What are the symptoms of pneumonia? Bacterial infections and pneumonia. How does aspiration pneumonia develop?

Pneumonia (officially pneumonia) is inflammatory process in one or both respiratory organs, which usually has infectious nature and is caused by various viruses, bacteria and fungi. In ancient times, this disease was considered one of the most dangerous, and although modern treatments make it possible to get rid of the infection quickly and without consequences, the disease has not lost its relevance. According to official data, in our country every year about a million people suffer from pneumonia in one form or another.

Description of the disease

The legendary Hippocrates described the signs of pneumonia in his treatises, but real breakthrough in the treatment of this infection happened only at the beginning of the 20th century, after the discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming. Pulmonary disease is very insidious: it develops rapidly, while successfully masquerading as a classic cold, which is why it is not always easy to recognize it.

Scientists distinguish 2 main types of pneumonia - primary, which begins as an independent disease, and secondary - develops against the background of other ailments, most often with reduced immunity. The disease can be transmitted in three ways, the most common being classic airborne transmission, when the infection enters the lungs of a healthy child or adult from a sick person.

Another way is hematogenous, the pathogen penetrates along with the blood (in case of blood poisoning and other severe infections). The third method is endogenous, when bacteria living in the nose and throat are activated and become a source of infection. Thus, the question of whether pneumonia is contagious has a clear answer: yes, it is contagious.

Varieties

The characteristics of pneumonia in both adults and children often depend on the type of infection:

1. Focal (a small area of ​​the lung suffers - one or more alveoli).
2. Segmental (one or more pulmonary segments are affected).
3. Lobar (inflammation in the entire pulmonary lobe).
4. Total (infection completely invades the respiratory organ).

One of the types of lobar lung damage is dangerous lobar pneumonia, which without proper treatment often becomes bilateral pneumonia.

Causes

The causes of pneumonia in children and adults are the same - the direct causative agent of the infection and reduced immunity.

The main causative agents of pulmonary infection are:

• Enterobacteriaceae;
• Mycoplasma;
• Legionella;
• Chlamydia;
• Haemophilus influenzae.

The first three pathogens cause typical, the last 4 groups of microorganisms cause atypical pulmonary inflammation.

The most popular infectious agent is streptococcus. It is usually present both on the skin and in the respiratory tract, and if the immune system is weakened due to other diseases, it can penetrate into the lungs and provoke inflammation. Enterobacteriaceae commonly cause pneumonia in people with chronic pathologies kidney, staphylococcal infection mainly diagnosed in elderly patients.

Chlamydial pneumonia can often be detected in a child after 5 years of age. The most effective method of treating it is antibiotics, a minimum period of 3 weeks. Mycoplasma usually causes pulmonary inflammation in young people, and Haemophilus influenzae traditionally affects smokers. Legionella infection is the least common infection, but such a pathology can cause serious consequences.

There are additional risk factors that can trigger the appearance of symptoms of pneumonia:

• Chronic pulmonary diseases;
• Chronic infections of the nasopharynx (for example);
• Constants and ;
• Immune deficiency;
• Birth injuries;
• Heart defects.

Symptoms

The first and most characteristic symptoms of pneumonia are cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, fever, which is accompanied by sweating, and later - signs of intoxication. A dry cough occurs when the body tries to get rid of dangerous bacteria, then shortness of breath occurs. Shortness of breath is especially pronounced in elderly patients against the background of chronic cardiovascular diseases.

Fluctuations in temperature are one of the main signs of infection in the lungs. Before the first rise in temperature, a prolonged chill may appear, then the numbers on the thermometer soar to 38–39 degrees. Temperature changes of 1.15 degrees during the day usually last about 10 days; with full hospital treatment, this period can be reduced to 3-4 days.

Intoxication during pneumonia is poisoning of the body with decay products infectious agents and toxins after tissue breakdown. Intoxication in a child and an adult can be determined by the following signs: headache, poor health, confusion, and later, disturbances in the functioning of other organs (bad stool, abdominal pain, flatulence and poor appetite).

Symptoms of lobar pneumonia

Lobar pneumonia is one of the most dangerous types of this disease, in which an entire lobe of the lung is affected, up to one- and two-sided inflammation.

Symptoms of this type of pneumonia include:

• A sharp increase in body temperature;
• Pain in the side on one side intensifies when coughing and inhaling;
• Shortness of breath and a dry cough develop, at first rare, then increasing;
• The neck becomes covered with red spots on the side of the diseased lung or becomes completely red;
• The lips turn a little blue, the nasolabial triangle swells;
• After a few days, brownish sputum streaked with blood may appear in the cough;
• With severe intoxication, the patient periodically loses consciousness and becomes delirious.

Symptoms of atypical pneumonia

If pneumonia is caused by atypical pathogens, the signs of pneumonia in adults and children may differ slightly from the classic picture.

With mycoplasma infection, the first symptoms of pneumonia are rhinitis, sore throat, fever, and dry cough. Later, muscle and joint pain, nosebleeds, and inflammation of the lymph nodes are added. More often, this disease is diagnosed in a child, for example, during an outbreak in a kindergarten.

The first signs of chlamydial pulmonary inflammation in a child and an adult are rhinitis, a jump in temperature to 38–39 degrees, enlarged lymph nodes, which later appear against the background of the disease allergic reactions, dermatitis, bronchitis may develop.

Obvious symptoms of lung inflammation of the Legionella type include severe fever up to 40 degrees with chills and severe headaches and dry cough. This form of pneumonia most often leads to death (50–60%), usually affecting elderly people.

Symptoms of chronic pneumonia

Chronic, or recurrent, pneumonia begins against the background of an untreated acute illness, if a small inflammatory focus remains in the lungs, or is a complication of severe pneumonia.

How does pneumonia manifest itself in chronic form? The main features are:

• Hard breath;
• Periodic moist cough, sometimes with purulent discharge;
• Rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath;
• Inflammation of the nasopharynx and oral cavity;
• Weak immunity and polyhypovitaminosis;
• General weakness and signs of intoxication;
• Night sweats;
• Poor appetite and weight loss;
• During an exacerbation - a debilitating cough and fever.

For chronic pulmonary infection respiratory organs do not cope with their work and cannot fully provide tissues with oxygen, so the heart has to work at double speed. As a result, the most a common complication chronic pneumonia becomes cardiovascular failure.

Symptoms in adults

Pneumonia in adults can be identified primarily by a classic dry cough. Other typical signs of pneumonia in such patients include:

• Chills, then a rapid rise in temperature;
• Shortness of breath even with minimal physical activity;
• (more than 100 heart beats per minute);
• Chest pain (with damage to the pleural layers - pleurisy);
• Severe headaches, dizziness;
• Rashes due to weakened immunity;
• Problems with stool (diarrhea or increased frequency of bowel movements).

Other symptoms of pneumonia depend on the type of pathogen, the state of the immune system and the degree of pulmonary damage. For severe forms pulmonary disease complications may arise:

• Pulmonary edema;
• Abscess (formation of cavities with pus);
• , delusions and hallucinations;
• Pneumothorax (accumulation of air in the pleural area).

Symptoms in children

Pneumonia is rare in children primary disease, most often pneumonia develops against the background of a severe cold, untreated flu, bronchitis, etc. During this period, it is especially important for parents to recognize the symptoms of pneumonia in time and begin active treatment.

Typical pneumonia in a child begins with ordinary malaise, then weakness, fever, sweating, and later dizziness and appetite disturbances. In addition to the temperature, rapid breathing is observed (more than 50 breaths per minute when the norm is 20–40).

