World Pneumonia Day (12 November)

What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infectious respiratory disease affecting the lungs, wherein the lungs (alveoli) are filled with pus and fluid, causing difficulty in breathing due to limited intake of oxygen.

Is pneumonia contagious?

The germs that cause pneumonia are contagious. This means they can spread from person to person.

Both viral and bacterial pneumonia can spread to others through inhalation of airborne droplets from a sneeze or cough. You can also get these types of pneumonia by coming into contact with surfaces or objects that are contaminated with pneumonia-causing bacteria or viruses.

You can contract fungal pneumonia from the environment. However, it does not spread from person to person.

Symptoms of pneumonia

Pneumonia symptoms can be mild to life-threatening. They can include:

  • coughing that may produce phlegm (mucus)
  • fever
  • sweating or chills
  • shortness of breath that happens while doing normal activities or even while resting
  • chest pain that is worse when you breathe or cough
  • feelings of tiredness or fatigue
  • loss of appetite
  • nausea or vomiting
  • headaches

Other symptoms can vary according to your age and general health:

  • Children under 5 years old may have fast breathing or wheezing.
  • Infants may appear to have no symptoms, but sometimes they may vomit, lack energy, or have trouble drinking or eating.
  • Older people may have milder symptoms. They can also exhibit confusion or a lower than normal body temperature.

Pneumonia treatment

Your treatment will depend on the type of pneumonia you have, how severe it is, and your general health.

Prescription medications

Your doctor will prescribe a medication to help treat your pneumonia. What you are prescribed will depend on the specific cause of your pneumonia.

Oral antibiotics can treat most cases of bacterial pneumonia. Always take your entire course of antibiotics, even if you begin to feel better. Not doing so can prevent the infection from clearing, and it may be harder to treat in the future.

Antibiotic medications do not work on viruses. In some cases, your doctor may prescribe an antiviral. However, many cases of viral pneumonia clear on their own with at-home care.

Antifungal medications are used to fight fungal pneumonia. You may have to take this medication for several weeks to clear the infection.

At-home care

Your doctor may also recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medication to relieve your pain and fever, as needed.

Your doctor may also recommend cough medicine to calm your cough so you can rest. Keep in mind coughing helps remove fluid from your lungs, so you do not want to eliminate it entirely.

You can help your recovery and prevent a recurrence by getting a lot of rest and drinking plenty of fluids.

Hospitalization

If your symptoms are very severe or you have other health problems, you may need to be hospitalized. At the hospital, doctors can keep track of your heart rate, temperature, and breathing. Hospital treatment may include:

  • intravenous antibiotics injected into a vein
  • respiratory therapy, which involves delivering specific medications directly into the lungs or teaching you to perform breathing exercises to maximize your oxygenation
  • oxygen therapy to maintain oxygen levels in your bloodstream

Recovery after pneumonia

Most people respond to treatment and recover from pneumonia. Like your treatment, your recovery time will depend on the type of pneumonia you have, how severe it is, and your general health.

A younger person may feel back to normal in a week after treatment. Others may take longer to recover and may have lingering fatigue. If your symptoms are severe, your recovery may take several weeks.

Consider taking these steps to aid in your recovery and help prevent complications from occurring:

  • Stick to the treatment plan from your doctor and take all medications as instructed.
  • Make sure to get plenty of rest to help your body fight the infection.
  • Drink plenty of fluids.

A follow-up appointment may be required. They may want to perform another chest X-ray to make sure your infection has cleared.

Prevention tips

The first line of defence against pneumonia is to get vaccinated. Several vaccines can help prevent pneumonia.

Pneumonia can often be a complication of the flu, so be sure to also get an annual flu shot.

In addition to vaccination, there are other things you can do to avoid pneumonia:

  • If you smoke, try to quit. Smoking makes you more susceptible to respiratory infections, especially pneumonia.
  • Regularly wash your hands with soap and water.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes. Promptly dispose of used tissues.
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle to strengthen your immune system. Get enough rest, eat a healthy diet, and get regular exercise.

Together with vaccination and additional prevention steps, you can help reduce your risk for getting pneumonia.

Sources:
https://www.worldnationaldays.com/world-pneumonia-day
https://stoppneumonia.org/latest/world-pneumoniaday
https://www.healthline.com/health/pneumonia
https://www.worldpneumoniaday.org