Pneumonia in adults - first signs, causes and treatment. What are the signs of pneumonia in adults?

Pneumonia is a dangerous disease that affects children and adults and can cause death. To prevent serious complications, you need to know how to recognize pneumonia, and at its first manifestations, consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Traditional methods and hopes that “everything will go away on its own” are unacceptable: a qualified doctor must treat the disease.

What should you pay attention to first?

In order to promptly consult a doctor and diagnose the disease, you need to pay attention to the first signs of pneumonia. The following details should be noted:

• The cough is dry and infrequent at first, but as the disease progresses it becomes wet and intrusive.
• The appearance of mild shortness of breath (dyspnea).
• A slight increase in body temperature accompanied by severe chills.
• Severe migraine.
• Weakness in the limbs - the disease can be preliminarily diagnosed by a strange sensation of “cotton legs”.
• Cold sweat on the body, periodic feeling that blood is rushing to the head.

Often the first signs of pneumonia are expressed vaguely, masked as manifestations of a common cold, or malaise caused by fatigue. How to identify and recognize inflammation in order to consult a doctor in a timely manner? You need to listen to your body, go to the clinic if you feel constant fatigue, lethargy, and weakness.

Specific manifestations of pneumonia

The appearance of the first signs of pneumonia in an adult reduces his ability to work, worsens his health, but allows him to bear the disease on his feet. As the disease progresses, the situation worsens, and specific signals appear from the inflamed respiratory organ. It is these complaints that become a compelling argument in favor of immediate hospitalization of the patient.

Characteristic signs of pneumonia in adults are:

• High temperature (38-39 degrees), to which another characteristic symptom is added - fever, hallucinations.
• Severe wet cough that accompanies hemoptysis.
• The appearance of severe headaches with pneumonia.
• Prolonged sneezing for no apparent reason, voice tremors.
• Shortness of breath, pale skin associated with inflammation in the lungs and.
• Pain when inhaling, coughing, which appears due to the involvement of the pleura and neighboring organs in the pathological process.
• Feeling overwhelmed, tired. Sick people are unable to cope even with simple household or work tasks.

If, with an acute respiratory viral infection or a cold that lasts 4-7 days, the patient does not observe an improvement, but, on the contrary, notices a deterioration in the general condition, we are talking about the appearance of characteristic signs of pneumonia. You need to consult a doctor to identify the cause of the disease and prescribe effective therapy.

Temperature during inflammation in the lungs

What is the temperature for pneumonia? At first, it rises slightly, and attacks of chills are replaced by the patient with the appearance of cold sweat.

Some patients have a temperature of 38-39 degrees for a long time. This meaning is complemented by symptoms of intoxication of the body: general weakness, loss of appetite, headaches.

For others, the thermometer stays at 38-38.5 degrees. This is often a sign of a combination of bronchitis and pneumonia. The patient suffers from bouts of painful coughing and respiratory dysfunction, and vocal tremors appear.

The body temperature during pneumonia is not reduced by the use of antipyretics and does not subside; it remains at a consistently high level for more than three days. Is it necessary to reduce the fever? The answer to this question is ambiguous.

An increase in temperature means that the body is fighting an infection. It does not need to be knocked down if in adults it does not exceed 38.5 degrees, and in a child - 38.

The following cases are exceptions to this rule:

• With pneumonia, temperature leads to disruptions in blood circulation and metabolic processes.
• There is a risk of developing pathologies of the heart, kidneys, and liver in elderly patients and people of working age.
• There is a complex, dangerous course of pneumonia in the elderly.
• There is a risk of developing febrile seizures in a child under five years of age.
• The patient suffers from diseases of the cardiovascular system or liver.

Regardless of what temperature is observed with pneumonia, accompanying symptoms are added to it: fever, hallucinations, hot flashes, migraines, heart pain. They do not disappear as long as the main problem persists.

The question of how many days the temperature lasts for pneumonia is not correct if the disease occurs in a latent form.

This is possible if:

• pneumonia in adults occurs during active use of antitussives;
• the infection lives in the patient’s body chronically;
• people are overly addicted to antibiotics.

To identify pneumonia in adults with or without fever, you need to pay attention to additional signs: back pain with pneumonia, dry cough, pale skin, constant thirst, voice tremors, increased fatigue and increased sweating. When determining the cause of these symptoms, the doctor will order an x-ray to help check the airways.

Important! If there is no fever with pneumonia, patients often consider the illness not serious. Refrain from such judgments: the likelihood of death in old and young remains regardless of the presence of fever.