Pulmonary inflammation in a small child can be determined by a whole range of symptoms:

• After a flu or cold, there is no improvement, or after a short glimpse, temperature surges and severe weakness reappear;
• The child suffers from shortness of breath, regardless of whether there is a fever or cough;
• In addition to the classic signs of ARVI - cough, fever, runny nose - there is severe pallor of the skin;
• If a child’s temperature rises, antipyretic drugs do not work;
• Infants' behavior changes: they are capricious, sleep poorly or, conversely, sleep too much, refuse food, or become lethargic and apathetic.

Diagnostics

Most often, if a patient is suspected of having pulmonary inflammation, the diagnosis is carried out by the attending physician. But the patient can always ask for additional medical tests if he discovers one or more classic symptoms of pneumonia.

The most effective and popular methods for diagnosing pneumonia are:

1. X-ray examination. Allows you to detect inflammation and its size: one or more foci, segments, an entire lobe of the lung or a total lesion.
2. Analysis of sputum contents (if the cough is wet). Helps detect infection, determine the type of pathogen and prescribe appropriate treatment for pneumonia.
3. Blood analysis. Changing the blood composition and quantity will help determine the nature of the disease and the type of pneumonia pathogen.
4. . Only carried out in as a last resort and allows you not only to put accurate diagnosis for pneumonia, but also to fully examine the affected bronchi.

Treatment

How to treat pneumonia, in hospital or at home? This question is of great concern to patients and their families, but there is no clear answer. When running and complex forms The disease requires hospital treatment, but for a mild form of pneumonia, the doctor may allow complex treatment at home, subject to strict adherence to all his recommendations and regular tests.

The main methods of treating pneumonia:

• Antibacterial drugs. Antibiotics for pneumonia are the main therapeutic method. For mild forms of the disease, antibiotics in tablets and capsules are recommended, for complex and atypical inflammation - intravenous or intramuscular injections.
• Non-drug methods of treatment in a hospital setting. These are physiotherapeutic procedures, ultraviolet irradiation, etc.
• Home treatments. At home, in addition to antibiotics, you can use the following: effective ways, like mustard wraps, breathing exercises, herbal treatment.
• Balanced diet. During treatment for pneumonia, both children and adults need complex nutrition with increased content vitamins, plenty of liquid, foods to stimulate intestinal function.

Prevention

Prevention against pneumonia is, first of all, strengthening the immune system at home: good nutrition, taking multivitamin complexes in the off-season, regular walks, moderate physical activity.

In order not to provoke the development of secondary pneumonia against the background of other diseases, the following preventive measures will help:

1. For persons over 65 years of age - regular vaccinations against certain types of streptococcal pathogens.
2. Annual flu vaccinations for the whole family.
3. During the cold season, limit physical activity and avoid hypothermia.
4. During flu and ARVI epidemics, wash your hands more often with soap to remove microorganisms.
5. Do not smoke - cigarettes reduce the resistance of the lungs and bronchi to colds.
6. Treat chronic diseases such as sinusitis, tonsillitis and ordinary caries in a timely manner.
7. Avoid contact with people with pneumonia.

Pulmonary inflammation in various forms– The disease is very common among both adults and children. Everyone needs to know the main signs of this disease in order to distinguish lung damage from a cold or flu in time and begin full treatment in the hospital or at home.

The lungs and, in general, the entire respiratory system catch infections quite easily. The upper respiratory organs have the function of protecting against viruses, therefore, when the immune system is weakened and the activity of microbes increases, the infectious process spreads downwards. Often it stops at the bronchial mucosa and causes bronchitis, and sometimes it goes further, inflaming the lung tissue and causing pneumonia. This diagnosis covers many ailments. Each of them has its own pathogenesis, etiology, X-ray indicators, test results unique to this disease, its own symptoms and treatment of pneumonia.

Infectious diseases that occur in the lungs are usually referred to as pneumonitis. If the respiratory parts of the lungs were affected to a greater extent, this disease is referred to as “alveolitis.”

In parallel with aseptic inflammation, one can often observe the development of pneumonia caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.

Having noticed the first signs of pneumonia, it is necessary to take an x-ray of the lungs and sputum analysis as quickly as possible, but the main method of treatment is to prescribe antibacterial procedures. If the symptoms of pneumonia are ignored and treatment is started too late, it can cause extremely dangerous development illness. There are also cases of death.

Causes of the disease

There are many reasons for the development of pneumonia:

• low standard of living;
• difficult working conditions (high dust content in the air, working with toxic substances);
• possible contacts with animals carrying pathogens;
• trips;
• smoking and other bad habits (especially for those who smoke regularly);
• individual characteristics individuals, predisposition to various kinds of diseases, transmitted at the genetic level;
• pneumonia due to pneumonia can cause direct communication and other forms of contact with sick (infected with infectious diseases) people;
• geography of the spread of the disease in a given period.

Classification

• focal (bronchopneumonia) – the lesion is observed only in certain areas lung tissue(the bronchi and tissues of the human respiratory system become inflamed);
• segmental - the pathogen affects one or more parts of the lung tissue;
• lobar - the pulmonary lobe is affected (a striking example is lobar pneumonia, in which there is predominantly damage to the alveoli and parts of the pleura located next to it);
• drain - a combination of several small centers of influence of the pathogen;
• total - affects the entire lungs, is the most severe form of the disease.

In addition, the disease is also divided into types depending on the place of acquisition:

• community-acquired;
• in-hospital;
• treatment-related (hemodialysis, medications, regular hospitalizations, residents of nursing homes).

Symptoms

The first symptoms of pneumonia are similar to a cold. Based on the etiology of the disease, they may differ from each other. For example, bacterial species can manifest itself either abruptly or gradually. Pneumonia has the property of both gradual and sudden manifestations.

What symptoms of pneumonia are typical for each patient? A constant sign is shortness of breath, the severity of which depends on the severity and stage of inflammation. At accompanying pathologies bronchopulmonary and cardiovascular systems there is an even greater complication of respiratory failure, which is especially common in the elderly. The first symptoms of pneumonia in this case are cyanosis skin on the stomach, in the area of ​​the nasolabial triangle, on the upper limbs.

The main symptoms of pneumonia also include cough. As a rule, at first it is constant dry, and after some time it is wet, accompanied by the release of yellow-green mucopurulent sputum.

Other characteristic signs of pneumonia:

• trembling of limbs;
• fever;
• severe and acute pain in the chest;
• increased discharge from the sweat glands;
• cough with sputum of a special color (red, greenish) of a thick consistency;
• accelerated heart rate and breathing.

Viral pneumonia is manifested by the following symptoms:

• elevated temperature bodies;
• dry cough;
• excessive fatigue;
• muscle pain;
• headache;
• general weakness and drowsiness;
• shortness of breath even from minor and short-term physical activity of low intensity.

At the onset of inflammation in the lower respiratory tract with colds indicates sharp deterioration condition 4-7 days after the onset of ARVI (). Body temperature can rise to 39-40 degrees Celsius or remain at 37.1-37.5C. Knowing what symptoms are characteristic of the disease and having identified them in oneself, a person should immediately consult a doctor. Signs of existing inflammation are also the ineffectiveness of antipyretic drugs and a repeated jump in temperature during the treatment of the infection.

The first symptoms of pulmonary pneumonia caused by mycoplasma repeat the symptoms of bacterial and viral forms, but in a weaker manifestation.

Diagnostics

In order to confirm the presence of the disease, the patient is sent for an X-ray of the lungs. The pathogen itself (the source of the disease) is found by examining sputum from the respiratory tract and blood.

