All about pneumonia. Insidious disease pneumonia: how to diagnose and how to treat the disease in adults.

The symptoms of pneumonia in adults are similar regardless of the source of the disease. Pneumonia occurs in the human body in different ways. It depends primarily on the type of pathogen that caused the disease.

Usually the cause of pneumonia is bacteria - pneumococci, streptococci, etc. And it happens that the disease is caused by viruses or fungi. In addition, an allergic reaction or exposure can provoke an ailment chemical substances on the body, as well as a decrease in immunity against the background of lingering diseases or chronic infections. And even a common cold with inappropriate treatment - possible reason pneumonia in adults.

Disease symptoms

Whatever pathogen serves a person, the symptoms of the onset of the disease are quite similar. As a rule, these are:

• cough;
• elevated temperature body;
• weakness of the body;
• fatigue of the patient;
• dyspnea;
• fear of lack of air.

One of the first manifestations of pneumonia in adults is a dry, obsessive cough.With the further development of the disease, it becomes more and more moist, sputum begins to stand out. After 3-4 days, a small amount of blood may appear in the sputum. The cough causes chest pain. This happens for the following reason. Human lungs are shrouded in a thin film - pleura, which is entwined nerve endings... The cough acts as an irritant to these nerve fibers. The heart system suffers. Tachycardia and palpitations are frequent companions of pneumonia.

The increased temperature (37-40 °) depends not only on the type of pathogen, but also on the patient's immunity. Heat-relieving drugs are not particularly helpful with this ailment. They can only slightly bring down the temperature and for a short time.

In especially severe cases, the skin becomes bluish. Breathing and heart rate increase. In a teenager (unlike an adult), pneumonia is usually mild because it affects a small area of \u200b\u200bthe lungs.

, but from a sick person, the pathogen can get to a healthy person with a drop of sputum when sneezing. An infected microorganism will not always cause lung tissue disease. If a person has a strong enough immune system, then he is unlikely to get infected. And smokers, alcohol lovers or those suffering from chronic diseases are the first contenders for the disease.

At the onset of the disease, symptoms of pneumonia in adults are clearly not manifested. They can be confused with ARI, ARVI. Only with an increase in temperature, with the appearance of shortness of breath, leukocytosis occurs. The doctor suggests an inflammatory process and directs the patient to an x-ray chest, according to the results of which the final diagnosis is made.

It happens that pneumonia develops without fever. In this case, the symptoms of pneumonia look like this:

• painful blush on the face;
• difficulty breathing;
• pain in the chest when turning the body;
• lethargy, weakness, sweating.

If these signs are present, then a visit to the doctor is necessary. Pneumonia without fever is much more difficult to treat than usual. Therefore, it is important not to waste time. Adolescents should be especially careful, since it is they who often manifest this form of the disease.

Danger of disease

Pneumonia in adults is one of the leading causes of death in respiratory diseases. Official statistics show 5% mortality from this disease. And scientists say the figure is 3 times more than the official one. Therefore, as at all times, the symptoms of pneumonia make doctors worry about the course of treatment of patients.

The highest mortality rate in Russia is observed in men of working age. And in elderly patients over 60 years of age, mortality reaches 30% if the disease is burdened by chronic diseases, alcoholism, smoking. The most common occurrence in a lethal outcome is that the patient sought medical help too late. This is typical of the Russian mentality.

Some signs of pneumonia in adults that contribute to poor outcomes are:

• male persons;
• hypothermia of the body before the disease;
• frequent shortness of breath;
• painful mental changes;
• a number of chronic diseases: heart failure, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, oncology, renal failure, etc.;
• too low blood pressure;
• low temperature (less than 37 °) against the background of a large inflammatory process in the lungs.

It is important that all patients with pneumonia in adults, especially the elderly, know the first symptoms and dangerous signs of this insidious disease. In that case, their lives would not be in mortal danger. Of course, this is subject to a timely visit to a doctor.

Prevention of the disease

It's no secret that the best treatment for any disease is prevention. Lung inflammation is no exception.

Hardening is an old and effective way to prevent many colds and inflammatory diseases. Hardening treatments strengthen the immune system and resistance to infections.

It is necessary to take care of strengthening the immune system. Plant-based immunomodulators will help with this. They are used in the form of decoctions and teas.