How to recognize a disease by cough: characteristics

What is a cough like with pneumonia? The following types are distinguished:

1. Dry. It is observed in the early stages of pneumonia in an adult. This is a continuous barking cough, the nature of which is similar to a bark. This symptom reflects the stage of development of the disease, when bacteria invade the upper respiratory tract, but do not yet multiply. The receptors are irritated by exudate formed by cell death elements.
2. Wet. Bacteria begin to actively multiply and accumulate on the mucous membrane. When patients cough, pneumonia produces sputum.
3. Hemoptysis. As the disease progresses, coughing up blood appears due to pneumonia. Characteristic red streaks appear in the sputum. Often it is an encounter with such manifestations of the disease that forces the patient to consult a doctor.
4. Spastic. Appears if the patient develops an allergic reaction in the lung. In women and men, it occurs if the disease occurs against the background of bronchial asthma. In children, the symptom appears with lobar pneumonia.
5. Hoarse. Appears if the pathological process affects the ligaments, the patient’s voice changes. At the same time, sputum is released during pneumonia, in which there are noticeable streaks of blood, and mucus during expectoration.
6. Bitonal. Its characteristic feature is vocal tremors, when the timbre changes from low bass to high. A similar cough with pneumonia in adults means that dangerous complications of the disease have begun: ulcers and fistula tracts have formed in the lungs.
7. Cough with syncope. Such a cough with pneumonia is so intense that it leads to loss of consciousness by the patient. This is due to a rush of blood and limited cardiac output.
8. Whooping cough-like. Severe, continuous, paroxysmal, leading to increased breathing during pneumonia. This symptom can cause an adult or child to vomit. During inhalation, a characteristic whistle appears.

Based on the signs, how the cough manifests itself, what color the sputum is, an experienced doctor is able to determine the cause and causative agent of the inflammatory process.

Patients are traditionally interested in how long the temperature lasts during pneumonia and how long the cough does not go away. The second symptom is observed until the infiltrate is completely removed from the alveoli, i.e. almost throughout the entire course of the disease. Voice tremors, breathing problems, and expectoration persist for 2-3 weeks. The color of sputum during pneumonia changes and depends on the causative agent of the disease.

Shortness of breath and pain as characteristic signs of the disease

In order to recognize the peculiarities of the course of pneumonia and the nature of the disease in a timely manner, you need to pay attention to all its signs. It is useful for the patient to know what hurts, why, temperature during pneumonia in adults, etc. All this helps not to write off the problem as a common cold, but to immediately go to the doctor to prescribe effective treatment.

Shortness of breath with pneumonia is a characteristic sign of the disease. What does the problem look like and what manifestations does it have?

• The patient feels a lack of oxygen, and sometimes there are attacks of suffocation.
• Breathing becomes shallow, in order to get a sufficient amount of oxygen, a person is forced to inhale and exhale more often.
• The patient makes more than 18 breathing movements per minute.
• Lack of oxygen leads to pale skin and a feeling of numbness in the arms and legs.

How pneumonia manifests itself and what symptom to watch out for depends on the nature of its course. If the disease is mild, shortness of breath does not appear.

What can hurt with pneumonia? The patient experiences the following discomfort:

• With pneumonia, the back hurts - the appearance of unpleasant sensations means that the pleural areas are involved in the pathological process (pleuropneumonia). Discomfort may also radiate to the side and stomach. The symptom is sometimes disguised as a manifestation of a heart attack or radiculitis.
• The patient has aching joints and discomfort in muscle tissue and bones. This is due to a temperature increase of more than 37 degrees. The symptoms include general weakness, depression, loss of appetite, and nausea.
• The patient begins to have a sore throat. Characteristic signs of pneumonia are complemented by hoarseness and runny nose. As the disease progresses, these symptoms disappear and are replaced by a severe cough.
• A severe migraine appears - this is the main symptom that gives rise to suspicion of pneumonia. It involves the frontotemporal areas and has a pulsating character.

If the pain of pneumonia is not severe enough, the temperature is low, remember how long your illness lasts. If you have been sick for 4-7 days or longer and there is no improvement, you should definitely consult a doctor and get an x-ray of your lungs.

Does your back hurt when you develop pneumonia? Yes, if the pleural cavity is involved in the pathological process. The lungs themselves are devoid of nerve endings, so they do not cause discomfort to the patient.

Video

Signs of pneumonia

Manifestations of intoxication in pneumonia

Intoxication occurs as a consequence of the spread of the inflammatory process through the lung tissues and to other organs: the heart, circulatory system, liver and kidneys. The problem manifests itself with the following set of symptoms:

• weakness, lethargy;
• decreased performance;
• loss of interest in life;
• pale grayish color of the skin;
• sleep disorders;
• increased body temperature;
• loss of appetite, weight loss.

In a child at the initial stages of development of the disease, intoxication manifests itself as causeless agitation, accompanied by diarrhea and sometimes vomiting. This state is replaced by lethargy, falling into a stupor, a feeling of constant thirst, and loss of appetite.

In especially severe cases, intoxication in adults and children can lead to seizures and disorders of consciousness. To prevent sad consequences, it is important to consult a doctor in a timely manner to combat the symptom.

Development of the disease and inflammation of the lymph nodes

Inflammation of the lymph nodes in the lungs is one of the most dangerous conditions of the body. In addition to pneumonia, other diseases can cause it: acute bronchitis,. To eliminate the problem, the patient is prescribed special medications, which are not always 100% effective. There remains a possibility of the problem transforming into a malignant tumor.

When the lymph nodes become inflamed, the following signs of atypical pneumonia appear:

• severe pain when coughing;
• attacks of unbearable migraine;
• feeling of internal heat, chills.

Inflammation of the lungs can cause cervical lymphadenitis. It means that seals appear on the patient’s neck, pressing on which causes severe pain. General weakness, migraine appears, and the temperature rises.

If the lymphatic problem is severe, suppuration in the area of ​​the lymph nodes and swelling of the neck are possible. The patient loses his appetite, sleep becomes shallow and restless.