Diagnostic methods are divided into primary and secondary:

• X-rays of light;
• microscopic analysis of discharge with Gram stain;
• sowing respiratory secretions (sputum) into a nutrient medium and analyzing their subsequent development in it;
• biochemical and general research blood samples;
• blood gas analysis;
• CT chest;
• analysis of a piece of pleura;
• bronchoscopy;
• finding characteristic antibodies;
• lung tissue biopsy;
• urine test and others.

Treatment

Antibiotics are widely used in the treatment of pneumonia. Their choice depends on the causative agent of the infection. Medicines that dilate the bronchi and make sputum less thick (inhalations or tablets) are also used. In addition, treatment of pneumonia is carried out by administering corticosteroids and saline solutions through a vein. From time to time, pleural puncture and bronchoscopy are performed.

In particularly advanced cases, pneumonia is treated in a hospital. In the presence of severe respiratory failure, the patient is prescribed oxygen treatments.

There are also frequent cases of using physiotherapy, which includes:

• irradiation with ultraviolet rays;
• massages using vibration;
• therapeutic physical exercises and so on.

If it is not possible to determine the type of pathogen, antibiotics are used wide range actions. During the normal course of treatment, on the third day from its start, the temperature stabilizes to a physiological level. An x-ray is taken and an objective analysis of the patient’s condition is carried out.

Prevention

Based on data from the RRO (Russian Respiratory Society), vaccination of the population is the only and maximum effective method preventing the development of the disease. On this moment V Russian Federation use tested and proven pneumococcal vaccine, produced in the USA.

Prevention of pneumonia also involves creating normal working conditions at work, avoiding bad habits (especially smoking), proper nutrition, lack of stress. It is necessary to limit contact with sick patients and avoid visiting places where there are large crowds of people (during epidemic periods). People caring for patients must carefully follow all recommended precautions - wash their hands immediately after contact, work exclusively with gloves, wear gauze masks. Prevention of pneumonia also requires isolating infectious patients in separate rooms.

Pneumonia or pneumonia is a very dangerous pathology, uniting a whole complex of diseases into a single disease. All of them are quite similar, since they provoke the development of an inflammatory process in the tissues of the human lungs.

Only timely and properly organized therapy for pneumonia can guarantee that no complications will follow. Remember, this pathology not only negatively affects the human body, but also often causes death.

Regardless of the full etiology of pneumonia, the cause of its appearance and further development one is infection entering the alveoli and bronchial epithelium of a person. No one is immune from this phenomenon, because the causative agent of pneumonia can enter the respiratory tract of any person.

Of course, pneumonia does not always develop due to infection transmission by airborne droplets, however, a similar phenomenon occurs in a considerable number of infection situations.

Often, pneumonia develops due to the early presence of some infection in the human body, which caused the development of a minor ENT disease that gave such an unpleasant complication.

Predisposition factors for developing pneumonia include things like:

• general hypothermia of the body
• frequent nervous stress
• hormonal problems
• presence of chronic diseases respiratory tract
• weakened immune system

It is worth understanding that infections that can cause pneumonia great amount(these are bacteria, viruses, and fungi). It is simply impossible to fully protect yourself from them, but it is necessary to maintain the body’s condition in good shape.

Remember what weaker body and his immunity, the greater the chance of “catching” pneumonia. This is especially true for adults, who often lead a far from normal lifestyle, sleep inappropriate hours and generally abuse the body’s resources.

First signs

As mentioned earlier, pneumonia is a pathology defeating tissues of the lungs and some other components of the respiratory system. Due to the developing inflammatory process, a person simply cannot feel well and some symptoms of pneumonia appear.

Symptoms must be diagnosed by early stages disease, as this will help avoid any complications and generally simplify the treatment process.

First of all, you should pay attention to the following signs indicating pneumonia:

• intensifying and often recurring of any nature
• body enhancement in different limits
• severe fever
• the appearance of shortness of breath
• feeling of lack of air
• severe weakness, drowsiness and fatigue
• increasing hoarseness and loudness of breathing

Depending on the type of infection that caused the inflammation, symptoms can be either pronounced or rather mild. In any case, you should pay attention to it and immediately contact the clinic for help. INIt is important not to forget that pneumonia has a small incubation period(2-4 days), after which it develops at an increased rate and can cause irreparable damage to the health of the patient or even cause death.

Pneumonia is a complex of diseases affecting the respiratory tract. That is why it is divided into certain forms, determined by the degree of damage and severity of the disease. Determining the correct characteristics of the inflammatory process is extremely important for organizing the correct therapy.

For now medical workers There are 4 main forms of pneumonia in adults:

1. A disease that occurs with an acute form of inflammation. With timely treatment, it is relatively harmless to humans, but if left untreated it can cause a number of complications. This form of pneumonia can develop either as an independent disease or as a consequence of complications of other respiratory diseases.
2. A disease that occurs with chronic form inflammation. This form is characterized by the constant presence of infection in the tissues of the lungs and other organs of the respiratory system. The disease is systematically activated, often when the immune system is weakened or there are other predisposition factors to pneumonia. It is quite rare, but it is extremely dangerous disease, especially in the absence of timely and competent therapy.
3. A disease that occurs with an acute type of inflammation that affects most of the lung. Otherwise this form called croupous. It is one of the most dangerous forms of pneumonia and therefore requires treatment only under supervision experienced specialist. A similar form of pathology occurs as a result of poor-quality or long-term lack of therapy for acute or chronic pneumonia.
4. A disease that occurs with a segmental (focal) inflammatory process. This form differs from others in that inflammation affects certain segments of the lungs and respiratory tract. This type of pneumonia, although not so dangerous, must be treated promptly, otherwise it can develop into more severe forms of the disease.

Without special medical knowledge, a series of examinations and tests, it is simply impossible to determine the form of inflammation. However, know: the stronger the symptoms of the disease, the more dangerous its form. Treat complex look pneumonia is only possible in a clinic, otherwise the risk of death increases significantly.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis of pneumonia solely by analyzing symptoms is impossible, therefore, if there is any suspicion of the development of pneumonia, it is important for a person to immediately visit a doctor.

Complexity diagnostic measures pneumonia is that this pathology often has the same symptoms as less serious respiratory tract ailments. At the same time, as pneumonia develops, it can cause much more problems than other ENT ailments.

Given this danger of the disease, doctors must include the following procedures in the diagnosis:

• blood, urine and sputum tests
• X-ray of the pulmonary area
• fiberoptic bronchoscopy and computed tomography of the chest

Only based on the results of several diagnostic measures and the nuances of each specific case, the doctor can confidently determine whether the patient has pneumonia or is developing any other ailment.

Self-diagnosis of pneumonia is not only impossible, but also extremely dangerous, because if you start treating the disease incorrectly, you can accelerate its development or provoke complications.

Drug treatment

Since pneumonia in adults is quite dangerous illness, the basis of his treatment in mandatory medications are used. Their appointment should be carried out by the attending physician, because only he knows the specifics of a particular case.

Moreover, it is the specialist who, based on the test results, can find out what type of infection is the causative agent of pneumonia; based on this indicator, the main vector of therapy is determined.

Regardless of the etiology of pneumonia, the main principle of its treatment is to organize complex therapy, which is aimed at stopping the inflammatory process in the respiratory tract and improving the general tone of the patient’s body.

