospital-acquired pneumonia are:

• temperature more than 38.5 degrees;
• cough with phlegm;
• purulent sputum;
• frequent shallow breathing;
• interruptions in breathing;
• changes in the blood - may be observed as an increase in the number of leukocytes ( more than 9x 10 9), and their reduction ( less than 4x 10 9);
• decreased blood oxygen levels ( oxygenation) less than 97 percent;
• The x-ray shows new foci of inflammation.

Also, hospital-acquired pneumonia is often complicated by the development of bacteremia ( a condition in which bacteria and their toxins enter the bloodstream). This, in turn, entails toxic shock. The mortality rate of this condition is very high.

What is SARS?

Atypical pneumonia is pneumonia that is caused by atypical pathogens and manifests itself with atypical symptoms.
If typical pneumonia is most often caused by pneumococcus and its strains, then pathogens a typical pneumonia There may be viruses, protozoa, fungi.

Symptoms of atypical pneumonia are:

• high fever - more than 38 degrees, and for pneumonia caused by Legionella - 40 degrees;
• symptoms of general intoxication predominate, such as painful headaches, muscle pain;
• erased pulmonary symptoms - moderate, non-productive ( no phlegm) cough, and if sputum appears, then its amount is insignificant;
• the presence of extrapulmonary symptoms characteristic of the pathogen ( for example, rashes);
• mild changes in the blood - no leukocytosis, which is characteristic of pneumococcal pneumonia.
• The radiograph shows an atypical picture - there are no pronounced foci of darkening;
• there is no reaction to sulfonamide drugs.

A special form of atypical pneumonia is severe acute respiratory syndrome. This syndrome in English literature is called SARS ( severe acute respiratory syndrome). It is caused by mutated strains of the coronavirus family. An epidemic of this form of pneumonia was registered in 2000–2003 in the countries of Southeast Asia. The carriers of this virus, as it turned out later, were bats.

A feature of this atypical pneumonia is also the erased pulmonary symptoms and severe intoxication syndrome. Also, with pneumonia caused by coronavirus, multiple changes in internal organs are noted. This happens because, upon entering the body, the virus spreads very quickly to the kidneys, lungs, and liver.

Features of atypical viral pneumonia or SARS are:

• Mostly adults from 25 to 65 years old are affected; isolated cases have been reported among children;
• the incubation period lasts from 2 to 10 days;
• the route of transmission of infection is airborne and fecal-oral;
• pulmonary symptoms appear on day 5, and before that symptoms of viral intoxication appear - chills, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes diarrhea ( this course of the disease can imitate an intestinal infection);
• on the blood side, there is a decrease in the number of both lymphocytes and platelets ( which often provokes hemorrhagic syndrome);
• V biochemical analysis blood there is an increase in liver enzymes, which reflects liver damage by the virus.
• Complications such as distress syndrome, toxic shock, and acute respiratory failure quickly develop.

The extremely high mortality rate in atypical viral pneumonia is explained by the constant mutation of the virus. As a result, it is very difficult to find a drug that would kill this virus.

What are the stages of development of pneumonia?

There are three stages of pneumonia that all patients go through. Each stage has its own characteristic symptoms and clinical manifestations.

The stages of development of pneumonia are:

• onset stage;
• high stage;
• resolution stage.

These stages correspond pathological changes in the lungs caused by an inflammatory process at the tissue and cellular level.

Stage of onset of pneumonia
The onset of the inflammatory process in the lungs is characterized by a sharp, sudden deterioration in the general condition of the patient against the background of complete health. Sudden changes in the body are explained by its hyperergic ( excessive) reaction to the causative agent of pneumonia and its toxins.

The first symptom of the disease is low-grade body temperature ( 37 – 37.5 degrees). In the first 24 hours it quickly increases to levels of 38 - 39 degrees and more. High body temperature is accompanied by a number of symptoms caused by general intoxication of the body with pathogen toxins.

Symptoms of general intoxication of the body are:

• headaches and dizziness;
• general fatigue;
• fast fatiguability;
• accelerated heartbeat ( more than 90 – 95 beats per minute);
• a sharp decrease in performance;
• loss of appetite;
• the appearance of blush on the cheeks;
• blueness of the nose and lips;
• herpetic rashes on the mucous membranes of the lips and nose;
• increased sweating.

In some cases, the disease begins with signs of digestive upset - nausea, vomiting, and rarely diarrhea. Also important symptoms of the onset of the disease are cough and chest pain. Cough appears from the first days of the disease. Initially it is dry, but constant. Due to constant irritation and tension of the chest, characteristic pain appears in the chest area.