Knowing the signs of pneumonia in adults and children is necessary in order to promptly consult a doctor for diagnosis and treatment. It is impossible to get rid of pneumonia using traditional methods; hoping that “everything will go away on its own” is useless. To speed up recovery and minimize the risk of death, you should definitely consult a specialist.

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Pneumonia is a disease of the pulmonary system that occurs due to exposure to harmful bacteria and viruses. Pneumonia is not always an independent disease; sometimes it is a complication of other diseases.

Normally, the pulmonary system has a powerful defense system. Firstly, it is the nasal mucosa with fine hairs, secondly, the tonsils, and thirdly, the bronchial mucosa. If viruses and microbes nevertheless overcome these obstacles, then leukocytes and bacteriophages act and neutralize them, then with the help of a natural reflex - a simple cough, the microbes are expelled from the body along with mucus.

When, for certain reasons, viruses and microbes penetrate the lung tissue, inflammation develops, which can be:

• focal - the infection affects a small area of ​​the lung;
• segmental – infection affects one or two bronchopulmonary segments;
• lobar – the infection affects a lobe of the lung;
• confluent – ​​foci of infection merge into one larger lesion;
• total - the entire lung is inflamed.

With pneumonia, the lung tissue stops functioning properly: the lung vesicles fill with fluid instead of oxygen. Gas exchange is not carried out fully, so the level of oxygen in a person’s blood drops, and oxygen starvation of internal organs develops.

Causes

The main cause of pneumonia is damage to the lung tissue by viruses and bacteria due to the weakening of the body's defenses. Harmful microorganisms penetrate into the lungs not only through direct inhalation, but also “migrate” from the upper parts of the lungs to the lower ones, and also get inside during medical manipulations with non-sterile devices. The causes of pneumonia may lie in blood or lymph infection, for example, with sepsis or drug addiction.

With some diseases, the risk of getting pneumonia increases significantly. Such diseases include:

• congenital or acquired heart disease;
• cystic fibrosis;
• malnutrition and hypovitaminosis;
• immunodeficiency is hereditary or acquired;
• endocrine diseases;
• heart failure.

Bad habits – alcoholism, drug addiction, including passive ones, also significantly suppress the body’s immunity, which allows the infection to freely penetrate and multiply in the tissues of the lungs. The risk of developing pneumonia largely depends on your overall lifestyle. In 90% of cases, the lower parts of the lungs are affected, which in normal life are practically not involved in breathing. Inactivity and physical inactivity do not allow the lungs to work at full capacity, so mucus accumulates in remote areas, which is an ideal environment for the proliferation of bacteria.

Symptoms

Symptoms of pneumonia can vary depending on what pathogens caused it. The causes of “typical” pneumonia are streptococci, staphylococci, and Pfeiffer’s bacillus. Signs of pneumonia in this case are as follows:

• a sharp rise in body temperature to 40, less often to 38 degrees;
• severe cough with sputum;
• body chills, fatigue, lethargy;
• pain when coughing in any area of ​​the lung.

“Atypical” pneumonia occurs due to atypical pathogens, the clinical picture is slightly different, as in the usual case. Its signs are:

• weak manifestation of “classical” signs: no pain in the lungs, an average amount of sputum produced, a slight increase in the level of leukocytes;
• headache;
• muscle pain (myalgia);
• sore throat;
• lethargy, sweating;
• short-term increase in temperature in the evening;
• shortness of breath during exercise.

This type of pneumonia is the most dangerous because a person does not attach much importance to his condition, attributing it to chronic fatigue or vitamin deficiency. If left untreated, inflammation can lead to tuberculosis or even lung cancer.

Diagnostics

If pneumonia is suspected, the doctor will first prescribe fluorography - an examination of the lung area using X-rays. In order to obtain a clearer picture, two photographs are taken, one from the side and the other from the front.

Next, it is necessary to study the bacteriological composition of sputum. This is done in order to find out which pathogen has entered the lungs, what the condition of the lungs is, and also to check whether Koch’s bacillus, the causative agent of tuberculosis, is among the microorganisms.

A general blood test will give an idea of ​​the state of the body during the period of illness. A high erythrocyte sedimentation rate, as well as an increase in the level of leukocytes, indicate an inflammatory process in the body. An unfavorable sign is an increase in hemoglobin in the blood from the onset of the disease, because oxygen deficiency may develop.

Additionally the following can be used:

• computed tomography – high-precision layer-by-layer examination using a computer;
• bronchoscopy – examination of the condition of the trachea and bronchi using a bronchofiberscope;
• biopsy of the lung or pleura - taking part of the cells for research;
• urine analysis for protein and leukocyte content.

The more methods are used, the more complete the doctor’s understanding of pneumonia will be. A correct diagnosis will help you create the most effective treatment plan.

Treatment

Treatment of pneumonia begins after the causative agent of the infection is identified. The doctor prescribes antiviral and antibacterial drugs - antibiotics. In combination with them, agents are prescribed that dilate the bronchi and dilute sputum - in the form of tablets, syrups, inhalations, intravenous solutions. Oxygen masks and oxygen cocktails are used to enrich the blood with oxygen.

In addition, it is necessary to stimulate your own immunity. This is done with the help of ascorbic acid, as well as physiotherapy: physical therapy, vibration massage, and so on.

