What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is a major lung infection that severely affects the air sacs in one or both lungs by inflaming them. This common illness can cause the lung’s air sacs to get clogged with fluid or pus, causing the already bad symptoms to worsen. Doctors say this is one of the most dangerous illnesses as it can range in severity from minor to life-threatening in just a few days.
Pneumonia is typically brought on by a virus or bacterial infection. Anyone can have pneumonia but the most vulnerable people include newborns and young children, adults over 65, and those with health conditions or weaker immune systems. The most common types of pneumonia are viral and bacterial. The main difference between these two types of pneumonia is that the viral pneumonia is caused by certain viruses and bacterial pneumonia is caused by certain bacteria. Streptococcus pneumonia is the most frequent cause of bacterial pneumonia. This kind of pneumonia can develop on its own or when you have a cold or flu.
Symptoms of Pneumonia
Although not everyone with pneumonia experiences the same symptoms, there are certain common ones you can watch out for, like shortness of breath, feeling exhausted, and severe chest pain. Sometimes you may have pneumonia and not know it as it can just be signs of a cold, this is known as “walking pneumonia”. The symptoms of pneumonia usually develop within 24 to 48 hours. The common symptoms you will experience include a cough, trouble breathing, a fast heartbeat, symptoms of a common cold, shivering, sweating, chest pains, loss of appetite, and fatigue. Infants and newborns may not express any symptoms of pneumonia. So, It is advisable to see your doctor as soon as your child seems ill since they could be having pneumonia. The potential symptoms they may show are vomiting, having a fever and cough, seeming agitated or exhausted, or having trouble breathing and eating
What We Can Do About Pneumonia
While most children can battle the illness, those with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop pneumonia. It is crucial that children receive treatment as quickly as possible because, especially in newborns, the symptoms of pneumonia may cause malnutrition or undernourishment, which may weaken a child’s immune system. Don’t delay your health any longer, we, at Calgary Drug Mart, have experienced and qualified to prescribe pharmacists to provide you with the necessary advice to help you prevent getting pneumonia.
The general recommendation is to get lots of rest when suffering from pneumonia, drink a lot of fluids, use a humidifier or take warm baths, avoid smoking, and visit your doctor following treatment to ensure your lungs are clear. Even though most pneumonia infections are bacterial and not contagious, maintaining excellent hygiene will help stop the spread of germs. Additionally, pneumonia can be avoided by leading a healthy lifestyle. For instance, smokers should give up smoking because it harms their lungs and raises their risk of infection.