Stage of height of pneumonia
During the peak stage, symptoms of general intoxication of the body increase, and signs of inflammation of the lung tissue also appear. Body temperature stays at high level and is difficult to treat with antipyretic drugs.

Symptoms of pneumonia at its height are:

• severe chest pain;
• increased breathing;
• cough;
• sputum production;
• dyspnea.

Expressed chest pain caused by inflammation of the pleural layers ( membranes of the lungs), which contain a large number of nerve receptors. Painful sensations have precise localization. The greatest intensity of pain is observed with deep sighs, coughing and when bending the body to the painful side. The patient's body tries to adapt and reduce pain by reducing the mobility of the affected side. The lag of half of the chest during breathing becomes noticeable. Severe chest pain leads to the appearance of “gentle” breathing. The breathing of a patient with pneumonia becomes shallow and rapid ( more than 25 – 30 respiratory movements per minute). The patient tries to avoid taking deep breaths.

During the peak phase, a persistent cough persists. Due to constant irritation of the pleural layers, the cough intensifies and becomes painful. At the height of the disease, thick mucopurulent sputum begins to be released with a cough. Initially, the color of sputum is gray-yellow or yellow-green. Gradually, streaks of blood and particles of destroyed lungs appear in the discharge. This gives the sputum a bloody rusty color. During the height of the disease, sputum is released in large quantities.

As a result of inflammation of the respiratory surface of the lungs, respiratory failure occurs, which is characterized by severe shortness of breath. In the first two days of the height of the disease, shortness of breath appears during movement and normal physical activity. Gradually, shortness of breath appears when performing minimal physical activity and even at rest. Sometimes it can be accompanied by dizziness and severe fatigue.

Disease resolution stage
At the stage of resolution of the disease, all symptoms of pneumonia subside.
Signs of general intoxication of the body disappear, and body temperature normalizes.
The cough gradually subsides, and the sputum becomes less viscous, as a result of which it is easily separated. Its volumes are decreasing. Chest pain appears only with sudden movements or severe cough. Breathing gradually normalizes, but shortness of breath persists during normal physical activity. Visually there is a slight lag of half of the chest.

What complications can pneumonia cause?

Pneumonia can occur with various pulmonary and extrapulmonary complications. Pulmonary complications are those that affect the lung tissue, bronchi and pleura. Extrapulmonary complications are complications from internal organs.

Pulmonary complications of pneumonia are:

• development of obstructive syndrome;

Pleurisy
Pleurisy is an inflammation of the layers of the pleura that cover the lungs. Pleurisy can be dry or wet. With dry pleurisy, fibrin clots accumulate in the pleural cavity, which subsequently glue the layers of the pleura together. The main symptom of dry pleurisy is very intense pain in the chest. The pain is associated with breathing and appears at the height of inspiration. To ease the pain a little, the patient tries to breathe less often and not so deeply. With wet or exudative pleurisy, the main symptom is shortness of breath and a feeling of heaviness in the chest. The reason for this is the accumulating inflammatory fluid in the pleural cavity. This fluid puts pressure on the lung, compressing it and thus reducing the respiratory surface area.

With pleurisy, symptoms of respiratory failure quickly increase. In this case, the skin quickly becomes cyanotic, and interruptions in the functioning of the heart are observed.

Empyema
Empyema, or purulent pleurisy, is also a serious complication of pneumonia. With empyema, it is not fluid that accumulates in the pleural cavity, but pus. Symptoms of empyema are similar to exudative pleurisy, but are much more intense. The main symptom is high temperature ( 39 – 40 degrees) hectic in nature. For fever of this type Typical daily temperature fluctuations are from 2 to 3 degrees. So, the temperature from 40 degrees can sharply drop to 36.6. Sharp rises and falls in temperature are accompanied by chills and cold sweat. Empyema also affects the cardiovascular system. The heart rate rises to 120 beats per minute or more.

Lung abscess
With an abscess, a cavity forms in the lung ( or several cavities) in which purulent contents accumulate. An abscess is a destructive process, so in its place the lung tissue is destroyed. The symptoms of this condition are characterized by severe intoxication. Until a certain time, the abscess remains closed. But later he breaks through. It can break into the bronchial cavity or into the pleural cavity. In the first case, copious discharge of purulent contents occurs. Pus from the lung cavity exits through the bronchus to the outside. The patient develops foul-smelling, profuse sputum. At the same time, the patient’s condition improves when the abscess ruptures, and the temperature drops.
If the abscess breaks into the pleural cavity, pleural empyema develops.