After completing the course of treatment, it is necessary to check the condition of the lungs. X-rays are repeated and sputum is collected for examination.

The medical community insists that the only universal way to prevent pneumonia is vaccination. Vaccination is recommended for the following categories of people:

• for persons over 65 years of age;
• for persons suffering from liver cirrhosis, anemia, chronic heart disease;
• for persons who have undergone radiation therapy;
• for persons with alcoholism, smokers;
• for those who work with a large number of people, especially young children.

Revaccination is carried out after 5 years. Modern vaccines are practically safe, and, most importantly, they significantly reduce the risk of pneumonia and its complications.

Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue and alveoli, characterized by damage to the mucous membranes of the lung and the formation of exudate. Most often, the disease is infectious in nature, but sometimes inflammation can begin after inhalation of toxic substances or liquid entering the respiratory tract. Pneumonia is diagnosed mainly in children - this is due to the imperfection of the immune system and insufficient activity of immune cells.

Pneumonia in adults also occurs due to weakened immunity. Bacteria, entering the mucous membranes of one or both lungs, begin to multiply and secrete waste products that cause general intoxication of the body and its symptoms: fever, weakness, chills. Sometimes the disease occurs in a mild form without fever, cough and other symptoms, but this does not mean that the disease in this case cannot lead to serious consequences, so it is important to know the signs and characteristics of pneumonia in adults.

Experts distinguish two types of pneumonia: hospital-acquired and community-acquired. The hospital type of pathology is especially dangerous for patients of any age, as it is caused by pathogens that are resistant to most antibiotics and other potent antibacterial agents. To completely destroy some types of pathogenic microorganisms (for example, Staphylococcus aureus), it is necessary to “wash” the hospital facility every two weeks, which is impossible in practice.

Infection outside the hospital also occurs due to bacteria entering the lower respiratory tract. In the vast majority of cases, the disease occurs after infection by streptococci. This is the most dangerous pathogen, which in 10% of cases multiplies so quickly that it is not possible to achieve a pronounced effect from the use of traditional treatment regimens, and the patient’s death occurs. Statistics on infection with other types of pathogenic bacteria are presented in the table below.

Important! Some types of pathogenic bacteria (for example, Legionella) are resistant to standard antibiotics, so the type of pathogen must be determined for treatment to be effective. Without this measure, there may be no result from therapy and the death of the patient.

How not to miss the onset of the disease: the first signs

With the development of inflammatory processes in the lungs, the majority of patients (more than 40%) develop a fever. In the first 1-2 days it may not rise to high levels and remain at 37-37.3°. As bacterial colonies grow, the temperature increases, the patient's general condition worsens, and symptoms of intoxication appear. The temperature at this stage can reach 38.5-39° and is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

• chills;
• lethargy;
• deterioration (or complete absence) of appetite;
• fever;
• headache;
• drowsiness.

Advice! To prevent dehydration and speed up recovery, it is necessary to maintain a drinking regime and consume a sufficient amount of water, compotes and tea. Doctors advise including berry fruit drinks in your diet - they help reduce fever and contain a large amount of ascorbic acid, which is necessary to support weakened immunity during illness.

The second symptom of pneumonia that appears at an early stage is cough. In the first days of the disease, it is hysterical, dry, and painful. There is no sputum production during this period. Cough torments the patient at any time of the day, intensifies at night, disrupting the quality of sleep. In some cases, it may be accompanied by shortness of breath, but such symptoms are usually typical for 3-4 days of illness.

Symptoms of pneumonia in adults

By the end of the third day of the disease, the patient begins to develop symptoms characteristic of pneumonia, so most patients seek medical help at this time. To recognize inflammatory processes in the lung tissue, it is necessary to know the characteristics of the symptoms at this stage.

Cough

Cough is the main symptom that is detected in any age group of patients with lung damage. A few days after the onset of the pathology, the cough becomes wet, mucous sputum is released from the respiratory tract, which may contain yellow-green pus. To speed up the removal of mucus from the respiratory tract, the doctor prescribes mucolytics or expectorants that increase the formation of mucous secretion and facilitate its removal from the lungs.

Important! Cough with pneumonia is usually intense, but in some cases the patient may not experience any discomfort associated with this symptom. The duration of the cough can be from 7 to 14 days. Sometimes the cough continues after recovery and lasts about 10 days. This sign must be monitored by a doctor, as it may indicate insufficient treatment and the presence of an infectious focus in the lungs or bronchi.

Pain when breathing

If the patient tries to take a deep breath, he may feel pain behind the sternum. This symptomatology indicates that the pleura is involved in the pathological process. Damage to the pleura can lead to pleurisy, a serious disease characterized by inflammation of the pleural layers. Pleurisy can be dry or exudative with the formation of liquid contents.

Dyspnea

Shortness of breath most often occurs during coughing. At rest, this symptom rarely bothers patients of the adult age group, but such a situation is not excluded, so it is important to monitor any changes in breathing and well-being.

Pale skin

The skin begins to turn pale from the first days of the disease, so you can suspect the presence of a pathological process in the body even before the appearance of typical symptoms. If the patient has a fever, the temperature remains high, pale skin will be accompanied by increased sweating. In severe cases, bluish areas may appear - this is a very dangerous sign that requires immediate contact with a specialist.