It is important to use the following types of drugs when treating pneumonia:

• antibiotics (for bacterial pathogens)
• antiviral medications (for viral pathogens)
• antifungal medications (for fungal pathogens)
• expectorants (for problems with expectoration and severe cough)
• detoxification and glucocorticosteroid drugs (if available) toxic shock caused by pathology)
• antipyretic drugs (for fever)
• cardiovascular stimulants (for oxygen deprivation and severe shortness of breath)
• vitamin complexes and immunostimulants (for any course of the disease)

More information about pneumonia can be found in the video:

It is worth understanding that self-medicating pneumonia will not work. First of all, this is due to the fact that the dosage of drugs and the course of therapy are determined exclusively by the doctor, taking into account all the features of each specific case.

In addition to the main medications, the treating specialist may prescribe:

• oxygen therapy (for oxygen starvation and severe shortness of breath)
• therapy artificial respiration(with oxygen starvation and severe shortness of breath)
• inhalation techniques (for problems with expectoration of sputum and severe cough)
• extremely rarely - surgical methods of treatment (for serious lung damage)

Folk recipes

It must be remembered that traditional methods are complementary in the treatment of pneumonia

Traditional methods of treating pneumonia are not the basis of treatment. These methods of treating the disease can only be used as an aid to the main, medicinal course.

Traditional recipes cannot stop or in any way relieve pneumonia, but they are an excellent help in combating the unpleasant symptoms of the pathology and in increasing the immune tone of the body of a sick person.

The most interesting, effective and often used folk treatment methods for pneumonia are:

• Cottage cheese compress. Preparation method: take 100 grams of cottage cheese and mix it with a teaspoon of honey, heat the resulting mixture and place it in a thin layer of cheesecloth, then roll it in several layers. Application: apply gauze with the mixture wrapped in it to the patient’s chest, then securely secure the compress with a terry towel over the shoulder and leave it for 4-8 hours.
• Clearing the lungs of phlegm with honey and nuts. Preparation method: take 50 grams of any nuts and honey, chop the first and mix with the second ingredient into a single mixture. Application: the resulting mixture must be eaten by the patient within one day and used until complete recovery. Contraindications: allergy to the components of the product.
• Softening with milk and figs. Preparation method: Heat one glass of unpasteurized milk and mix it with grated figs until finely shredded. Application: the resulting solution must be drunk by the patient twice a day after meals. Contraindications: allergy to the components of the product and fever.
• Steam inhalations. Preparation method: take 3-4 large potatoes and boil them with skins in 2-3 liters of water, after boiling, turn off the gas and add 10-20 drops to the water eucalyptus oil. Application: sit the patient in front of this liquid and cover him with a terry towel, he should inhale the steam for 10-20 minutes, the procedure is repeated daily, once a day. Contraindications: allergy to the components of the product, fever and presence purulent inflammation in the respiratory tract.
• Vitamin teas. Preparation method: Brew tea and add honey, jam, dried fruits and similar products to it, which will saturate the drink with vitamins. Application: the patient should drink such teas throughout the course of therapy and as often as possible. Contraindications: allergy to the components of the product.

Before using one or another traditional method of treating pneumonia, do not forget to ask your doctor how appropriate this practice is specifically in your case.

What not to do if you have pneumonia

Considering the danger of pneumonia, it is important not to forget about those things that can cause any complications during the treatment of this disease.

It is most important to exclude the following list of actions from your life during the treatment of pneumonia:

1. smoking
2. drinking alcohol
3. any physical or emotional stress (pneumonia can only be treated with bed rest)
4. if you have a temperature, take a bath, shower or go for a walk
5. visiting a bathhouse or sauna
6. eating cold drinks, fatty foods, spicy and too salty foods.

Possible complications

As noted earlier, pneumonia is dangerous not only for its course, but also for the complications it can cause. The appearance of complications is rare when high-quality and timely treatment of the disease is carried out, but with low quality or complete absence of treatment, complications are only a matter of time.

The most common of them are the following:

• destruction of lung tissue
• obstruction
• pathological pathologies of the respiratory system
• heart problems
• development of pathologies of the spinal cord or brain
• septic shock
• cardiogenic edema or sepsis
• clogging blood vessels V chest area

It is worth understanding that the presence of a number of complications can cause death. Therefore, it is important to treat pneumonia competently and in a timely manner.

Treating pneumonia, of course, is not easy, but it is possible.

However, is it worth it? Isn't it easier to just prevent the disease from developing? Of course, no one can completely guarantee protection from pneumonia, but the risk of its development can be reduced several times if you adhere to simple preventive measures.

The general list of these is as follows:

• Avoid hypothermia.
• Carry out hardening systematically.
• Treat all respiratory conditions completely and promptly.
• Periodically do special breathing exercises.
• Get vaccinated against particularly dangerous infections.
• Reduce inhalation of harmful fumes and dust to a minimum.
• Try to lead a normal lifestyle: playing sports, healthy eating, sleep and so on.

People who are at risk should think most seriously about preventing pneumonia. These include everyone who is in one way or another affected by the previously mentioned factors of predisposition to this pathology.

In general, identifying the first signs of pneumonia in adults and starting to treat the disease is quite simple. The main thing is to follow the advice from the material presented above. We hope that in today's article you have found answers to your questions. Good health to you!

Development pneumonia in children and adults it is infectious in nature and occurs due to the influence of a number of factors, both physical and chemical. During the development of this disease, an inflammatory process is observed in the lung tissue.

Pneumonia mainly affects alveoli , and interstitial lung tissue .

Name " pneumonia"unites a wide group of diseases, each of which is characterized by a specific clinical picture, etiology, signs, laboratory indicators and features of the treatment regimen.

The question of how pneumonia differs from pneumonia is not relevant, since both of these names define a similar disease.

Defining the concept " pneumonia", the term " pneumonitis" What it is? This name defines diseases associated with non-infectious inflammatory processes in lung tissue. Against the background of such processes, pneumonia of bacterial, viral-bacterial or fungal origin usually develops.

In the article we will look at the initial symptoms of pneumonia in children and adult patients, as well as the main causes of the development of this disease, methods of treatment, and prevention of complications.

Causes of pneumonia

The causes of the disease are associated with the influence of a number of factors. Experts determine following reasons pneumonia:

• complications after viral diseases (consequences of previous, colds of the lungs or );
• exposure to atypical bacteria (causative agents - mycoplasma , chlamydia , legionella );
• the influence of various chemical compounds on respiratory system human (gases and toxic vapors);
• the effect of radiation radiation with associated infection;
• manifestation in the lungs allergic processes ( , COPD , allergic cough );
• thermal effect ( burns or hypothermia of the respiratory tract);
• inhalation of food, liquid or foreign bodies(develops aspiration pneumonia ).

Wikipedia indicates that the development of pneumonia is associated with the presence favorable conditions for active reproduction pathogenic microorganisms in the lower respiratory tract of humans. People knew what pneumonia was in ancient times. The original causative agent of pneumonia is aspergillus mushroom , as a result of which the specialists who studied the Egyptian pyramids suddenly died.

Pneumonia has been divided into two subtypes:

• community-acquired pneumonia – develops as a consequence of exposure to a number of infectious and non-infectious agents infectious origin outside the hospital setting;
• hospital-acquired pneumonia – develops due to exposure to nosocomial microbes, which are often resistant to those present in the traditional treatment regimen.

With community-acquired pneumonia in patients, the following frequency of detection of various pathogens of infectious origin is noted (information is presented in the table).

If a patient is diagnosed with pneumonia, how to treat it is determined depending on the causative agent, concomitant diseases, the patient’s age, etc. In severe cases, depending on how the disease develops, appropriate treatment is prescribed and carried out in a hospital setting. Mild course the disease does not require hospitalization.

Symptoms of pneumonia

Symptoms of pneumonia

Signs of pneumonia are often similar to those of the flu or cold. How a patient's symptoms manifest depends on the origin of the pneumonia.