Development of obstructive syndrome
Symptoms of obstructive syndrome are shortness of breath and periodic attacks of suffocation. This is due to the fact that the lung tissue at the site of the former pneumonia loses its functionality. In its place develops connective tissue, which replaces not only lung tissue, but also its vessels.

Pulmonary edema
Edema is the most serious complication of pneumonia, with a very high mortality rate. In this case, water from the vessels penetrates first into the interstitium of the lungs, and then into the alveoli themselves. Thus, the alveoli, which are normally filled with air, are filled with water.

In this state, a person quickly begins to choke and becomes agitated. A cough appears, which is accompanied by the release of foamy sputum. The pulse rises to 200 beats per minute, the skin becomes covered with cold, sticky sweat. This condition requires resuscitation measures.

Extrapulmonary complications of pneumonia are:

• toxic shock;
• toxic myocarditis;

Extrapulmonary complications of pneumonia are caused by the specific action of bacteria. Some pathogenic bacteria have tropism ( similarity) to the liver tissue, others easily penetrate the blood-brain barrier and enter the nervous system.

Toxic shock
Toxic shock is a condition in which toxins from bacteria and viruses enter the patient's bloodstream. This is an emergency condition in which multiple organ failure occurs. Multiple organ failure means that more than 3 organs and systems are involved in the pathological process. Most often the cardiovascular, renal, digestive and nervous systems are affected. The main symptoms are fever, low blood pressure and a polymorphic rash on the body.

Toxic myocarditis
Myocarditis is called damage to the heart muscle, as a result of which its function is lost. The greatest cardiotropism ( selectivity for cardiac muscle) viruses have. Therefore, viral pneumonia is most often complicated by toxic myocarditis. Bacteria such as mycoplasma and chlamydia also specifically affect cardiac tissue.
The main symptoms are heart rhythm disturbances, cardiac weakness, and shortness of breath.

Pericarditis
Pericarditis is an inflammation of the serous membrane that covers the heart. Pericarditis may develop independently or precede myocarditis. In this case, inflammatory fluid accumulates in the pericardial cavity, which subsequently puts pressure on the heart and compresses it. As a result, the main symptom of pericarditis develops – shortness of breath. In addition to shortness of breath, a patient suffering from pericarditis complains of weakness, pain in the heart area, and a dry cough.

Meningitis
Meningitis ( inflammation of the meningeal membranes of the brain) develops due to the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the central nervous system. Meningitis can also be either bacterial or viral, depending on the etiology of the pneumonia.
The main symptoms of meningitis are nausea, vomiting, photophobia and a stiff neck.

Hepatitis
It is a very common complication of atypical pneumonia. With hepatitis, the liver tissue is affected, as a result of which the liver ceases to perform its functions. Since the liver plays the role of a filter in the body, when it is damaged, all metabolic products are not removed from the body, but remain in it. With hepatitis, a large amount of bilirubin enters the blood from destroyed liver cells, which leads to the development of jaundice. The patient also complains of nausea, vomiting, dull pain in the right hypochondrium.

What antibiotics are used in the treatment of pneumonia?

The choice of a particular drug depends on the form of pneumonia and individual tolerance to the drug.

Drugs used in the treatment of typical pneumonia

Pathogen	First line drugs	Alternative drug
Staphylococcus aureus	oxacillin;	clindamycin; I-II generation cephalosporins ( cephalexin, cefuroxime).
Srteptococcus grup A	penicillin G; penicillin V.	clindamycin; III generation cephalosporins ( ceftriaxone).
Str.pneumoniae	penicillin G and amoxicillin in cases of penicillin-sensitive pneumococcus; ceftriaxone and levofloxacin in the case of penicillin-resistant pneumococcus.	macrolides ( erythromycin, clarithromycin); respiratory fluoroquinolones ( levofloxacin, moxifloxacin).
Enterobacteriaceae	III generation cephalosporins ( cefotaxime, ceftazidime).	carbapenems ( imipenem, meropenem).

Of course, it takes time to determine which microorganism caused pneumonia. To do this, it is necessary to isolate the pathogen from pathological material, in this case sputum. All this takes time, which very often does not exist. Therefore, the doctor approaches this issue empirically. He chooses the antibiotic with the broadest spectrum of action. He also takes into account the nature of the disease, and if there is evidence of an anaerobic infection, he will prefer beta-lactam antibiotics or carbapenems.