The mucous membranes also turn pale, and there is increased dryness of the lips and mouth.

Headache

Headache with pneumonia is of an increasing nature and intensifies with sudden movement or turning of the head. The maximum severity of pain is determined on the 3-4th day of the disease. Starting from the fifth day, the painful sensations subside and by the end of the seventh day they disappear completely.

Hallucinations

Impaired consciousness and the appearance of hallucinations occur only in 3-4% of cases and indicate a critical level of intoxication and a large area of ​​damage. If the patient has experienced at least one disturbance of consciousness, a decision is made on urgent hospitalization, since such patients must be under constant medical supervision.

Bilateral pneumonia: symptoms

Bilateral damage is the most unfavorable clinical form of pneumonia, which, in the absence of proper therapy, can result in the death of the patient. Treatment of this type of inflammation is carried out in a hospital setting, so the favorable prognosis for life depends on the speed of visiting a doctor and the timeliness of providing medical care.

A distinctive symptom of bilateral pneumonia is blue discoloration of the lips and limbs. This symptom occurs because gas exchange in the tissues of the pulmonary system is disrupted and blood flow through the vessels of the bronchial tree and lungs slows down. The temperature in this form of pneumonia is always high: starting from the first day of the disease, it can stay at around 38.5-39° and rise higher as the disease progresses.

Other symptoms of bilateral pneumonia:

• severe shortness of breath;
• prolonged painful cough;
• chest pain;
• prolonged sneezing and other cold symptoms;
• short and shallow breathing.

Important! If you have such symptoms, you should under no circumstances stay at home and try to treat yourself. Mortality from bilateral lung damage is about 13% of the total number of cases, so treatment should only be carried out under the supervision of specialists. In addition, the patient may require adjustment of treatment therapy, which is impossible to do at home.

Associated symptoms and complications

Signs of pneumonia do not always relate to the pulmonary system. Since the disease is most often of an infectious nature, viruses and bacteria can spread throughout the body and penetrate other tissues and organs, causing associated complications, which experts consider as a type of symptoms of the underlying disease. For example, if signs of iron deficiency anemia appear and a patient goes to the hospital about this, the patient may find out that he has an inflamed lung.

Changes may also affect the cardiovascular system. Most often, such patients are diagnosed with myocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle. The pathology is extremely dangerous and can cause death if not diagnosed in time. Heart failure is another symptom of an advanced form of pneumonia, which occurs in almost half of patients, therefore, in a hospital setting, all patients with pneumonia must be examined by a cardiologist.

Other signs (complications) of long-term damage to the pulmonary system:

• endocarditis is an inflammatory process of the inner lining of the heart;
• meningitis - damage to the meninges;
• toxic shock (infectious origin).

Important! Long-term intoxication can also lead to the death of the patient, so the only correct option would be to go to the hospital if any symptoms of pneumonia are detected.

Pneumonia is a dangerous pathology with a fairly high probability of death. Some people underestimate the seriousness of the disease, but this approach, without exaggeration, can cost the patient’s life. The symptoms of the pathology may vary, but the main signs are identified in almost 90% of patients with pneumonia, so early diagnosis is not difficult. The prognosis of life and health depends entirely on timely treatment, so any signs of the disease should be taken seriously.

Video - All about pneumonia

Despite the achievements of world medicine and the development of fundamentally new antibacterial drugs, pneumonia remains a life-threatening disease to this day. Among all infectious diseases, pneumonia occupies a leading position in the number of deaths among patients. Pneumonia is especially severe in categories of people with reduced immune potential, which include children and elderly citizens.

Symptoms and signs of lobar pneumonia

Lobar pneumonia is considered one of the most dangerous forms of inflammation in the lungs. This pathology is characterized by large-scale tissue damage and serious complications. Lobar pneumonia is an acute disease with lobar lesions of the lungs, most often on both sides. It occurs with pronounced intoxication, accompanying toxic damage to other organs. A common causative agent of this pathology is Frindler's bacillus, which is particularly toxic and highly destructive. In rare cases, pneumonia is provoked by opportunistic microorganisms, such as staphylococci and streptococci, when the body's immune activity decreases.

Inflammatory changes develop in the lobes of one or both lungs. The inflammatory infiltrate compresses the alveoli with small-caliber bronchi and pulmonary edema develops. Pathogenesis reflects the specific symptoms of pneumonia and is the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria in the lower tract of the respiratory system and the activation of protective immune processes, including a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction.

What are the main symptoms of lobar pneumonia?

1. Symptom of "Rusty sputum".
2. Weakness due to intoxication.
3. Chest pain.
4. Painful cough.

Pulmonary inflammation shows symptoms very quickly. The body temperature rises to 39ºC, shortness of breath appears with a dry cough, but two days later, the cough intensifies and sputum appears with a characteristic orange color, containing hemolyzed red blood cells. The patient's general condition deteriorates sharply and severe pain appears in the area of ​​​​the projection of the lung tissue.

Symptoms and signs of focal pneumonia

Focal pneumonia is another type of inflammatory process in the respiratory tract. A characteristic feature of this type of disease is the limited localization of the pathological focus, in the lobule. With its symptoms, focal pneumonia often resembles bronchitis, and therefore the diagnosis of the disease is complicated and is already detected in the later stages, when the infectious process has managed to cause significant harm to the body.

