Tritydo - Lung Protection Japanese Technology

Everything You Need to Know About Pneumonia
1. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Pneumonia causes your lung tissue to swell (inflammation) and can cause fluid or pus in your lungs. Bacterial pneumonia is usually more severe than viral pneumonia, which often resolves on its own.
Pneumonia can affect one or both lungs. Pneumonia in both of your lungs is called bilateral or double pneumonia.
2. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
While all pneumonia is inflammation caused by an infection in your lungs, you may have different symptoms depending on whether the root cause is a virus, bacteria or fungi.
Bacterial pneumonia tends to be more common and more severe than viral pneumonia. It’s more likely to require a hospital stay. Providers treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics. Viral pneumonia causes flu-like symptoms and is more likely to resolve on its own. You usually don’t need specific treatment for viral pneumonia.
3. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
We categorize pneumonia by which pathogen (virus, bacteria or fungi) caused it and how you got it — community-acquired, hospital-acquired or ventilator-associated pneumonia.
* Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)
When you get pneumonia outside of a healthcare facility, it’s called community-acquired pneumonia. Causes include:
- Bacteria: Infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, also called pneumococcal disease, is the most common cause of CAP. Pneumococcal disease can also cause ear infections, sinus infections and meningitis. Mycoplasma pneumoniae bacteria causes atypical pneumonia, which usually has milder symptoms. Other bacteria that cause CAP include Haemophilus influenza, Chlamydia pneumoniae and Legionella (Legionnaires’ disease).
- Viruses: Viruses that cause the common cold, the flu (influenza), COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can sometimes lead to pneumonia.
- Fungi (molds): Fungi, like Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis jirovecii and Coccidioides, are uncommon causes of pneumonia. People with compromised immune systems are most at risk of getting pneumonia from a fungus.
- Protozoa: Rarely, protozoa like Toxoplasma cause pneumonia.
* 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥-𝐚𝐜𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 (𝐇𝐀𝐏)
You can get hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) while in a hospital or healthcare facility for another illness or procedure. HAP is usually more serious than community-acquired pneumonia because it’s often caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). This means HAP can make you sicker and be harder to treat.
* 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞-𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 (𝐇𝐂𝐀𝐏)
You can get HCAP while in a long-term care facility (such as a nursing home) or outpatient, extended-stay clinics. Like hospital-acquired pneumonia, it’s usually caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
* 𝐕𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫-𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 (𝐕𝐀𝐏)
If you need to be on a respirator or breathing machine to help you breathe in the hospital (usually in the ICU), you’re at risk for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The same types of bacteria as community-acquired pneumonia, as well as the drug-resistant kinds that cause hospital-acquired pneumonia, cause VAP.
* 𝐀𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚
Aspiration is when solid food, liquids, spit or vomit go down your trachea (windpipe) and into your lungs. If you can’t cough these up, your lungs can get infected.
3. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
You’re at an increased risk of pneumonia if you:
- Are over the age of 65 and or under the age of 2.
- Are living with a lung or heart condition. Examples include cystic fibrosis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, pulmonary fibrosis or sarcoidosis.
- Are living with a neurological condition that makes swallowing difficult. Conditions like dementia, Parkinson’s disease and stroke increase your risk of aspiration pneumonia.
- Are in the hospital or at a long-term care facility.
- Smoke.
- Are pregnant.
Have a weakened immune system. You might have a weakened immune system if you’re on chemotherapy, are an organ transplant recipient, are living with HIV/AIDS or are taking medications that suppress your immune system.
4. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
Anyone can get pneumonia. It’s a common illness, with millions of people diagnosed each year in the United States. About 55,000 people die each year of pneumonia in the U.S. It’s the most common cause of death in developing countries.
5. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
Symptoms of pneumonia depend on the cause. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Babies, young children and older adults may have different symptoms.
* 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮
Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia can develop gradually or suddenly. Symptoms include:
- High fever (up to 105 F or 40.55 C).
- Cough with yellow, green or bloody mucus.
- Tiredness (fatigue).
- Rapid breathing.
- Shortness of breath.
- Rapid heart rate.
- Sweating or chills.
- Chest pain and/or abdominal pain, especially with coughing or deep breathing.
- Loss of appetite.
- Bluish skin, lips or nails (cyanosis).
- Confusion or altered mental state.
*𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗼𝗺𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮
Symptoms of viral pneumonia usually develop over several days. You might have symptoms similar to bacterial pneumonia or you might additionally have:
- Dry cough.
- Headache.
- Muscle pain.
- Extreme tiredness or weakness.
* 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧
Babies and newborns may not show any symptoms of pneumonia or their symptoms may be different from adults, including:
- Fever, chills, general discomfort, sweating/flushed skin.
- Cough.
- Difficulty breathing or rapid breathing (tachypnea).
- Loss of appetite.
- Vomiting.
- Lack of energy.
- Restlessness or fussiness.
- Signs you can look for in babies and young children include:
Grunting sound with breathing or noisy breathing.
- A decreased amount of p*e or diapers that are less wet.
- Pale skin.
- Limpness.
- Crying more than usual.
- Difficulty feeding.
* 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟓
Adults over 65 or those with weakened immune systems may have mild or less noticeable symptoms of pneumonia (like cough and shortness of breath). Symptoms of ongoing health conditions may worsen. Older adults may experience:
- A sudden change in mental state.
- Low appetite.
- Fatigue.
6. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐩𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐚?
Pneumonia can develop when your immune system attacks an infection in the small sacs of your lung (alveoli). This causes your lungs to swell and leak fluids.
Many bacteria, viruses and fungi can cause the infections that lead to pneumonia. Bacteria are the most common cause in adults and viruses are the most common cause in school-aged children. Common illnesses that can lead to pneumonia include:
- Common cold (rhinovirus).
- COVID-19 (SARS-COV-2).
- The flu (influenza virus).
- Human metapneumovirus (HMPV).
- Human parainfluenza virus (HPIV).
- Legionnaires’ disease.
- Mycoplasma pneumonia bacteria.
- Pneumococcal disease.
- Pneumocystis pneumonia.
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
7. 𝗜𝘀 𝗽𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀?
Pneumonia itself isn’t actually contagious, but the bacteria and viruses that cause it are. For instance, the flu is contagious and can lead to pneumonia, but most people who get the flu won’t get pneumonia.
The bacteria that most commonly causes pneumonia, Streptococcus pneumoniae, can be spread from person to person by touching infected surfaces or through coughing and sneezing.
Pneumonia caused by fungi isn’t contagious. Fungal infections aren’t spread from person to person like viruses and bacteria.