What can be dangerous pneumonia?

Pneumonia (pneumonia) is a disease which affects people of any age. About how dangerous inflammation of the lungs, know far not all. Although many call the symptoms, I would say that it is treated with antibiotics, and after the illness the body will be a long time to recover.

To ensure the risk of pneumonia, one must first understand what it is.

What is pneumonia?

Is a disease caused by fungi, bacteria or viruses. In normal in every human pathogenic microorganisms live on the mucous membrane of the pharynx, nose, lungs. But as soon as the body immunity is reduced, pathogens begin to multiply with great speed, causing inflammation of the lungs. The inflammation may start directly in the lungs or to get there gradually, starting his "journey with the throat or nose. In such cases, the doctors made it clear that "the infection went down.

Inflammation can be exposed to whole lung or part of it.

The symptoms of this disease are the following: pain in the side, aggravated by deep inspiration or coughing, very high body temperature, dry or wet cough, shortness of breath, chills. For proper diagnosis you will need x-ray examination of the lungs, blood and sputum. These studies will help to establish the nature of the disease and begin appropriate therapy.

In the treatment of pneumonia, doctors usually prescribe antibiotic drugs. Depending on the severity of the disease, the patient can be placed in the hospital, where he was several times a day to make the injection. When properly selected antibiotic patient condition improvement occurs after 5-6 days from the start of treatment. If no improvement occurs, doctors usually prescribe the patient to another drug. Further, it is important to thin out and withdraw from resulting lung sputum. With this purpose, the patient can be assigned to inhalation, massage. In parallel, the patient is prescribed the antiviral and immunomodulatory drugs. Complete recovery usually occurs after 3-4 weeks.

Pneumonia is a very serious disease, which, despite the large spectrum of modern antibiotics, people continue to die. About self it can't even walk. It is fraught with serious consequences.

The danger of pneumonia for children

For children pneumonia is a very serious test, even if the child received timely medical help. Most often, the disease affects children of preschool age. Doctors believe that up to 6 years the childthere is a formation of immunity. During this period they are very vulnerable to different kinds of infections, including streptococcal, which in most cases causes kids pneumonia.

Besides the above symptoms of pneumonia in children is often marked by bluish discoloration of nasolabial triangle (cyanosis). This is a very serious indicator which suggests that the background of the disease is not all right with the cardiovascular system of the child.

The risk of pneumonia in the fact that during diseases of the lungs cannot continue to function in full: the breath of the child becomes superficial, he has a sense of shortage of air. That is why the children very badly sleep, eat, showing a constant concern.

Exacerbate the situation and the following factors:

1. Late referral for medical assistance.
2. The presence of concomitant chronic diseases of the baby.
3. The wrong treatment of the child.

Each of these factors increases the risk of illness for the child several times. At the initial stage of the disease is very similar to the regular viral infection, so doctors prescribe antibiotics immediately. If antiviral treatment is not given effect within 3 days (high fever persists and the cough does not stop), this is a reason to see the doctor again. This pattern of the disease means it is bacterial in nature. At this stage, antibiotics are required. Not all moms know it. Many continue to treat the child according to the original scheme, prescribed by a doctor, losing precious time. Within a few days the child may develop acute respiratory failure, sometimes death occurs. This is the danger of pneumonia.

Another dangerous consequence of untreated pneumonia in children - neurotoxicity. First, it is characterized by increased activity of the child, his agitation, frequent crying, whims. This condition gradually gives way to the opposite: the child is lethargic, not eating, lethargic, muscle tone is reduced. In the third stage, the temperature rises, the child appear convulsions, is developing pulmonary insufficiency (up to respiratory arrest).

To reduce the risk of a baby has pneumonia, the mother is sufficient to follow a few simple rules:

1. Try to breastfeed at least to 1 year.
2. Not to refuse to vaccinate the baby.
3. To ensure the child's diet with foods rich in zinc.
4. To have hardening of the child, a lot of time onwalks in the fresh air.
5. To observe basic rules of hygiene home: often ventilate the premises and to conduct wet cleaning.

The consequences of pneumonia in adults

No less dangerous pneumonia and adult. The most common effects:

1. Abscess of the lung.
2. Fibrosis of the lung.
3. Bronchial asthma.
4. Heart failure.
5. Respiratory failure.

Especially dangerous are the first two of the disease.

A lung abscess is a decomposition (rotting) of lung tissue in the part where there was inflammation. The center can be one. Sometimes several of them. During the formation of the abscess the patient high fever observed weakness, lack of appetite, difficulty breathing, severe pain in chest, cough. At the following stage the formed abscess is opened, sputum in large amounts (up to 1 liter per day) exits through the respiratory tract. With proper treatment within a few years lung tissue scarring, there comes a full recovery.

Fibrosis of the lung - the patient's condition in which the damaged lung tissue begins to form connective tissue. Lungs cannot work at full capacity, breathing becomes difficult, there is pain in the chest. The disease progresses very quickly, therefore, requires immediate referral to a health facility. Completely get rid of fibrosis of the lung impossible. Treatment is usually directed to relieve symptoms and prevent further progression of the disease. In extreme cases, the patient shows a lung transplant.

How to avoid the negative consequences of pneumonia?

Mortality from pneumonia in our country despite an adequate level of development of medicine is still high.

To quickly recover and avoid negative consequences, you have to be very attentive to health.

Russia decided to go to the doctor when there is already a very serious problem. This is wrong. In the case of pneumonia, it can lead to death. Medical help need to go as soon as the first symptoms of the disease, and the temperature is not so high. Do not neglect the tests that is prescribed. Their results will help the doctor make the scheme effective treatment.

Mother, caring for the health of your baby, you should know that upon the slightest suspicion of any disease, she must show the child's doctor. Statistics shows that the highest infant mortality from pneumonia was observed among children aged up to 1 year. In the casechildren with pneumonia should not be neglected hospitalization.

Both adults and children to protect against pneumonia will help physical exercise, a proper diet, rich in vitamins and trace elements, hardening, frequent exposure to fresh air and close attention to their health.