There are several types of focal pneumonia:

1. Infectious.
2. Aspiration.
3. Hypostatic.
4. Traumatic.
5. Postoperative.

Penetration of the pathogen often occurs through the bronchogenic pathway, when bacteria enter the alveolar space from the bronchial system. Usually one lung is affected, with inflammation occurring within one or several lobules.

What are the symptoms of focal pneumonia?

1. Low-grade fever.
2. Cough with mucous discharge.
3. General weakness of the body.
4. Dyspnea.

The disease develops acutely with symptoms similar to acute respiratory viral infections. Fever begins with low-grade fever and can reach 40ºC; with adequate treatment, its duration is no more than five days. The cough in the initial period of the disease is often dry, and two days later it becomes mucopurulent in nature.

The specific action of toxins from pathogenic bacteria causes characteristic signs of pneumonia. Bacterial toxins act systemically and cause severe intoxication syndrome, which manifests itself in general weakness of the body, signs of inflammation of the lung tissue, due to the alterative action of microbial substances. Infiltrative foci, including alveolar sacs and bronchioles, complicate gas exchange within the lungs and provoke the development of shortness of breath with tachypnea.

Symptoms and signs of pneumonia in people with alcohol dependence

People who abuse alcohol and smoking are highly susceptible to pneumonia. Ethyl alcohol vapors have a strong irritant effect on the mucous membrane of the bronchopulmonary system, thereby reducing its protective functions and creating favorable conditions for the penetration and development of infectious agents. The complicated course of pneumonia is also facilitated by: vitamin deficiency as a result of an unbalanced diet, hormonal disorders, immunodeficiency states and toxic damage to the liver with disruption of its normal functioning.

The lung tissue of alcoholics contains less glutathione, which is a powerful antioxidant and protects the lungs from the damaging effects of reactive oxygen species. In addition, ethanol destroys the protein claudin, which is part of the blood-air barrier. With the help of this barrier, gases are exchanged between the blood and the external environment, so if there is a deficiency of claudin, then liquid media begin to permeate the pulmonary parenchyma. Thus, ideal conditions are created for the development of the infectious process.

In patients with alcoholism, the signs of pneumonia do not have any special manifestations. One should only take into account that the clinical picture, against the background of alcohol intoxication, may be erased and not have clearly defined symptoms, however, this does not exclude the development of a pathological process in the respiratory organs.

What are the signs of pneumonia in alcoholism?

1. Body temperature is in the low subfebrile range.
2. Cough with expectoration.
3. Lagging of the affected side of the chest in the act of breathing.
4. The pain is mild.
5. Dyspnea.
6. Cyanosis.

Alcoholism makes it difficult to diagnose the pathology, so an accurate diagnosis can only be made after a complex of instrumental studies. The main and most important method is an X-ray examination of the chest organs. Only on the basis of radiological symptoms can a final diagnosis be made and treatment prescribed.

Symptoms and signs of pneumonia in children

Pneumonia in childhood deserves special attention. Already starting from the second half of the year, the child’s body is susceptible to the development of a generalized inflammatory process. A child’s body at different periods of its life has certain functioning features, and all this will certainly affect how pneumonia is expressed in children of a particular age group. In childhood, Haemophilus influenzae and pneumococci are common causative agents of infection. At a younger age, pneumonia can be caused by mycoplasma, in particular in the summer-autumn period of the year. In adolescence, chlamydia becomes a common causative agent of pneumonia.

Factors contributing to the activation of opportunistic microflora:

1. Post-mortem ARVI.
2. Hypothermia.
3. Entry of foreign bodies and substances into the respiratory tract.
4. Vitamin deficiency.
5. Immunodeficiency states.
6. Congenital malformations.
7. Rickets.

With frequent regurgitation, vomit certainly enters the airways, bringing in microflora from the digestive tract: Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, the activity of which causes the development of characteristic signs of pneumonia.

Pathogens penetrate the airways through airborne droplets. In this case, the disease develops as a primary pathological process, but often pneumonia is secondary, as a complication of the inflammatory process in the upper parts of the pulmonary system. Secondary pneumonia is more often recorded in children.

With the penetration of the pathogen, edema develops on the bronchial mucosa as a result of which the air supply to the alveoli becomes difficult, they begin to collapse, gas exchange is disrupted, oxygen deficiency and acidotic conditions develop.

Nosocomial pneumonia is very dangerous.

They develop in a hospital setting, when the child is being treated for another disease. The causative agents of hospital-acquired pneumonia are distinguished by their resistance to many antibiotics, which seriously impedes treatment and often threatens the life of a sick child. Chemotherapy given to the child may contribute to the development of hospital-acquired pneumonia. Antibacterial therapy has a detrimental effect on the child’s normal flora, which is replaced by new resistant strains. Such antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause hospital-acquired pneumonia symptoms, which appear two days after discharge from the hospital. Often this disease affects newborns already on the third day of their life.

As in adults, lobar pneumonia is possible in children. Inflammation caused by pneumococcus covers several segments at once, and more often the entire lobe of the lung, involving the pleura in the pathological process. It is more often found in children of preschool and school age. Lobar pneumonia almost always affects the lower lobe of the left lung, which is valuable information for diagnosis.