Also, having studied the patient’s medical history in detail, he can guess what the nature of the disease is. If the patient has recently been hospitalized, then most likely it is nosocomial ( hospital) pneumonia. If the clinical picture is dominated by symptoms of general intoxication, and the pneumonia is more like measles or mumps, then most likely it is atypical pneumonia. If this is intrauterine pneumonia of a newborn child, then perhaps it is caused by gram-negative bacilli or Staphylococcus aureus.

As soon as pneumonia has been diagnosed, antibacterial drugs are prescribed ( if it's bacterial pneumonia).

Drugs used in the treatment of atypical pneumonia

Source of infection).
Klebsiella pneumoniae	II – IV generation cephalosporins ( cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefepime); respiratory fluoroquinolones.	aminoglycosides ( kanamycin, gentamicin); carbapenems ( imipenem, meropenem).
Legionella	macrolides; respiratory fluoroquinolones.	doxycycline; rifampicin.
Mycoplasma	macrolides.	respiratory fluoroquinolones.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa	antipseudomonal cephalosporins ( ceftazidime, cefepime).	aminoglycosides ( amikacin).

In the treatment of pneumonia, various combinations of antibiotics are often used. Despite the fact that monotherapy ( single drug treatment) is the gold standard, it is often ineffective. Poorly treated pneumonia is a major risk factor for subsequent relapse ( re-exacerbation).

It is important to note that although antibiotic therapy is the basic treatment, other drugs are also used in the treatment of pneumonia. Antibiotic therapy is mandatory in parallel with the prescription of antifungal drugs ( for the prevention of candidiasis) and other drugs to eliminate the main symptoms of pneumonia ( for example, antipyretics to lower fever).

Is there a vaccine against pneumonia?

There is no universal vaccination against pneumonia. There are some vaccines that only work against certain microorganisms. For example, the most famous vaccine is the pneumococcal vaccine. Since pneumococcus is one of the most common causes of pneumonia, this vaccine prevents pneumococcal pneumonia. The most famous vaccines are Prevenar ( USA), Synflorix ( Belgium) and Pneumo-23 ( France).

The Prevenar vaccine is one of the most modern and most expensive. The vaccine is prescribed in three doses with an interval of one month. It is believed that immunity after vaccination is developed after a month. The Synflorix vaccine is given on the same schedule as Prevenar. Pneumo-23 is the oldest vaccine currently in existence. It is installed once and is valid for about 5 years. A significant disadvantage of this vaccination is that it can only be given after reaching the age of two. It is known that newborn children are the most vulnerable category in terms of the development of pneumonia.

It should be noted right away that vaccination against pneumonia does not mean that a child or adult will not get sick again. Firstly, you can get pneumonia of another origin, for example, staphylococcal. And secondly, even from pneumococcal pneumonia, immunity does not develop for life. Vaccine manufacturers warn that it is possible to get sick again after vaccination, but the patient will survive the disease much easier.

In addition to the pneumococcal vaccine, there is a vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae. Haemophilus influenzae, or influenza bacillus, is also a common cause of pneumonia. The following three vaccines are registered in Russia - Act-HIB, Hiberix and Pentaxim. They are given at the same time as the polio and hepatitis B vaccines.

As for vaccination against viral pneumonia, it is a little more complicated. It is known that viruses are capable of mutating, that is, changing. Therefore, it is very difficult to model a vaccine against a particular virus. As soon as science invents one vaccine against a known virus, it changes and the vaccine becomes ineffective.

How does aspiration pneumonia develop?

Aspiration pneumonia is a type of pneumonia that develops as a result of foreign substances entering the lungs. Foreign substances can include vomit, food particles, and other foreign bodies.
Normally, the airways use special mechanisms to prevent foreign bodies from entering the lungs. One of these mechanisms is coughing. So, when a foreign object enters a person’s bronchial tree ( for example, saliva), he starts coughing it up. However, there are situations when these mechanisms are defective, and foreign particles still reach the lungs, where they settle and cause inflammation.

Aspiration pneumonia can develop under the following conditions:

• alcohol intoxication;
• drug intoxication;
• use of certain medications;
• unconscious state;
• severe, uncontrollable vomiting;
• early childhood.

The most common cases are alcohol and drug intoxication. Alcohol, like some drugs, weakens all reflexes, including defense mechanisms. Very often such conditions are accompanied by vomiting. However, a person is not able to control this process. Vomit easily enters the respiratory tract. It should be noted that even in a healthy person, vomit from severe and uncontrollable vomiting can enter the lungs.