Massage as preventive measures can be used in both adults and adolescents.

Special massage complexes have been developed specifically to prevent inflammation in the lungs.

If possible, you should try to avoid breathing dust, hypothermia, inhale gasoline vapors and some other chemicals. All these dangerous phenomena can provoke one of the forms of pneumonia.

Recently, it is very common. Therefore, contact with the patient must be avoided. When sneezing, microorganisms from the sputum of a sick person can enter the lungs of a healthy person and cause inflammation.

Pneumonia is a disease that today affects almost every tenth person, it is infectious in nature.

Everyone should know the main symptoms of the disease so that they can go to a medical institution without fail.

Treatment depends on the nature of the infection, at what age and condition the patient is.

Signs of pneumonia in adults

Signs of pneumonia in an adult depend on the type of infection developing. The main provoking factor is hypothermia of the body, at the moment of which it is the upper airways... In people in old age, the disease, as a rule, becomes pathological. There are many signs of inflammation in an adult.

Signs of atypical pneumonia

The disease proceeds without any special symptoms characteristic of pneumonia. Inflammation of this nature is dangerous, first of all, because they begin to treat it late, at a time when complications are already developing. All pulmonary manifestations in this case fade into the background, the patient is worried about the general intoxication of the body. When examining on X-ray, there are no changes in the airways. Signs of such inflammation are as follows:

1. The cough is dry.

2. Severe headache and muscle pain.

3. General weakness of the whole organism.

After infection, the first signs will begin to appear after 5-10 days, while changes in the lungs will occur much later.

Signs of viral pneumonia

The disease always causes many viruses, the first place can be attributed to the flu. Initially, a general malaise of the body is noticed for three to five days. After this, the patient's condition worsens, there is shortness of breath, chest pain. Signs viral pneumonia the following:

1. Body temperature rises to 39 degrees.

2. Fatigue.

3. Pain in muscles and head.

In this case, a diagnosis can be made only after a thorough examination.

Signs of bacterial pneumonia

The main cause of inflammation is staphylococcus, streptococcus. The disease begins with sharp rise temperatures up to 41 degrees, it lasts for several days in a row and is difficult to get off. The main symptom of such pneumonia is sputum discharge, tachycardia, breathing becomes difficult.

Signs of fungal pneumonia

The most dangerous type of inflammation is fungal. The thing is that pneumonia does not make itself felt and patients do not even know that they are sick. The diagnosis is made on later dates... The causative agent of the fungus is Candida. Initially, the patient may have a fever, cough, shortness of breath. After some time, pus will be released along with the cough, which is what allows an accurate diagnosis to be made.

Unfortunately, signs of pneumonia in adults do not always appear early, so it is difficult for specialists to diagnose in a timely manner.

Symptoms of pneumonia in adults

Colds and flu shouldn't bother anyone for more than a week. If after a week the patient's condition worsens, this is the first signal that the airways are severely inflamed. The main symptom of pneumonia in an adult is severe shortness of breath and pallor of the skin. If they are present in a person with a cold, while the general condition is weakened, there is excessive sweating, loss of appetite, then this indicates an intoxication of the body with pneumonia.

Fever with inflammation

With SARS, the body temperature can rise to about 38 degrees, but sometimes up to 40. No antipyretic agent will work. Therefore, if you cannot bring down such a temperature, then we can safely assume that you have pneumonia.

It is much more dangerous when the pathology proceeds without an increase in temperature, the patient is unaware of the disease, while his condition worsens.

Cough with pneumonia

In the early days of the development of the disease, a dry cough is noted. He constantly worries the patient and can be safely called intrusive. But the inflammation will progress, and the symptom will change slightly. The phlegm will gradually begin to recede, its color will depend on the infection, for example, with purulent, it is rusty. A cough that does not go away within 10 days should alert and become a reason for a visit to the doctor.

The doctor can recognize pneumonia by trembling in his voice. The patient needs to pronounce words with the letter p, and the doctor at this time puts his hand on his chest, thereby determining the tremor. With pneumonia, the entire lung or a small part of it will harden. An experienced doctor will definitely notice this, because the trembling in the voice will increase.