Interstitial pneumonia is characterized by the localization of an inflammatory focus in the connective tissue structures of the lung. This type of pneumonia occurs in children in the first two years of life. The pathology is particularly severe in infants.

Frequent causative agents of interstitial pneumonia:

1. Viruses.
2. Pneumocystis.
3. Mycoplasmas.
4. Chlamydia.

Other causes of childhood pneumonia:

1. Allergens.
2. Worm infestation.
3. Action of chemical and physical irritating factors.

The younger the child is, the higher the risk of developing and the severity of pneumonia. The frequent occurrence of the above pathology is facilitated by anatomical and physiological factors in young children:

1. Immaturity of lung tissue.
2. The upper airways are wider and shorter, while the lower ones are narrow.
3. The mucous membrane is loose with a large abundance of blood vessels.
4. Immaturity of the ciliated epithelium.
5. Abdominal type of breathing.
6. Immaturity of the immune system organs.
7. Artificial feeding.
8. Toxic exposure to tobacco smoke due to family members smoking.
9. Rachitic factors.

The clinical picture of the disease depends not only on the infectious pathogen, but also on the age of the patient. The older age group of children has clearer symptoms, which cannot be said about young children, who, with a minimally developed pathological process, may experience severe respiratory failure due to oxygen starvation. As a result, it is quite difficult to assume the development of a pathological process.

What signs of pneumonia can occur in childhood?

1. Difficulty in nasal breathing.
2. Tearfulness.
3. Signs of laryngospasm.
4. Temperature above 38°C.
5. Increased breathing.
6. Increased heart rate.
7. Paleness of the skin.
8. Blueness of the nasolabial triangle.
9. Sweating.
10. Participation of auxiliary muscles in breathing.
11. Retraction of intercostal spaces.
12. Movement of the wings of the nose.
13. Cough (superficial, deep, paroxysmal, dry, wet).

In school-age children, it is almost always preceded by minor manifestations of acute respiratory viral infections. Three days after the condition normalizes, chest pain and a sharp rise in temperature occur.

With pneumonia caused by chlamydia, catarrhal phenomena occur in the pharynx and the cervical groups of lymph nodes increase in size. With mycoplasma inflammation, a distinctive feature is a dry cough and hoarseness of voice, against the background of a relatively low body temperature.

Symptoms and signs of pneumonia in older people

In old age, there are characteristic features of how pneumonia manifests itself and progresses. In older people, pneumonia occurs due to weakening of the immune system's defense mechanisms, accumulation of toxins and tissue damage. All these negative manifestations are the result of physiological aging of the body.

Many older people suffer strokes and heart attacks, which makes them inactive. People with reduced physical activity often experience congestion in the lower parts of the lungs, which provokes the development of inflammatory processes. In patients who are on bed rest for a long time, pneumonia often leads to a significant deterioration of the condition, as well as death.

Symptoms of pneumonia in older people differ significantly from clinical manifestations in young people. In old age, pneumonia occurs latently for a long time (without pronounced symptoms), which is a serious obstacle to diagnosis and it becomes impossible to start treatment in advance. Often the onset of inflammation occurs against the background of neurotoxic disorders, accompanied by a disorder of consciousness, the occurrence of irritability, hyperesthesia and emotional lability. An interesting fact is the absence of increased body temperature and leukocytosis at an early stage of the development of pathology.

What are the possible symptoms of pneumonia in older people?

1. Dyspnea.
2. Nonproductive cough.
3. Chest pain.
4. By participating in the act of breathing the auxiliary muscles.
5. Fine bubbling rales.
6. Increased body temperature.
7. Impaired consciousness.
8. Appetite disorders.
9. Losing weight.
10. Cyanosis of the skin.

Often, patients with pneumonia experience acrocyanosis, which manifests itself as blue discoloration of the fingertips and lips. Symptoms of respiratory failure often occur, especially in patients with chronic pathology of the respiratory system. It is impossible to describe specific symptoms for pneumonia in the elderly, since they will vary depending on pre-existing concomitant diseases of the respiratory system and other systems.

Early diagnosis of pneumonia is of great importance, since advanced pathology can lead to many complications in the respiratory system.

One of the most dangerous complications is respiratory failure. The likelihood of its development is very high in the elderly and young children, as well as in patients of all age categories with concomitant pathology of the lungs and heart. Respiratory failure often leads to death. That is why you should pay special attention to the general symptoms of lung pathologies, so that in case of an unpleasant diagnosis, you can start treatment in time and save the body from chronic inflammatory processes and the development of complications.

Unfortunately, pneumonia is quite common. very sensitive to all kinds of infections, bacteria and fungi. Many people often ask the question: “What are the symptoms of pneumonia?” Does the temperature have to be high? Many diseases are latent. It often occurs in a latent form and Symptoms without fever significantly complicate the diagnosis.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious respiratory disease that affects lung tissue. This condition can be provoked by streptococci, staphylococci, other bacteria, chlamydia, legionella, some fungi (for example, candida), influenza viruses, herpes. The infection does not “settle” in the nasopharynx, but descends below, causing an inflammatory process in the lungs. The waste products of pathogens, which are essentially toxins, poison the body. Particular harm is caused to the central nervous system, heart and bloodstream organs. Pathogens enter the body through airborne droplets. Often the disease can be caused by bacteria that inhabit the upper respiratory tract.