At bacterial pneumonia Both acute and gradual development of symptoms are possible. The aspen signs in this case are: shiver , , increased sweating , rapid pulse and breathing, sharp pain in the chest area, and cough , in which thick, red or greenish sputum is produced.

In the case of a viral type of disease, the patient experiences headache and muscle pain, severe fatigue , weakness , .

For pneumonia developing as a result of the action mycoplasma , symptoms are similar to those of both viral and bacterial types of the disease, but are usually less severe.

The first signs of pneumonia

In order to consult a doctor in a timely manner and diagnose the disease, you should know what the first signs of pneumonia may appear in children, adolescents and adults. As a rule, the first symptoms of pneumonia are as follows:

• temperature increase;
• manifestation shortness of breath And cough ;
• chills , fever ;
• weakness , fatigue ;
• chest pain when trying to take a deep breath;

However, very often the first symptoms of pneumonia in adults, as well as signs of the disease in a child, may not appear so pronounced - often viral diseases are asymptomatic.

Signs of pneumonia in an adult

How pneumonia manifests itself in adults depends on the type of pathogen, the severity of the disease, etc. Characteristic signs pneumonia in adults, acute development process, its extent and the likelihood of complications due to improper therapy - more important than the reasons immediate referral of patients to specialists. The doctor determines in each specific case what the symptoms of pneumonia in adults are: without fever or with fever, the process occurs, etc. The prescribed treatment depends on the results of the study.

Symptoms of pneumonia in an adult appear already in the first days of illness. The first signs of this disease depend on its causative agent.

Cough - This main symptom pneumonia. As a rule, at first the cough due to inflammatory processes in the lungs is obsessive, dry, and appears constantly. However, sometimes in more rare cases, in the first days of illness, the cough is mild and rare. Further, as the disease develops, the cough becomes wetter, and secretion occurs. purulent mucous sputum , having a greenish-yellow color. A cough and runny nose may appear already in the first days of illness and last for several days.

Another sign of the disease that appears at first is increase in body temperature . Already at the very beginning of pneumonia it can be very high and reach 39-40 degrees. This is how it develops hilar pneumonia and other types of pneumonia. However, the temperature (in the case of atypical pneumonia) can be kept at subfebrile levels - 37.1-37.5 degrees. But even at this temperature, if the patient experiences weakness, malaise, or cough, the patient must consult a specialist. Also serious symptom is a repeated rise in temperature during the course of the disease. Another sign of pneumonia is the lack of effectiveness of antipyretic medications.

It should also be taken into account what symptoms adults without fever may experience in the first days of the development of pneumonia.

If large volumes of the lungs are affected, the patient may experience persistent dyspnea , as well as the feeling that he does not have enough air. When taking a deep breath, a person feels pain; a similar condition is also observed during coughing. The lung cannot hurt because it has no pain receptors. However, in pathological process gets involved pleura , which leads to the manifestation of pain.

Already in the first days of the disease, a person has expressed pale skin . A number of other symptoms are also noted - a sharp deterioration in appetite, weakness, severe fatigue, active sweating, chills.

It should be noted that any disease viral origin should not be disturbed for longer than 7 days. If, one week after the onset of the flu or cold, the patient’s condition worsens, this is evidence of the development of inflammation of the lower respiratory tract.

It is important for parents to know what symptoms of pneumonia in a child should alert them, since in children the signs of pneumonia may have certain characteristics. How pneumonia manifests itself in children depends on the characteristics of the disease and the age of the child. Childhood pneumonia can develop if the child has certain symptoms:

Increased body temperature

An inflammatory process can be suspected if an increase in temperature (more than 38 degrees) lasts longer than three days, and it is not possible to bring it down with conventional medications. Temperatures that do not rise above 37.5 degrees in young children should also be of concern. Especially if a number of signs of intoxication are also noted - high level sweating, weakness, poor appetite. In a newborn, as well as in infants, there may not be sharp jumps body temperature during the manifestation of inflammation, since their thermoregulation is not yet completely perfect, and the immune system still remains immature.

Breathing Features

In sick children, breathing is very rapid and shallow. Infants up to 2 months take 60 breaths per minute; children under 1 year old take 50; those over 1 year old take 40. As a rule, when there is inflammation, the baby voluntarily tries to lie on one side. Another sign may also be noted: after undressing the baby, parents may notice that in the process of breathing on the side where diseased lung, the skin is drawn in between the ribs and falls back during breathing. Sometimes the baby’s breathing rhythm is disrupted, periodic stops occur, and the frequency and depth changes. The youngest children may begin to nod in time with their breathing, puff out their cheeks, and stretch out their lips. Sometimes foamy discharge appears from the nose and mouth.

Baby's behavior

The smallest children with pneumonia cry and are capricious, becoming lethargic. They sleep poorly and do not want to eat. Often noted and, babies spit up and refuse to take the breast.

A child can develop not only streptococcal , but also atypical pneumonia . What symptoms may appear depends on the pathogen and the characteristics of its course. As a rule, with an illness provoked by chlamydia and mycoplasma, the disease initially develops like a cold. The baby is worried about a dry cough, sore throat, and runny nose. Initially, a cough may appear due to tickling, but later the cough develops into a painful one when the child cries or eats.

It is important to consider that in the presence of a number of factors (air pollution, exposure to allergens or chemicals), the baby may develop chronic pneumonia, the symptoms of which appear periodically.

The first symptoms of tuberculosis in adults

Clinic very similar to the clinical picture of pneumonia. However, the first signs of tuberculosis in adults are sometimes mild, and they increase gradually. Marked next first signs of tuberculosis in children and adults:

• cough , in which sputum is produced, lasting more than three weeks;
• hemoptysis ;
• small but long lasting temperature increase ;
• decreased appetite , weight loss ;
• severe fatigue, irritability.

If even a few of these symptoms appear, you should immediately undergo research and determine a diagnosis.

Pneumonia in adults, diagnosis

If the disease is not detected promptly, the consequences for adults with pneumonia can be very serious. In particular, it may develop persistent pneumonia , provoking serious complications. Also likely destructive form of the disease with purulent processes in the lung tissue. Therefore, timely diagnosis is very important.

The clinical picture of the disease includes the main syndromes and symptoms characteristic of inflammatory processes. Therefore, a careful assessment of the patient’s symptoms will help diagnose the disease. The doctor takes into account all the signs of how pneumonia manifests itself, trying to note the features of such manifestations.

Temperature with pneumonia

The doctor interviews and determines what the temperature is in adult patients, as well as what the temperature is in children. With pneumonia in both an adult and a child, the temperature is usually high and lasts for several days. However, the doctor also takes into account the possibility of an atypical course of the disease, that is, whether it can occur without fever inflammatory disease. Whether there is a temperature depends on the patient’s age and the characteristics of the inflammatory process. For example, sometimes infants may experience low-grade fever .

What kind of cough manifests itself?

The doctor interviews the patient to determine how many days this symptom has been present, what type of cough is present in the child or adult patient, and whether chest pain is felt. It is taken into account that pneumonia without a cough is also possible. If the disease proceeds without a cough, the doctor focuses on other symptoms, taking into account everything about the course of the disease in the survey.

Laboratory research

To confirm the disease, a general and General laboratory test during inflammation, it demonstrates a number of changes: leukocytosis, increased ESR, neutrophilia. In the viral form, the doctor takes into account that such inflammation of the lungs causes an increase in the number of leukocytes at the expense of lymphocytes.

Radiography

A chest x-ray is taken, and sometimes lung diseases in children and adults are determined using computed tomography.