Danger of disease

Adult pneumonia is a common cause of death. According to statistics, approximately 5% of mortality is from this disease. That is why doctors are still worried about the symptoms of pneumonia when treating their patients.

A high mortality rate in our country is observed precisely in men of working age. In people over 60 years old, this figure reaches about 30%, especially if the disease is burdened by bad habits and an asocial lifestyle. A common occurrence that ends in death - the patient came to the hospital at a time when the disease gave many complications.

Below are some of the signs of pneumonia that increase the negative outcome of the disease:

1. Patients are men.

2. Before the onset of the disease, the body was hypothermic.

3. Patients are worried about severe and frequent shortness of breath.

4. There are some changes in the psyche.

5. Chronic diseases - diabetes mellitus, oncology, etc.

6. Blood pressure is greatly reduced.

7. Despite the inflammatory process in the body, the body temperature is lowered.

Important, so that patients, especially in adulthood, know how pneumonia manifests itself and what its most dangerous signs are. It is believed that if people were more aware, then mortal danger would not threaten so often. But this is only if the patient applied to a medical institution in a timely manner.

Diagnosis of diseases

The diagnosis can be suspected based on the patient's complaints. An important point is listening to the airways with a phonendoscope. But in the event that the focus is located deep enough or its size is small, the doctor will not hear anything. There are two types of diagnostics: instrumental and laboratory.

Instrumental methods

The main study in which you can accurately diagnose is radiography. It must be done in a hospital on a special apparatus.

In the event that the patient is in serious condition, radiography is done on a mobile device.

If there is a suspicion of pneumonia, magnetic resonance imaging can be performed, the information is exactly the same, but this service costs much more.

Laboratory diagnostics

Such diagnostics are carried out as follows:

1. A blood test is taken, it allows you to see how pronounced the inflammatory process is.

2. Sputum analysis, a specialist will determine what exactly is leaving: pus, mucus or blood.

3. Bacteriological examination of sputum, its results will be known only on the 5th day. As a result, it will be known which bacteria caused the inflammation, as well as which drugs they are sensitive to.

4. Serological analysis of urine or blood.

5. If the patient has a disease in the fall or winter, it is necessary to take a lavage from the nasopharynx.

These are the main activities aimed at identifying the disease and confirming the diagnosis.

Treatment of pneumonia in adults

After an X-ray examination and confirmation of the diagnosis, therapy should begin in the first hours. The first medications prescribed by doctors are broad-spectrum antibiotics.

Antibiotic therapy is prescribed for at least 7 days, if necessary, the drugs can be replaced with others if 72 hours have passed since they were taken, and the patient's condition has not improved.

If pneumonia occurs during a flu epidemic, then Oseltamivir must be drunk to confirm the diagnosis. If necessary medicine can be replaced with Viferon or Laferon.

Oxygen therapy - indications for use: severe shortness of breath. It is performed using nasal cannulas or a mask. With severe hypoxia, the patient is transferred to artificial ventilation of the lungs, since in this case this is the only chance to save his life.

With bronchospasm, bronchodilator medicines are prescribed, for example, Ventolin, Teofedrin. Inhalation with Euphyllin is mandatory, the sputum will begin to liquefy.

In exceptional cases, bronchoscopic readjustments are repeated. When the patient is on mechanical ventilation, the bronchoscope has to be inserted through the endotracheal tube.

In the event that, after all the measures taken, the patient's life is still in danger, then it is necessary to carry out another procedure - oxygenation of the blood, oxygen enters the blood through a special apparatus, thus, the gas exchange process is completely excluded.

It's no secret that the best treatment is prevention first. Adult pneumonia is no exception.

Throughout your life, you need to strengthen your immunity, drink various decoctions and teas from medicinal herbs.

Try to avoid contact with sick people, because even when sneezing, harmful bacteria and microorganisms will get on you, which means that inflammation can hardly be avoided.

• Symptoms of pneumonia
• When does pneumonia occur?
• Pneumonia and smoking
• Complications after pneumonia and urgent medical attention

The first signs of pneumonia must be recognized in order to take effective treatment measures. The difficulty lies in the fact that in some cases, pneumonia proceeds without specific signs, especially when the lower lobes of the lung and remote from the main airways are affected.