Causes

Pneumonia mainly develops against a background of weakened immunity and respiratory diseases. With significant hypothermia, the body's defenses are weakened, and harmful microbes easily penetrate into the lung tissue. In addition, overwork, poor diet, lack of essential vitamins and minerals, stress and strong emotional outbursts also contribute to the development of a disease such as pneumonia. Symptoms (without temperature or with a significant increase in temperature), cough should alert the patient. The danger of the latent course of the disease is that there is a high risk of all sorts of complications (damage to the central nervous system and cerebral cortex, decreased levels of red blood cells in the blood), etc. They don’t pay much attention to a mild illness; it is easy to confuse it with other similar ailments.

Types of pneumonia

Classic symptoms of pneumonia

Pneumonia is the most common complication of acute respiratory diseases. As an independent disease during infections, it is not so widespread. What are the first symptoms of pneumonia? A cough that is constant, and over time it becomes hacking, with sputum. The body temperature rises significantly, the person shudders. Often paracetamol has no effect. It becomes difficult to breathe; trying to take a deep breath provokes a coughing attack. It is worth paying attention to the bluish tint of the skin around the mouth and wings of the nose. If the cold does not go away after a week, or the symptoms worsen, the doctor may also suspect pneumonia. Knowing what symptoms of pneumonia are most common will help you consult a doctor in time. After all, this disease is extremely dangerous, especially in young children.

Unfortunately, it is widely believed that pneumonia is a disease in which high fever is required. Its absence misleads people; they do not even suspect that a disease such as pneumonia is already developing. Symptoms without fever characterize atypical pneumonia. General lethargy, fatigue, headache, nausea - a person often turns a blind eye to all these signs. In addition, pneumonia can be suspected if breathing becomes heavy, chest pain is felt, and shortness of breath appears. A cough that does not go away for a long time should alert you. All this constitutes the main features. Pneumonia (symptoms are often contradictory) requires a full examination to confirm the diagnosis, including an x-ray and a blood test to determine the level of white blood cells.

Pneumonia in children

How does pneumonia occur in children? The disease has its own characteristics. has the following: lethargy, restlessness, poor sleep and appetite. Atypical pneumonia is characterized by the fact that the child constantly wants to sleep, he literally falls asleep on the go. He will not perform his usual actions and does not want to play if he develops pneumonia. Symptoms (without fever) also include increased sweating and pain in different parts of the body. Children during illness become more capricious. If there is a suspicion of ordinary pneumonia, Komarovsky identifies the following symptoms: prolonged cough, high body temperature does not go away after 3-4 days. You can do a little test. If more muscles are involved in breathing, it seems to be difficult, then pneumonia may develop. To make a diagnosis, you should consult a pediatrician. A blood test is required to determine the level of leukocytes.

Treatment

If an appropriate diagnosis is made, therapy should be started immediately. Atypical pneumonia is well treated with antibiotics, which are selected depending on the type of pathogen. On average, the duration of treatment is approximately 10 days. Additionally, the doctor prescribes special cough medications. They help thin mucus. Incorrectly selected medications (if the patient decides to prescribe them himself) will only intensify coughing attacks and make it harsh. If you have a high temperature, you can take antipyretic medications yourself. Drinking plenty of warm fluids is recommended throughout the illness. If the patient's age is less than 60 years and there are no accompanying diseases, then therapy can be carried out at home. Indications for hospitalization are the risk of complications, severe form of the disease, and age over 60 years. In addition to antibacterial therapy, a specialist may prescribe breathing exercises, vitamin supplements, massage and physical therapy.

Actions that should not be performed if you have pneumonia

If all the signs are found (pneumonia symptoms are quite characteristic) of this disease, then it is important to remember what absolutely cannot be done. First of all, you should not take antibiotics on your own. Only with a complete clinical picture and the type of pathogen identified, a specialist will prescribe the necessary medications. You cannot warm up the chest. Baths, saunas and hot baths are strictly prohibited. Cough medicines are also prescribed only by a doctor. If your body temperature does not exceed 37.5 °C, then you should not take antipyretic drugs. You need to give your body the opportunity to fight pneumonia on its own. Excessive physical activity and lack of bed rest will only worsen the course of the disease. Even if hospitalization is not needed, you should not endure the disease on your feet.

Pneumonia in animals

Pneumonia often occurs in animals. It is very important to know that this condition is a direct threat to the pet’s life. the symptoms are similar to those observed in humans. First of all, a cough develops. In addition, the animal loses activity and refuses to eat. What other symptoms of pneumonia can be observed? One of them is high temperature. To confirm the diagnosis, an X-ray examination is performed. the symptoms are the same. However, often four-legged friends maintain their usual activity and lead a seemingly normal lifestyle. In a stable condition, when the animal is active and has a normal appetite, therapy is carried out at home. If the cat or dog is passive and does not eat well, then until the condition normalizes, treatment occurs in a hospital. Everything is like people. It happens to our smaller friends and requires ventilation. As in the case of humans, treatment of cats and dogs is not complete without the use of antibacterial drugs. Additionally, physiotherapy is indicated to promote sputum separation. If therapy is carried out at home, you should pay attention to weather conditions. Walking in damp, rainy weather is not advisable. It is important to complete the course of antibiotics as recommended by your veterinarian.