How to treat pneumonia

by Groshan Fabiola

The therapy for pneumonia is different for each case dependoing on severity of symptoms and type of pneumonia. In bacterial one doctors recommend antibiotics, so do not stop taking them earlier because you observe a remission in symptoms. Viral forms of pneumonia can't be treated with antibiotics, so doctors suggest antiviral medications, rest and plenty of fluids. It may take more time to recover from a viral pneumonia than from a bacterial one. In Mycoplasma pneumonias antibiotics have given good results, over-the-counter medications to reduce fever, treat your aches and pains, and soothe the cough are also recommended. Coughing helps clear your lungs so don't use suppressants.

Home care is possible even in severe cases if the caregivers give the chest therapy and antibiotics intravenous and if good support and home nursing services are assured. Some of the patients may need only homecare. Patients treated at home with oral antibiotics need to drink plenty of liquids. In hospital the standard treatment is intravenous administration of antibiotics for five to eight days or two to three days in uncomplicated cases and oxygen administration. Most patients are stable after three days and can leave the hospital.

Prevention

Pneumonia is not the kind of disease you take from someone else, you develop it because your immune system is temporarily weakened. You need to get vaccinated in order to prevent pneumonia, after age 65 have a vaccination against pneumococcal pneumonia every year. Prevnar is a vaccine that helps protect young children against pneumonia, if you're younger but have a lung or cardiovascular disease, diabetes or sickle cell anemia you are indicated to have vaccine. You should wash your hands properly, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. Stop smoking, have a healthy diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, physical exercise.

To reduce the complications in pneumonia and accelerate the healing you should get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, don't stop taking your medicatio when you start feeling better and follow the appointments your doctor requires from you in order to monitor you properly. Because the disease can be very serious, it's best to try to prevent infection(flu or cold) in the first place. Signs and symptoms can vary greatly, sometimes it doesn't seem to be pneumonia and the treatment is not taken seroiusly.

Some of the patients may need only homecare. Patients treated at home with oral antibiotics need to drink plenty of liquids. Coughing has its role in clearing the lungs. Mild pain is treated with aspirin (adults only), acetaminophen (Tylenol and other brands), or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Rufen). For severe pain we should have administered codeine. Most patients are stable after three days and can leave the hospital.

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