Late diagnosis slows down recovery and can lead to complications in the course of the disease. Pneumonia is a life-threatening condition, especially urgently needed for newborns and the elderly.

Symptoms of pneumonia

There are several types of microorganisms that cause pneumonia. Depending on the type of pathogens, the location of the main focus of infection and the age of the victim, the signs of the onset of the disease will differ.

For pneumonia, the following is most characteristic:

1. A sharp increase in temperature to 37-39 ° C. In most cases, victims pay attention to this manifestation, but take fever for a manifestation of a cold.
2. Intoxication. There is heaviness and pain in the head, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weakness, sometimes pain in muscles, joints, bones. In newborns and the elderly, pneumonia can proceed without fever, but in all cases it will be accompanied by a decrease in activity and appetite.
3. Labored breathing. First, shortness of breath appears, and after a while a cough begins with the release of sputum, pain on inspiration develops, the victim cannot breathe deeply. This course is more typical of bacterial pneumonia. Mycotic, as a rule, is expressed by a dry cough without phlegm, pain and discomfort in the throat. Some people have no other respiratory symptoms at an early stage other than a decrease in inspiratory depth.
4. Blood in sputum. If pneumonia is caused by bacteria or viruses, coughing up can damage the blood vessels. In this case, bloody streaks are observed in the sputum. The symptom is alarming, it is recommended to immediately seek medical help.

Can pneumonia go without symptoms? Yes, it is possible, but weakness, decreased quality of breathing and rapid fatigability will appear in any case. The best results are obtained by the rapid identification of microorganisms that cause the inflammatory process, and carrying out, depending on their type:

• antibiotic treatment;
• antiviral therapy.

Measures taken in the first 8 hours from the moment of infection are the most effective.

Back to the table of contents

When does pneumonia occur?

Inflammation of the lungs can occur as an independent disease, or be a complication of another acute or chronic problem. In order to notice the first signs of pneumonia in time, you need to know the factors at which there is an increased risk of its occurrence. The following reasons lead to pneumonia:

1. The presence of an active focus of infection in the nasopharynx. It can be any chronic or acute illness respiratory tract, for example, bronchitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis, even otitis media.
2. Continuous inhalation of harmful substances. Smokers or workers in hazardous work are at risk for pneumonia.
3. In newborns, the prerequisites for pneumonia are intrauterine malformations of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, birth trauma leading to asphyxiation, hypoxia, asphyxia, cystic fibrosis and hypothermia.
4. In adults, pneumonia can result from a decline in the immune system as a result of infection with HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and chemical dependence. Bed patients and those who have recently been operated are vulnerable to pneumonia.
5. Pneumonia is very difficult for the elderly, especially if it occurs against the background of bronchial asthma, heart disease or endocrine system diseases.

For the prevention of complications after surgery, a course of anti-inflammatory drugs is always prescribed, however, despite this, pneumonia in the postoperative period is quite common.

With a weakened immune system, it is very important to be vigilant and seek medical attention right away if you have trouble breathing.

Back to the table of contents

Pneumonia and smoking

Smokers have difficulty detecting pneumonia early. Many smokers with long experience (more than 10 years) have some kind of impairment respiratory system, against which the first symptoms of pneumonia are not as noticeable as in a person without nicotine addiction. The main chronic diseases in smokers, they resemble the onset of an inflammatory process in the lungs, in addition to this, the weakening of the nasopharyngeal mucosa and upper respiratory tract contributes to the development of pneumonia. Smokers often experience:

• chronic rhinitis;
• chronic cough;
• separation of a small amount of sputum from the bronchi;
• shallow breathing and shortness of breath, especially with exertion;
• labored breathing;
• wheezing in the lungs.

Elderly people or smokers with more than 15 years of experience develop the so-called smoker's bronchitis, that is, a chronic inflammatory process in the upper respiratory tract, which is sluggish and aggravated against the background of a change in brand of cigarettes or weather conditions. The main differences between pneumonia and common respiratory disorders in smokers are as follows:

• soreness on inspiration;
• weakness, headache and temperature rise;
• the appearance of blood in sputum;
• increased cough and runny nose.

If inflammation affects the pleura, the intensity pain grows when breathing. In older smokers, in some cases, pneumonia is asymptomatic until it begins to pose a threat to life.