In children, aspiration pneumonia can develop when food particles enter the bronchi. This happens when complementary foods are introduced into the baby’s diet. Porridges, such as buckwheat, are the most dangerous. Even one buckwheat grain, once in the lungs, causes local inflammation.

Another risk group is people taking psychotropic medications, such as antidepressants or hypnotics ( sleeping pills). These drugs weaken all body reactions, including reflexes. People, especially those who take sleeping pills, are in a sleepy, somewhat slow state. Therefore, the obstruction in their airways is weakened, and food ( or drinks) easily penetrates the lungs.

Foreign bodies entering the lung tissue ( vomit, food) cause inflammation and the development of pneumonia.

Pneumonia is a disease so common that almost everyone hears about it. Either the person himself, or someone from his circle, must have met her. So what is the best way to treat pneumonia, as it is also called, and which medications for pneumonia are safer, which should not be abandoned under any circumstances.

As practice has shown, both one and the other lungs can be affected, and the culprits of infection are most often bacteria, fungi and viruses. It is they, when they enter the body, that provoke the onset of the disease, and in the past, before the first antibiotic was invented, mortality from pneumonia accounted for a third of all cases of visiting a doctor.

Today, the situation has improved, new treatment methods and drugs have appeared, and it has become easier to diagnose left-sided or right-sided pneumonia.

But, despite all the innovations, this serious and insidious disease should be taken extremely seriously.

Until now, doctors do not discount pneumonia when it comes to dangerous and fatal diseases. It is also alarming that viruses, transforming and mutating, continue to infect the lungs. The respiratory system, the nasopharynx, is the first barrier to viruses, and when it takes a hit, the body is not always able to repel the attack. Therefore, it is so important to identify it and understand how and how to treat pneumonia in adults; only timely contact with a specialist can guarantee effective treatment.

Infection

There are several ways, and the simplest and most common is airborne. The secretions that come from a virus-infected person freely penetrate to a healthy person, and, under certain conditions, begins destructive work.

Bacteria and viruses that cause disease may be present in the body, but are suppressed by the immune system. The state in which it plays a decisive role, whether a person gets sick or not; being a carrier and being sick are not the same thing.

Only in case of hypothermia, or with a general weakening of the body due to various reasons, the activity of viruses and bacteria increases.

Symptoms

There is no single clinical picture that would give an unambiguous conclusion that this is pneumonia; medications can be prescribed against the flu, but the patient’s condition only worsens. This is a dangerous situation; once the disease has started, it is already difficult to curb it without consequences for the body. As a rule, this is fraught with complications and hospitalization.

There is a variant of the asymptomatic course of the disease, when there is no fever, cough, and minimal resistance to the virus is observed. But the most commonly observed symptoms are:

• chills;
• fever;
• cough;
• chest pain;
• change in skin color, cyanosis;
• decreased blood pressure;
• rapid pulse;
• dyspnea;
• heat.

In the pleural form, particularly acute pain occurs, and this forces a person to consult a doctor. The pain is localized precisely in the area where the inflammation is located. In cases where the infection directly affects the respiratory tract, penetrates deep into the lungs, there is not even a weak cough. Cyanosis may occur, during which the complexion changes, the head hurts severely, and some people lose consciousness.

Diagnostics

It is quite difficult to suspect pneumonia on your own; as a rule, the first suspicion arises from the doctor, and he refers the patient for examination. How long the disease will last, how severe it is, and what medicine will be prescribed depends on the accuracy and timing of the diagnosis.

The main tool that allows one to determine the disease and its degree with fairly high accuracy is fluoroscopy. The photographs clearly show the inflammatory focus, and it can be either lobar or have a large area of ​​damage.

Examination of sputum also gives a good idea of ​​the course of the disease; it comes out when you cough. The study establishes the presence of bacteria and viruses in it, this allows us to determine the nature of pneumonia. An important factor is the time in which the sputum will be transferred to the laboratory for research; later testing affects the quality and accuracy.

A blood test can also show what condition the patient is in, since the presence of a large number of white blood cells indicates the presence of bacteria and viruses.

If serious disturbances in the functioning of the lungs are suspected, an unpleasant but effective procedure is performed - bronchoscopy. In this case, the bronchi are studied deeply, and it is possible to take contents from the source of inflammation. This is the only way to determine that a large amount of liquid has accumulated; it is removed by piercing light large needle. In some more complex cases, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention.