Also, in a hospital setting, microscopic examination, urine analysis and sputum culture are practiced (with pneumonia, yellow-green sputum is produced).

In the first days of illness, the doctor can listen fine wheezing . When the lungs are inflamed, they can be listened to with a stethoscope. However, if a child or an adult is suspected of having pneumonia, it is important to conduct a full range of studies to ensure timely treatment and clearly know what to do with this disease.

Treatment of pneumonia

A specialist must prescribe treatment for pneumonia. If the patient consults a doctor in a timely manner, treatment of pneumonia in adults and children is successful. How to treat and how to treat this disease depends on the pathogen that provoked the disease. It is for successful treatment that you need to clearly know how pneumonia begins and how to recognize it.

The doctor prescribes any medications after conducting research, including laboratory tests ( leukocytes , ESR and etc.).

The treatment regimen, duration of treatment, and the need to place the patient in a hospital are determined exclusively after diagnosis by a specialist. As a rule, treatment of the disease lasts 7-10 days. Duration of treatment double pneumonia The lungs of an adult can only be determined by a doctor.

Treatment of pneumonia can be carried out both in a hospital setting and at home. However, home treatment, as well as treatment of pneumonia using folk remedies, requires regular monitoring of the patient’s condition: he must be constantly visited by a local doctor and a nurse. Direct indications for placing a patient in a hospital are certain points. This is a disease of pneumonia in a child of the first year of life, a severe course of the disease with a number of complications, a disease aggravated somatic manifestations, the inability to fully treat a person at home.

For those wondering whether people die from pneumonia, you should know that greatest number fatal cases occur when treating this type of disease at home, without consulting a doctor. Children under 1 year of age and elderly patients must be hospitalized, since what to do for pneumonia in such cases can only be determined by a specialist. In such cases it may sometimes be necessary intensive care, artificial ventilation.

Basic care for treating pneumonia

In order for the treatment of pneumonia to be as effective as possible, the patient should be provided with high-quality individual care. This approach is especially important for sick children. It is important to strictly comply bed rest, ensure limitation of physical activity. However, this does not mean that a person should constantly lie still - it is important to change position and move. After a patient with severe pneumonia has recovered, he should not work hard for about two to three months.

In the process of treating pneumonia at home, you should be especially careful to comply with all requirements, both for personal and general hygiene. The patient's diet must provide all the needs of the body that is fighting the disease. Food should contain enough calories, foods with high content variety of vitamins, natural food. A very important point in the patient’s diet is to ensure sufficient drinking. The liquid consumed should be warm and varied: suitable raspberry tea, cranberry juice, mineral water. You can drink from time to time warm milk with honey and soda.

For acute fever, patients who do not have symptoms of heart failure should drink approximately 2.5-3 liters of fluid per day.

Treatment of pneumonia in children requires a special approach to feeding. The child should be encouraged to eat little and often, preferably offering him his favorite food. The child's appetite is restored after the acute condition is relieved. When eating, you need to select foods low in carbohydrates , which provoke fermentation processes in the intestines. Compliance drinking regime for children - one of essential principles caring for a sick child. You need to drink enough to replenish fluid loss due to high temperature and shortness of breath.

Patients with pneumonia should constantly monitor bowel function to prevent And . The room in which the patient is staying should be regularly ventilated to keep the air clean. Another important point on the road to recovery – active coughing up of sputum. To make coughing more effective, you can perform some breathing exercises.

Drug treatment of pneumonia

Treatment of pneumonia is one of the main directions in the treatment of the disease. It is important that antibiotics are prescribed to the patient on time, that is, there is no need to wait until the pathogen is identified. However, prescribing antibiotics to a patient must be carried out only by the attending physician; in no case should you take the drugs yourself.

If pneumonia is treated outside the hospital, patients are often prescribed , macrolides And 1st generation cephalosporins . The choice of method of antibiotic administration depends directly on the severity of the disease.

If pneumonia is treated in a hospital setting, then the patient is prescribed 3rd generation cephalosporins , penicillins with clavulanic acid , fluoroquinolones , aminoglycosides , carbapenems . If the etiology of pneumonia is unknown, then it may be prescribed combination treatment, in which two or three different antibiotics are used. The effectiveness of treating this disease with antibiotics can be assessed after 36-48 hours. If there is an improvement in well-being, the appearance of appetite, and the absence of negative dynamics of pneumonia, then the result of therapy can be considered positive.

But treating pneumonia with antibiotics also involves taking additional medications. Thus, those drugs are often used whose effects involve restoring the drainage function of the bronchi. These are drugs. It is also advisable to take medicines, which thin out mucus and help improve the expectoration process. Those drugs that stimulate the body's defenses are also used - , etc. Patients with pneumonia are also shown some methods that increase the nonspecific resistance of the body. In this case, adaptogens are effective - ginseng tincture , Eleutherococcus extract , Aralia preparations , Rhodiola rosea , saparala . They are used in individual dosages twice or thrice a day. All these drugs have a noticeable effect on the human body. They strengthen the immune system, stimulate metabolic processes in the body, and help strengthen a person’s resistance to many negative influences, as well as to the influence of infections. Recovery protective forces body in some cases, patients are given , are appointed vitamin complexes (in this case, a sufficient amount of vitamin C, as well as B vitamins, is especially important).

In the treatment of pneumonia in children and adults, antihistamines and drugs with anti-inflammatory properties are used. In severe cases of the disease, sometimes the attending physician considers expedient reception corticosteroid hormones . If there are specific indications, painkillers are also prescribed, respiratory analeptics, oxygen therapy sessions, etc.

After the patient’s body temperature returns to normal and the symptoms of general intoxication of the body disappear, a number of physiotherapeutic procedures can be used. Often the doctor prescribes Microwave , inductothermy , UHF , sessions wellness massage , electrophoresis and etc.

Other treatments for pneumonia

Another important step complex treatment pneumonia - conducting regular physical therapy sessions. Such physical exercises help to activate the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid in the body and normalize pulmonary ventilation, which is impaired during the course of the disease. Physiotherapy is prescribed to the patient after the body temperature has normalized or decreased to low-grade fever. Initially, gymnastics includes several breathing exercises in a lying position. In addition, it is advisable for the patient to lie several times a day on the healthy side in order to improve aeration . To decrease adhesive process in the phrenic-costal angle, you should place a cushion under the chest and lie on your healthy side. Lying on your back reduces the formation of adhesions in the area between the diaphragmatic pleura and the posterior wall of the chest.

Then, after a few days, the patient at the recovery stage is prescribed exercises in a sitting and standing position, which are aimed at increasing the mobility of the chest, and also involve training in diaphragmatic breathing.

After complete recovery, people who have had pneumonia are recommended to engage in skiing, rowing, and play sports.

To improve the drainage function of the bronchi and ventilation function lungs, often prescribed . However, it should be noted that inhalations are carried out after the most acute condition has been removed. Used for inhalation special drugs, For example , as well as herbal decoctions.

With the help of massage you can significantly improve the process of mucus discharge. In addition, massage has a bronchial relaxing effect. Depending on the doctor's prescription, it is used as classic segmental , so acupressure .

By using cupping massage You can significantly speed up the process of sputum discharge with a strong cough. To do this, apply to the skin, previously lubricated Vaseline , a jar is applied, the capacity of which should be 200 ml. After suctioning the can, massage movements are carried out from the lower back to cervical spine spine. This massage should last about ten minutes. After this, the patient is wrapped in a blanket and given a glass of warm tea. This massage can be performed once every two days.