In this case, the body temperature rises to 39 ° C, confusion and cyanosis appear, a change in the color of the lips to bluish.

Potentially pneumonia can cause death from respiratory and heart failure, so older people should immediately contact a medical facility for timely diagnosis.

Inflammation of the lungs, otherwise called pneumonia, is a disease of one or both lungs that can be caused by different pathogens. Before the discovery of antibiotics, the death rate from pneumonia was extremely high - a third of cases died. Modern medicine is able to cope with the disease itself if it was diagnosed on time, but it cannot in any way affect its spread. In the world, millions of people fall ill with pneumonia every year, 5% of them are fatal.

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe, depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, age, and general health. Mild symptoms and signs are often similar to a cold or flu but last longer.

The main symptoms and signs of pneumonia are:

• Fever, manifested by profuse sweating and chills.
• A cough that produces phlegm.
• Chest pain when breathing and coughing.
• Dyspnea.
• Fatigue.
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.

Newborns and infants may not show symptoms of infection. Sometimes they may have vomiting, fever and cough, anxiety and fatigue, lack of joy and energy, shortness of breath, which makes it difficult to eat.

Important

If the patient is over 65 years old or suffers from poor health and immune system, then their temperature may be below normal. Elderly people who have already been diagnosed with pneumonia may experience sudden memory loss.

There are several risk groups who are shown to see a doctor at the first sign of pneumonia:

1. Children under 2 years of age with the initial signs of the disease.
2. Adults over 65.
3. People with weakened immune systems... People who have HIV / AIDS, who have had an organ transplant, who take steroids in the long run are at risk.
4. People undergoing chemotherapy or medication that suppresses the immune system.
5. For some seniors and people with heart failure or chronic lung problems, pneumonia can quickly become a life-threatening illness.
6. Chronic illness... It is more likely to get pneumonia if the patient already has asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or heart disease.
7. Smoking... Smoking damages your immune system and makes it harder for your body to fight bacteria, which causes pneumonia.
8. Hospitalization.

Most often, pneumonia is provoked by bacteria.

Viruses and, in more rare cases, fungal infections occupy a special place.

The germs that cause infection usually enter through air vapor.

In rare cases, pneumonia can develop from an infection that has entered the body in another way, for example, when bacteria enter the lungs through the bloodstream.

The most common cause of mild inflammation in adults is streptococcus.

This form of the disease is called pneumococcal pneumonia.

Rarely, other types of bacteria are responsible for pneumonia:

• Haemophilus influenzae.
• Staphylococcus aureus.
• Mycoplasma pneumoniae - An outbreak tends to occur every 4-7 years, and is common in children and adolescents.

Atypical pneumonia, which is less common, is caused by chlamydia, mycoplasma, and legionella.

Viral pneumonia has recently become more common, accounting for 50% of all cases of the disease.

More rare causes of pneumonia of a bacterial nature:

Most common reasons pneumonia - viral and bacterial infections. The causative agents of bacterial pneumonia can be:

• pneumococcus;
• staphylococcus;
• haemophilus influenzae.

Often, pneumonia occurs against the background of flu and colds, and this is explained by the fact that immunity weakened by the disease creates comfortable conditions for penetration into the lungs and active reproduction of pathogens that previously could not overcome the body's protective barrier.

In a special risk group are people whose immunity has suffered or did not have time to get strong enough:

• children under the age of two;
• elderly people;
• patients with immunodeficiency;
• cancer patients;
• people who have undergone surgery, general anesthesia and mechanical ventilation.

As you noticed, the causes of the disease can be different, which means that there is no universal treatment for all cases. A thorough examination is needed to accurately identify the pathogen. Only then will the doctor be able to draw up an adequate treatment regimen that will avoid harmful consequences.

The inflammatory process in such an important organ as the lung is dangerous for its complications, which without correct treatment can be fatal:

• pleurisy (inflammation of the pleura);
• destruction of lung tissue;
• pneumothorax (breakthrough of the pleura followed by air ingress into the pleural cavity);
• pulmonary edema;
• lung abscess (filling of its individual parts with pus).