Treatment

For pneumonia in adults, first of all, the degree and severity of the disease should be determined. It depends on this where the treatment will be carried out, at home or in a hospital, since in complex cases pneumonia is treated only under the supervision of doctors.

There are three forms:

• focal;
• segmental;
• total.

If a patient is diagnosed with the last two forms, then such a disease is treated only in a hospital setting. This is due to the fact that it requires not only daily medical supervision, but also the possible connection of equipment related to improving respiratory activity.

It is necessary to take antibiotics for any form of pneumonia. Cure inflammation without their use seems extremely problematic. And even antibiotics eventually fail in the fight against it, for example, all penicillin group does not affect viruses and bacteria. They developed a strong defense and became resistant to this drug. Only new generation antibiotics are able to localize the infection; for example, Amoxicillin helps to cope.

Since the development of the disease is often caused by fungi, sulfur-containing drugs are used to block them to treat pneumonia.

Such drugs have a good effect:

• Cephalosporin;
• Amoxicillin;
• Clavulanate;
• Levofloxacin;
• Sulfamethoxazole.

There are known cases in which it is necessary complex treatment. If the infection is caused by rhinorotoviruses or influenza, then it is mandatory to add to the therapy antiviral drugs. Fungal forms of inflammation require a different approach, and after accurately determining the type of fungus, a drug is used that acts specifically on this pathogen.

Bicilin-5 copes well with infection, and with a course of 10 days it helps to cure the patient completely.

Complications

Many consider the main problem to be the fact that treatment was started at the wrong time, and this leads to significant disruptions in the functioning of not only the respiratory system, but also the entire body as a whole. Only timely access to a doctor and accurate diagnosis can guarantee that the patient will not suffer a number of complications or die.

Since the result can only be achieved with complex therapy, only a qualified doctor can select the correct treatment regimen and list of medications. Self-treatment is comparable to a lottery, where the chance of recovery is equal to the percentage of lucky people who hold the winning ticket.

The duration of therapy in the absence of complications is about 4 weeks. Often the cause of a complication is a situation when the patient experiences relief after the main colony of viruses or bacteria is suppressed. This is perceived as recovery, and the person stops all procedures and stops taking medications.

This is why inflammation so often recurs after a few weeks, and the process moves in circles. When the flow of medicine into the body is stopped, the dose of the active ingredient is reduced, pathogenic microorganisms feel weakened and multiply unhindered. It is according to this pattern that chronic infections develop, which are most often incurable.

A prerequisite is strict adherence to the instructions when taking medications, doctor’s recommendations and compliance with the important diet and bed rest.

If bed rest is not observed, the body has to expend additional energy on movement and performing certain work, and this is very disruptive during illness, and it will be quite difficult to achieve recovery.

You can supplement the treatment of pneumonia with folk remedies, but under no circumstances can they replace full-fledged therapy. The doctor will give recommendations on which of these remedies are suitable for the patient who turned to them.

1. Dieting. Food should be devoid of large amounts of carbohydrates, such as those found in cakes, sweets and buns;
2. Fatty foods require additional strength from the body. By eliminating it, or minimizing it, we will help activate the body’s energy reserves;
3. Enrich your diet with plenty of fruits. They play the role of a bacteria neutralizer;
4. Drink plenty of fluids. Toxic substances are removed from the body and neutralized. Drink milk throughout the day mineral water, tea with lemon, various juices;
5. Simple and energy-efficient exercises are possible, which are recommended in the second phase of the disease;
6. Avoid staying on your affected side, especially while sleeping. This can make it difficult for your lungs to function.

The opinion that antibiotics are harmful has spread, and sometimes interferes with doctors, since some refuse to take them. Only a doctor can answer the question of how to treat pneumonia; taking the recommended medications will help the body cope with the disease, and relying on dubious recipes, or It is extremely unreasonable to hope that this will pass.

Folk remedies

A remedy for pneumonia that is especially helpful. You can prepare raisin decoction yourself. Grind half a glass and pour a glass of boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes and drink throughout the day. Dried figs are poured with milk and cooked over low heat for about 30 minutes. Drink 2 glasses a day, these remedies will help relieve the symptoms of the disease.

Pneumonia is an infectious disease that can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. The type and severity of the disease depends on the pathogen, provoking factors, protective functions of the body and timely diagnosis.

