- What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infectious disease caused by bacteria or viruses that cause inflammation of the lung tissue below the bronchioles. Often the patient will have symptoms such as fever, cough and phlegm and through a chest X-ray, the doctor will confirm whether the patient has pneumonia or not.
- Causes of pneumonia
Causes of pneumonia include bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In rare cases, the lungs can become inflamed from inhaling substances such as chemicals or emetics. Today, thanks to effective antibiotics, many cases of pneumonia are cured. However, the antibiotic resistance of the pathogens causing pneumonia is also becoming stronger, making pneumonia more difficult to treat than before.
- Symptoms of Pneumonia
Pneumonia leads to symptoms such as cough, phlegm and difficulty breathing. In particular, the color of sputum often turns yellow or cloudy. Many cases often have fever and chills. However, mild cases of pneumonia may not cause any specific symptoms. In some cases, non-specific symptoms such as fatigue, headache and diarrhea may occur.
- Diagnosis of Pneumonia
Pneumonia can be diagnosed by symptoms, signs, and culture test results. However, each person often has different symptoms. Bacterial culture can help accurately diagnose the disease, but it is only done in about 50% of pneumonia cases so a chest X-ray is a good method to accurately diagnose the disease. In addition, sputum, blood, serology, and pleural fluid culture tests may also be performed.
- Treat pneumonia
In treating pneumonia, injection or oral antibiotics are very important. If symptoms are not severe, outpatient treatment may be possible. If there are severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, the patient should be hospitalized to receive treatment.
- Monitor and take notes
Progressive pneumonia can cause sepsis or shock. Local complications may include pleural effusion, empyema, and lung abscess. However, not all patients with pneumonia have complications. In high-risk patients, complications can progress negatively, so these symptoms should be paid attention to.