After the acute condition is relieved, the patient is also recommended to do paraffin , mud , ozokerite appliqués . Some experts also recommend sessions . However this method It should not be practiced by people in a state of intoxication, with fever, or with cardiac and respiratory failure.

It is important that treatment of pneumonia is carried out until the patient recovers completely: he should not only feel normal, but also the indicators of laboratory and x-ray studies.

After completing the main course of treatment, patients are often advised to continue recovery from illness in sanatorium conditions. As a rule, with a competent approach to treatment, the patient’s recovery occurs in about three to four weeks.

Treatment of pneumonia with folk remedies can also be used provided the disease is treated at home and the patient is not in a serious condition. There are a number of recipes for decoctions and tinctures medicinal herbs, which effectively affect the general condition of the patient. Some recipes, proven by many years of experience, can be used in parallel with drug treatment. We offer several possible recipes for the treatment of pneumonia with folk remedies.

Take two tablespoons of aloe leaves, chop and mix with one teaspoon of salt. 1 tsp. salt. The mixture is taken three times a day before meals, one teaspoon. Calendula tincture, which is taken twenty drops three times a day, is prepared as follows: two tablespoons of calendula flowers are poured with one glass of medical alcohol. Prepare the infusion for 15 days in a dark place. Similarly, you can prepare a tincture of wormwood herb (for one tablespoon of herb, one glass of vodka), which is taken four times a day, one teaspoon.

Another traditional medicine effectively helps get rid of cough. To do this, one glass of oats with husks is mixed with one liter of milk. The mixture should be boiled for half an hour, then strain and add two tablespoons butter, five tablespoons of honey. Before going to bed, the patient should take a glass of the product.

In addition, to treat pneumonia in children and adults, traditional medicine recommends taking decoctions of medicinal herbs as a drink. There are many options for herbal teas that effectively affect the condition of a patient with pneumonia.

You should mix one part each of knotweed herb, anise fruit, pine buds, dill fruit, thyme herb, and licorice root. The collection is poured with cold water, infused for about an hour, after which it must be brought to a boil and cooked for about five minutes. Drink half a glass three times a day.

Another collection of herbs includes one teaspoon each of chamomile, calendula, and St. John's wort flowers. The mixture is poured into two glasses of boiling water and left for two hours. You need to take the collection one third of a glass three times a day.

In addition, medicinal infusions may include other herbs: sage, coltsfoot, common thyme, horsetail, plantain leaves, peppermint, stinging nettle, elecampane, black elderberry and other medicinal plants.

Honey and lemon should be added to the tea that the patient drinks throughout the day; periodically it is recommended to drink warm milk with the addition of one teaspoon of butter and honey.

Juice therapy is also used in the treatment of pneumonia - daily intake of fresh vegetable and fruit juices. The juices of beets, carrots, and spinach are most beneficial for patients.

Eucalyptus tincture is also effective in combating the symptoms of pneumonia, which is used both externally - for inhalation and gargling, and internally, 30 drops three times a day.

In order to activate the process of expectoration, it is recommended to consume freshly squeezed cabbage juice mixed with honey. ethnoscience also recommends regular consumption of raisins, figs, and almonds.

An effective way to treat pneumonia at home is cupping, which is placed on the patient’s back and chest. In addition, warming compresses and bandages are used.

Antibiotics for pneumonia

For pneumonia in adults, it is advisable to use antibiotics after the disease has been confirmed by at least one diagnostic method.

It must be taken into account that individual symptoms- for example, rapid breathing in a child with a fever, coughing during a deep breath in an adult, etc. - are not a reason to immediately take antibacterial medications, since the patient could also have another illness. It is impossible to independently determine whether a patient has four signs or 5 signs of inflammation. To prescribe adequate antibiotic therapy, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Before prescribing antibiotics, it is important to determine the causative agent of the disease - under this condition, therapy will be most adequate. But in some cases this is not possible, so experts prescribe broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs. They are also used before identifying the pathogen in order to create therapeutic concentrations of active components in the blood.

Pneumonia caused by streptococcus (it can be caused by streptococcus in a child’s throat, etc.), it can be treated with broad-spectrum penicillins , sometimes prescribed in combination with aminoglycosides .

Mycoplasma in children, as well as chlamydia , legionella infections require the prescription of specialized antibiotics – , . Broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs are also advisable.

Bronchopneumonia treated with antibiotics - semisynthetic penicillins , treatment of bronchopneumonia in adults can be carried out at home.

For pulmonary inflammation, a complex of 2-3 antibiotic drugs is sometimes used, especially if the focus of inflammation occupies more than one segment.

Complications of pneumonia

If patients turn to specialists immediately after they become ill and then adhere to the prescribed treatment regimen, complications, as a rule, do not develop. The manifestation of complications can be associated directly with the disease, as well as with taking medications. The likelihood of exacerbation of chronic diseases also increases - heart failure , emphysema and etc.

It can develop as a complication pleuropneumonia , which is characterized by the involvement of one or several lobes of the lungs in the inflammatory process, and an acute and severe course of the disease is noted.

Probably manifestation pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura), which can develop into exudative pleurisy , when in pleural cavity liquid accumulates.

Another dangerous complication is lungs when cavities filled with pus develop in them. This complication develops in people with chronic diseases.

In addition, pneumonia may be complicated blood sepsis , bacteremia .

There is a risk of developing infectious , breathing problems.

Sometimes, after suffering from pneumonia, the first signs develop asthma in adolescents and children.

Prevention of complications of pneumonia

It is very important to undergo timely diagnosis and adhere to the treatment regimen prescribed by a specialist for influenza, colds, and prolonged cough.

You should adhere to the generally known rules of hygiene and a healthy lifestyle.

Prevention of pneumonia

As measures to prevent pneumonia, it is important to follow general sanitary and hygienic rules, regularly devote time to hardening, and exercise. Sanitation of foci of chronic infection is also important. All diseases that damage the lungs must be treated immediately and correctly. A healthy lifestyle for adults, a competent approach to child care, as well as hardening the baby in the first year of life will help avoid illness. There are also some drugs ( bronchomunal , IRS-19 ,) which stimulate the body’s protective properties during the period of highest probability of infection with infectious diseases. They also produce a certain vaccine effect directed against pathogens of respiratory diseases.

Pneumonia, or pneumonia - suddenly developing infection mainly caused by bacteria. In this case, the respiratory areas of the lung tissue are affected with the formation of foci different sizes. Clinical symptoms and inflammation of the lungs appear that were absent in the person before the illness.

Pneumonia is one of the most common diseases. The incidence increases in the cold season, but in the summer it is quite possible to get pneumonia. For example, in a small city with 100,000 population, signs of pneumonia will be registered in 300–900 people per year.

Depending on the picture of the disease, two classical forms of the disease are distinguished: focal (bronchopneumonia) and lobar. With focal lesions, inflammation is localized in small area lung tissue, affecting the alveoli and adjacent bronchi. Lobar pneumonia is accompanied by the rapid spread of infection to the entire lobe of the lung and the pleural membrane above it. This is a more serious condition.

Focal pneumonia

The International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, proposes to classify all pneumonias depending on the pathogens that caused them. In particular, the following forms of pneumonia are distinguished:

Pneumonia in adults can be caused by a wide variety of pathogens and their combinations. However, accurate identification of the infectious agent takes some time, during which time the patient must be treated. Therefore, this classification is largely retrospective in nature, when data on the pathogen present at the onset of the disease have already been obtained.