Causes of the disease

The reason for the development of the disease is always the same - the penetration and reproduction of an infectious agent; only the factors under which this occurs differ:

• untreated viral, bacterial or fungal diseases;
• complications after illnesses;
• damage to the respiratory system by various chemical reagents or vapors when inhaled;
• increased level of radiation with the addition of infection;
• allergies that affect the respiratory system;
• colds due to hypothermia;
• thermal burns of the lungs in a fire;
• penetration foreign body into the respiratory tract.

Any condition that creates a favorable environment for the proliferation of microbes and the development of pneumonia can be considered the cause of the disease. Therefore, doctors divide pneumonia into hospital-acquired and community-acquired forms.

In addition, pneumonia is divided into types depending on the pathogen, and the severity of the disease also depends on this. clinical picture:

1. streptococci are the most common pathogens; the disease is always severe and often causes death;
2. mycobacteria – children and young people are often infected;
3. chlamydia infection often occurs among the younger generation and middle-aged people, mainly in facilities equipped with artificial ventilation;
4. Haemophilus influenzae usually affects the respiratory system of smokers and patients with chronic diseases lungs and bronchi;
5. Infection with enterobacteriaceae occurs rarely; as a rule, this occurs in patients diabetes mellitus and those suffering from heart, kidney and liver diseases;
6. staphylococcal pneumonia develops more often in older people who have had the flu;
7. There are pneumonias caused by unknown or rare fungi and bacteria.

Causes of the disease

When making a diagnosis and prescribing treatment, it is necessary to take into account the etiology of pneumonia, the causative agent, medical history and the presence of third-party diseases. Pneumonia is often treated on an outpatient basis; in severe cases, the patient is hospitalized.

The first signs of pneumonia in adults

Previously, there was a fairly high mortality rate among patients with pneumonia. Today's medicine in the treatment of the disease gives a positive prognosis, subject to timely treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to know how they manifest themselves:

• sudden increase in body temperature, chills;
• cough, the first days may be dry, then wet;
• runny nose;
• general malaise;
• hard breath.

It must be remembered that the incubation period for pneumonia is very short, only 2-3 days, then the disease begins to progress rapidly, and if treatment is not carried out on time, the patient may die. Therefore, it is important to contact a medical facility at the first signs of pneumonia.

The onset of the disease always has acute form, but symptoms depend on age, immune system and individual characteristics of the body. The first signs of pneumonia in different people may differ significantly. Some people may not have a fever or cough, especially if the person was previously treated with antibiotics for another illness.

Additional symptoms appear later in adult patients:

• purulent sputum begins to separate;
• chest pain;
• respiratory failure;
• cyanosis of the skin, especially on the face, this is due to oxygen starvation;
• tachycardia, low blood pressure.

One of the first signs of pneumonia is a cough of varying intensity. At first it may be infrequent and dry, then, if treatment has not been started, it becomes wet. Purulent greenish sputum appears.

Chest pain

If a person falls ill with ARVI, then his condition should improve in a week; if this does not happen, and the condition worsens, pneumonia can be suspected. In this case, the temperature is usually very high, only atypical pneumonia is accompanied by low-grade fever. It often happens that the patient begins to experience relief, but there is a sharp increase in temperature and the condition worsens. As a rule, antipyretic drugs have no effect. This is a signal for an urgent visit to the doctor.

Often the sick person feels pain in the chest when coughing or breathing; this alarming symptom indicates that the pleura is involved in the inflammatory process. The person becomes pale, has difficulty breathing, sweating increases, fever, delirium and other symptoms of intoxication of the body appear.

All these manifestations can be considered the first signs of pneumonia, which requires immediate examination. It should be noted that the first signs of pneumonia in women are no different from men, the only difference is that due to smoking, men are more likely to expose themselves to this disease than women.

First signs in children

First signs in children

With pneumonia, the first signs in children differ significantly from adults. Parents are advised to pay attention to the slightest changes in the child’s well-being. The first symptoms of pulmonary inflammatory processes can be considered:

• high, persistent temperature, usually above 39 0 C, which is not reduced even by antipyretics;
• the child becomes lethargic, refuses to eat, and cries constantly;
• sweating increases;
• it is necessary to take into account that in infants the thermoregulation function is not yet fully regulated and the temperature may not be high;
• In babies, the rhythm of breathing is disturbed, it becomes frequent; if you pay attention to the child’s chest, one side will be delayed when breathing. In newborns, foam may be released from the nose or mouth; the child may puff out his cheeks due to shortness of breath;
• if atypical pneumonia develops, the symptoms may be similar to ARVI, but shortness of breath and elevated temperature serve as alarming factors;
• The cough usually develops, first coughing occurs, then a dry cough, turning into a wet one;
• infants may suffer from diarrhea and vomiting;
• The baby is capricious, refuses to breastfeed, cries often, and sleeps poorly.