The risk of developing these complications is very high, so it is absolutely impossible to self-medicate. At the first symptoms of pneumonia, it is important to consult a doctor, because it develops rapidly.

Most often they are similar to symptoms of colds and flu: fever up to 38-39, 5 degrees Celsius, cough, shortness of breath, general weakness, severe fatigue, headache, chest pains, especially when trying to take a deep breath. But unlike the flu, with pneumonia on the 3-4th day of illness, the symptoms do not subside, but only intensify, sputum with blood streaks may appear. This is a fairly clear signal for action when it is time to get tested and carefully examined by a doctor.

Increasingly, there are cases of pneumonia without symptoms, when the temperature does not even rise against the background of the inflammatory process. Cough is also not the most indicative symptom - it may not be there if the inflammation is far from the main airways.

Is pneumonia transmitted by airborne droplets?

Many microorganisms can cause pneumonia. The most common are bacteria and viruses in the air. The human body usually prevents these microbes from infecting the lungs, but sometimes microorganisms overpower the immune system, even when in excellent health.

Treating pneumonia at home is not the best solution. The disease is insidious and better round-the-clock supervision from the outside medical professionalsbecause the baby's condition may suddenly worsen. To prevent this from happening, the child is punctured with a course of antibiotics, physiotherapy is carried out, and physical education is also conducted with him. After the child recovers, it is necessary to register at the clinic, where doctors monitor his condition throughout the year. If the disease has not completely disappeared and returns, then the child is diagnosed with Chronic pneumonia.

The causes of pneumonia are classified according to the types of germs that cause it and the location where the infection can get infected.

Pneumonia develops as a complication from another disease, or occurs on its own. In babies, pneumonia is a complication of the flu or cold. They affect the increase in the number of microbes, and they provoke pneumonia. The incubation period for pneumonia is a week. At this time, inflammatory processes occur in the lungs, and the disease does not remind of itself in any way.

Inflammation in a child will have the following symptoms: pallor, fever, and heavy breathing. With these symptoms, the child will recover within two weeks.

• This form of pneumonia is more easily tolerated by children who have good physical development, and timely treatment was started.
• If everything is left to chance, then pneumonia can take the form of moderate and severe.
• Symptoms of moderate to severe pneumonia: severe blanching, frequent coughing, rapid breathing, heat (38 C) and general weakness of the body.

This development of the disease is treated within a month. But if inflammation is noticed on time and timely measures are taken, then the duration of treatment will decrease to 20-25 days. If time is lost and no treatment is performed, then pneumonia turns into a severe form. This poses a threat to the child's life and the baby's recovery will be extremely long.

• Symptoms of a severe form of inflammation: high temperature (40 C), pronounced blueness in the lips, nose and nails, heavy shallow breathing.
• With this form of the disease, oxygen starvation begins, the vital processes of the body are disrupted.
• The beginning of other inflammatory processes is possible.

Depending on the course of the disease and related factors, treatment can be either outpatient or requiring hospitalization. After determining the cause and type of pneumonia, antibiotics are selected that can destroy the causative agent of the disease.

Broad-spectrum antibiotics are more often prescribed, but in some cases specific drugs are required, because bacteria have learned to adapt to new conditions and often show resistance to those antibiotics that previously successfully fought them.

In the case of a viral origin of pneumonia, antibiotics alone may be powerless; they are combined with antiviral drugs.

Attention

Folk remedies like inhalations, mustard plasters and others can be used only in combination with traditional medicines and only in agreement with the attending physician. They are not able to cope with a serious inflammatory process on their own, and they can very much aggravate the situation.

Once a disease is diagnosed and treatment is prescribed, it is important to make every effort to help the body cope with the infection.

To do this, it is enough to follow the simple rules known to everyone:

• bed rest for the entire duration of the illness;
• adherence to a diet (nothing fatty, fried, spicy, difficult to digest, a minimum of salt);
• categorical cessation of smoking for the entire duration of the illness;
• plentiful drink;
• breathing exercises (if it is not contraindicated by a doctor).

The transferred pneumonia does not give stable immunity, so re-infection with the same type of disease is quite likely. Vaccines have been developed against certain types of pneumonia, and some of them are suitable for children from the age of two who are at risk. You can ask your therapist for them.