In order to improve the treatment of pneumonia before identifying the pathogen, foreign and domestic medical documents It is recommended to distinguish the following groups of pneumonia, which have treatment features:

• community-acquired pneumonia, which a person fell ill with while not within the walls of the hospital (at home);
• nosocomial, or hospital-acquired, which occurs in people who are in the hospital for another reason and is caused by antibiotic-resistant hospital microflora;
• pneumonia in patients with severely impaired immunity, for example, with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or depression immune cells medications for organ transplantation or other serious conditions;
• aspiration - occurs when stomach contents enter the lung tissue during vomiting, for example, during severe alcohol poisoning, as well as any other foreign fluids or bodies in the lumen of small bronchi and alveoli.

Pneumonia: causes

The cause of pneumonia is damage to the respiratory sections (alveoli, small bronchi) by microorganisms. Depending on the type of disease, different pathogens predominate.

Community-acquired pneumonia is most often caused by pneumococcus, intracellular microorganisms (mycoplasma, legionella) and Haemophilus influenzae. During influenza epidemics, the role of this virus in the development of the disease increases.

In the nosocomial type, Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative microorganisms (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, coli, Klebsiella, Proteus), as well as anaerobes - microbes that live without oxygen. Hospital-acquired pneumonia occurs mainly in patients in nursing homes, various boarding schools, and also during prolonged artificial ventilation. The main problem in such cases is the immunity of microbes to most antibiotics.

In immunodeficiencies, the disease is most often caused by cytomegalovirus, fungi, atypical mycobacteria, Haemophilus influenzae, and pneumococcus. In acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, mycobacteria are often detected.

Aspiration pneumonia can be caused by germs that normally live in the mouth and enter the lungs during sleep. It especially often occurs when inhaling vomit or food, as well as when the cough reflex is suppressed.

Mechanism of development of pneumonia

Whether a person develops pneumonia is determined by the interaction of two factors: the penetration of microbes into the respiratory tract and the state of the body's defenses.

How does the pathogen enter the body?

A significant proportion of healthy people constantly live in the upper respiratory tract with pneumococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae and other microbes. They can be inhaled into the lungs. Therefore, in order to get pneumonia, it is not necessary to have contact with a sick person; a short-term decrease in immunity is enough.

Small microorganisms form a mixture in the air consisting of separately floating cells, which, when inhaled, enters the alveoli. This is how the influenza virus, legionella and some other microbes penetrate.

The infection can spread through the bloodstream from other sites of infection. Most often it is Staphylococcus aureus when infective endocarditis, intravenous drug use, infection of venous catheters due to improper care of them in the hospital.

The pathogen can enter directly into the lung tissue when the chest is injured or spread from a nearby purulent focus, for example, a subphrenic abscess.

Influence of the body's condition

Defense mechanisms that prevent germs from entering the lungs:

• closing the glottis during swallowing;
• reflex cough when hit by a foreign body;
• mucus on the surface of the trachea and bronchi containing immunoglobulins - protective proteins;
• mucociliary transport - the upward movement of cilia lining the inner surface of the bronchi, removing all contaminants from the lungs;
• the presence in the alveoli of immune cells - macrophages and neutrophils, which capture and destroy foreign substances.

Pneumonia is dangerous for older people for a long time in hospital

Risk factors for aspiration pneumonia:

• alcoholism and drug addiction;
• impaired consciousness during a stroke;
• swallowing disorders due to neurological diseases;
• presence of a nasogastric or endotracheal tube during intensive care.

Risk factors for colonization of the oral cavity by pathogenic microflora:

• hospitalization for any reason;
• mental retardation;
• general severe illness;
• alcoholism;
• diabetes;
• atrophic gastritis;
• violation of sterility during artificial ventilation;
• presence of a nasogastric tube.

Immunodeficiency states:

• decrease in gamma globulin level less than 2 g/l;
• decrease in the level of circulating CD4+ lymphocytes less than 0.5x10 9 /l;
• long-term use of glucocorticoids, in particular prednisolone.

Additional risk factors for pneumonia:

• (colds);
• smoking;
• air pollution;
• chest injury;
• period after any operation;
• severe heart failure;
• old age;
• debilitating diseases;
• severe emotional shock.

Pneumonia: manifestations

Signs of pneumonia are determined by the extent of damage to the lung tissue, the virulence (aggressiveness) of the pathogen, the severity of the disease, the age of the patient, concomitant diseases, the state of the body's defenses and other factors.

Pneumonia accompanied by cough

The most common complaints with pneumonia:

• weakness;
• lack of appetite;
• chills;
• rapid breathing);
• coughing, then .

The pain can be caused by involvement of the pleura, then it is acute and intensifies with breathing and coughing. If the diaphragmatic pleura is affected, the pain may resemble the picture " acute abdomen" Sometimes pain occurs due to inflammation of the intercostal nerves or muscles.

The cough at the onset of the disease is dry and debilitating. On the 3rd – 4th day it begins to separate into small quantity. Sputum may have the most different colour and character - from light to yellow-green. Sometimes it contains streaks of blood or has a rusty color, which is especially characteristic of lobar pneumonia. When purulent foci form in the lungs, sputum becomes putrid smell, its quantity increases.

The patient's skin is pale and bluish. A herpetic rash may appear on the lips. In older people and in severe cases of the disease, consciousness may be impaired, delusional disorders. Severe shortness of breath, flaring of the wings of the nose, participation of auxiliary respiratory muscles are signs. In this case, the patient needs urgent help.

With lobar pneumonia, a severe fever appears that lasts for several days, and then the body temperature drops sharply. Focal pneumonia is accompanied by an unstable increase in temperature, its decrease occurs gradually.

Course of the disease

In order to prescribe more correctly, doctors identify typical and atypical course pneumonia.

Typical pneumonia is usually caused by pneumococcus, but sometimes Haemophilus influenzae and microflora from the oral cavity play a role in its occurrence. The onset of the disease is sudden, accompanied by rapid rise body temperature and cough with yellow-green sputum. Sometimes there is a sharp pain in the chest. During a physical examination of the patient, the doctor identifies typical signs of compaction and inflammation of the lung tissue: dull percussion sound, bronchial breathing, wheezing.

Atypical pneumonia develops more slowly and is accompanied by a dry cough and extrapulmonary manifestations. The patient may experience pain in muscles and joints, sore throat, headache, nausea, vomiting, loose stool. Sputum is produced in small quantities. Fever may be absent, especially in elderly and debilitated patients. In some cases, mental disorders are associated.

The classic pathogens of atypical pneumonia are mycoplasma, legionella, and klebsiella. Also, signs of pneumonia can be caused by pneumocystis (especially in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), chlamydia, influenza virus during an epidemic, nocardia, and Staphylococcus aureus. With all these types, there are some features of the clinical picture that allow the doctor to suspect one or another pathogen. However, in general, we can say that with atypical pneumonia, the manifestations of compaction of the lung tissue are much less pronounced than with typical pneumonia. The skin is quite often affected, nervous system, kidneys and liver, the herpes simplex virus is activated.

Nosocomial pneumonia is often accompanied by fever and purulent sputum. However, these signs may be absent, especially against the background of other lung diseases and concomitant diseases for which the patient is in the hospital. This is the additional insidiousness of nosocomial pneumonia.

Aspiration pneumonia in most cases leads to the development of putrefactive decay of lung tissue, accompanied by cough, chills, fever, night sweats, weight loss, long-term. Such symptoms persist for several weeks and resemble pulmonary tuberculosis.

Complications

Severe consequences of the disease:

• myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle);
• meningitis (inflammation of the meninges);
• glomerulonephritis (kidney damage);
• infectious-toxic shock;
• respiratory failure;
• acute psychosis and others.

Fragment of a popular TV show dedicated to pneumonia (video)