If such symptoms occur, you should immediately call a doctor; with timely treatment, pneumonia usually has a positive prognosis and resolves without complications.

Forms of pneumonia

Forms of pneumonia

Based on the localization of the process and the severity of the disease, pneumonia is divided into four forms, which have different first signs:

• An acute form of inflammation does not pose a danger if treated in a timely manner. Complications may occur if left untreated. It develops due to the penetration of an infectious agent, and may be a consequence of previous diseases. The first sign is high fever and cough.
• A chronic form of pneumonia, the causative agent of which is constantly present in the tissues and mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. This form of the disease has phases of exacerbation and remission, develops in rare cases, but is dangerous due to its protracted course and vague symptoms. The very first sign of this form of the disease is a weakened immune system, and if the patient is not treated in time, the inflammation may develop into pleurisy and result in death.
• Lobar pneumonia is characterized by damage to a larger lobe of the lung and is considered the most dangerous form. Treatment is carried out in a hospital setting under the supervision of doctors. This form of the disease is usually a continuation of acute or chronic forms of pneumonia and the first sign is difficulty breathing and high temperature.
• Focal pneumonia develops in a certain segment of the lungs and is not dangerous, but timely treatment is necessary, otherwise acute or chronic form with all the ensuing consequences.

In order to determine the form of pneumonia, it is necessary to conduct a series of blood tests and take a chest x-ray.

To understand the seriousness of the disease, it is enough to pay attention to the first signs and additional symptoms; the brighter the clinical picture, the more dangerous pneumonia is for a person’s life.

What to do at the first signs of pneumonia?

It is important to maintain bed rest

Knowing how the first signs of pneumonia appear, you can consult a doctor in time and begin treatment. Some forms of the disease are almost asymptomatic, which makes their diagnosis difficult. If we are talking about children or the elderly, therapy is required immediately when characteristic features pneumonia.

First of all, it is necessary to provide the patient with bed rest and rest. If your body temperature is very high, you need to take an antipyretic. You can give tea with lemon.

Antibacterial therapy should be prescribed by a doctor after examining sputum and identifying the pathogen. Antiviral therapy may be required in parallel.

At home, you can drink herbal tea, badger fat and honey. Under no circumstances should warming procedures be performed on the chest. At the first signs of pneumonia, you should immediately consult a doctor; the measures that will be aimed at treating the disease in the first 7-9 hours determine the duration and prognosis of treatment.

Complications caused by pneumonia

Complications from pneumonia are very dangerous

Inflammatory processes in the respiratory system can lead to serious complications. This is due to the fact that blood washes the lungs and can spread the infection throughout the body, thereby provoking:

• blood poisoning, sepsis;
• inflammation of the brain, meningitis;
• inflammation of the heart muscle, endocarditis, pericarditis.

If pneumonia develops in an older person after surgical treatment, this poses a double threat. Inflammation of the lungs during pregnancy can provoke infection of the fetus with staphylococcus or pneumococcus, which will lead to miscarriage or premature birth. If a pregnant woman has breathing problems, she should immediately contact the clinic.

You cannot self-medicate, pneumonia cannot be cured traditional methods. Treatment at home can muffle the symptoms and give a misleading picture of improvement, while the inflammatory process will gradually increase.

Treatment

Treatment is usually carried out with medications and antiviral drugs.

Treatment should be comprehensive, including various measures. First of all, this is drug therapy:

• antibiotics to combat the causative agent of the disease, if they are used for more than a week, it is advisable to replace them with another drug in order to avoid the development of bacterial resistance to the drug;
• if necessary, antiviral or antifungal agents are prescribed;
• anti-inflammatory drugs, antipyretics (used at temperatures above 38 0 C);
• mucolytic and bronchodilator agents for thinning sputum and removing it from the respiratory tract, the use of these agents is mandatory, accumulated sputum can cause inflammation in a new circle;
• Doctors often prescribe inhalations using essential oils eucalyptus, pine and cedar;
• to eliminate toxins, take antihistamines and blood cleansers;
• At the same time, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system;
• in cases where complications concern the heart and blood vessels, cardiac medications are prescribed.

Treatment cannot be stopped on your own; in the absence of symptoms, the inflammatory process can continue and worsen over time, only in a severe form. During the recovery period, it is recommended to perform breathing exercises, monitor your diet and take walks in the fresh air.