During periods of exacerbation of respiratory diseases or in contact with a sick person with pneumonia, be sure to wash your hands frequently with soap and water. A healthy lifestyle, smoking cessation, proper diet and moderate physical activity will have a general strengthening effect.

Some time ago, one of the main causes of frequent infant mortality was considered a disease associated with a disease of the respiratory system. Pneumonia in children today can be successfully treated with early diagnosis and the right treatment tactics.

First, let's figure out what pneumonia is in children. An infectious, viral or fungal disease that affects the main tissue of the lungs - the lung parenchyma of a child, confirmed by focal changes on an x-ray.

The number of sick children increases dramatically during the peak of the seasonal flu epidemic. Many symptoms indicate the presence of respiratory problems, in particular pneumonia, but it is the image that allows you to quickly and accurately identify pneumonia and distinguish it from bronchitis and other colds.

According to the X-ray morphological nature of the disease, pneumonia is divided into:

• Focal - when serous exudate is formed in the lung tissue of one or more segments. The infiltrate is located focal, in areas ranging in size from half to 1 cm.
• Focal-confluent - infiltrate areas form one focus of heterogeneous density. In this case, there is a tendency to destruction. The focus often occupies the entire lobe of the lung.
• Croupous - usually pneumococcal, with a cyclic course of the disease, with damage to the lung tissue.
• Segmental - with a localized lesion that does not go beyond one segment of the lungs. Unlike adults, children have prolonged left-sided lower lobe pneumonia, which often turns into deforming bronchitis.
• Interstitial - occurs in children of the first half of life, less often - up to a year. With this form of pneumonia, not only the virus-causative agent of the disease itself, but also the products of its vital activity, has a negative effect on the connective lung tissue of the child.

Among the risk factors provoking pneumonia in children under 5 years of age, there are such as:

• Wrong food. This is especially true for feeding babies when they are not receiving breast milk.
• Frequent colds
• Oral problems, including caries
• Smoking around
• Living in a crowded area.

Today, pneumonia in children resembles after successful treatment, and the child does not always need to be hospitalized. Only about 15% of cases of such a disease in children under 14 years of age require hospitalization.

Pneumonia itself rarely occurs as a primary disease. It is almost always secondary, developing against the background of other health problems, as their complication. Cough, fever more than 38⁰ - these symptoms are typical for many problems: acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, flu, and, of course, pneumonia. With SARS in a child during the first months of life, the temperature rises slightly or does not rise at all. When colds high fever rarely persists without treatment for more three days... Already these signs help initially distinguish bacterial disease from viral, but to make sure that the child's lower respiratory tract is not affected, a complete diagnosis should be performed, including bacteriological studies and a biochemical blood test. A consultation with a pulmonologist will also be useful.

The main thing is to determine the etiology of the disease. Indeed, for the treatment of viral, infectious or fungal lesions of the lungs, a fundamentally different approach is required.

Viral pneumonia is a simple form, practically does not need treatment, it goes away by itself.

A bacterial (infectious) form of pneumonia can independently arise or manifest itself against the background of some other diseases. Treatment is only antibiotic therapy, in other words, antibiotics.

And the most difficult form is the fungal origin of pneumonia against the background of inadequate use by a child antibacterial drugs, as a result of which the activity of the fungi increases.

Of the total number of lung diseases in children, the fungal form accounts for no more than 5-7%. The mixed form of pneumonia, which combines a combination of the previous forms, is the most difficult to treat.

The main, easily identifiable sign of pneumonia is respiratory obstruction. And the less the child is, the faster the breathing. But here it is important to remember that difficulty breathing is inherent in obstructive bronchitis.

Causes and symptoms of pneumonia in a child

In the vast majority of cases, pneumonia is not contagious, so we do not consider contact with patients as the cause of pneumonia in a child.

In children, especially in the first year of life, the respiratory muscles are not yet developed enough to get rid of phlegm through coughing. When against the background of the transferred respiratory disease mucus collects in the lungs and bronchi, it thickens, and becomes an obstacle to normal ventilation of the respiratory system. Viruses are actively developing in this nutrient medium, the child begins to develop pneumonia. It can be either unilateral (with damage to only one lung), and bilateral.

A complicated form of pneumonia can lead to big problems in the form of pulmonary edema, pleurisy, or respiratory failure. Heart rhythm disorder is possible.

With a weakened child's immunity, any disease can lead to pneumonia, even an ordinary burn or other injury. With any damage to even an insignificant part of the body, the human lungs work like a filter that serves to purify the blood in many diseases.

Filtered debris (viruses, bacteria and their waste) settles on the surface of the lungs, preventing their natural ventilation, causing blockages in certain areas, and, therefore, provoking inflammation.

The main thing is not to miss the moment of the onset of the disease. The earlier action is taken, the shorter and more successful the treatment will be. What should mom pay attention to?

With normal color of children's skin, the presence of other symptoms indicates a viral origin of pneumonia, therefore, if the diet, sleep and rest are observed, the disease will go away within a week on its own. Very pale skin, almost bluish in color (especially around the mouth), indicate bacterial form pneumonia. Delay or self-medication in this case threatens with serious consequences.

Diagnostics and treatment

As mentioned above, an X-ray of the lungs most fully shows the picture of the condition (the doctor may mistake the shadow from the heart for an infiltration or darkening in the lungs, so it is better to take a picture in spirit projections).

An experienced pediatrician can easily identify pneumonia "by ear" by detecting wheezing in the lungs. But to identify the nature of the disease by symptoms alone is quite problematic. This requires a thorough clinical examination of the child, no matter how old he is. On the contrary, the younger the age, the more thorough the clinic must be for successful treatment.

However, in children early age (up to 5-6 years) pneumonia, as the pediatricians themselves admit, is more visible than audible.

By carefully reviewing the above symptoms, you will be convinced that this is indeed the case.

During treatment, when prescribing antibiotics, the doctor carefully monitors the child. If there is no improvement within one to two days after the start of treatment, it is advisable to replace it.

Moderate to mild pneumonia can be treated at home... Mandatory requirements:

• Bed rest (especially in the first week after illness)
• Compliance with all medical appointments and recommendations
• Drinking plenty of fluids
• Fresh air (frequent ventilation of the room)
• Personal hygiene of the child. Bathing, of course, is not allowed, but washing and rubbing is necessary.

By themselves, antibiotics relieve inflammation, therefore, the temperature decreases. Therefore, in most cases, there is no need to give antipyretic drugs to the load of antibacterial drugs.

After the third week from the start of successful treatment (with the disappearance of the symptoms of the inflammatory process in the lungs), short walks can be allowed.

What are the signs of determining the patient's recovery

First of all, the temperature drops to normal limits and its stabilization. Further - a general improvement in well-being, good appetite, no signs of pneumonia in the test results and X-ray data.

The sputum cough has not yet completely disappeared, but has become much less frequent and less debilitating. After 1.5-2 months from the start of treatment, we can talk about complete recoverywhen blood flow in the lungs is fully restored.

You also need to beware of contact with colds and sick people. And, of course, hardening of the body is necessary.

Many mothers often ask a burning question: is it worth giving the baby antibiotics not for treatment, but for preventive purposes? The doctors' answer is categorical: NO !!!

Firstly, even with acute respiratory viral infection and for colds, antibiotics are useless - viruses do not react to them.

• Secondly, the body has a huge number of all kinds of microbes. They fight not only with the body's defenses, but also among themselves. A prophylactic dose of antibiotics destroys a certain group of microorganisms, but others "strengthen their position" in the lungs. This helps the bacteria adapt to the antibiotics. As a result, the latter are not useful.
• Thirdly, when taking antibiotics, the body is also oppressed by them. But, trying to recover from this "blow", he begins to vigorously produce antibodies and addiction to this type of antibacterial drugs. As a result, when there really is a need to take them, the body itself will begin to resist them.
• Fourthly, when taking antibiotics in all people (and in children under 10 years of age, in particular), dysbiosis occurs, a fungus begins to develop, which is much more difficult to fight than viruses and bacteria.

In any case, if the child is unwell, the symptoms of the disease should be carefully studied. The more complete the picture you provide to the doctor, the more accurate the preliminary diagnosis will be at the stage of clinical examination and the beginning of treatment.

And be sure to remember: pneumonia is a serious disease. The sooner you go to a pediatrician, the shorter and more successful the treatment will be.