Expert ReplyCondition analysis:
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Your lungs have 2 main parts: airways (also called bronchial tubes) and alveoli (also called airsacs). When you breathe, the air moves down through your airways and into your alveoli. From the alveoli, oxygen goes into your blood while carbon dioxide moves out of your blood. When you have pneumonia, your alveoli get inflamed (irritated and swollen) and fill with fluid. This makes it difficult for you to breathe. There are 4 types of pneumonia: community-acquired pneumonia, hospital-acquired pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia, and opportunistic pneumonia.
Instructions:
For bacterial pneumonia, your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics. Most of your symptoms should improve within a few days, although a cough can last for several weeks. Be sure to follow your doctor’s directions carefully. Take all the antibiotic medicine that your doctor prescribes. If you don’t, some bacteria may stay in your body. This can cause your pneumonia to come back. It can also increase your risk of antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotics don’t work to treat viral infections. If you have viral pneumonia, your doctor will likely talk to you about ways to treat your symptoms. Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are available to lower fever, relieve pain and ease your cough. However, some coughing is okay because it can help clear your lungs. Be sure to talk to your doctor before you take a cough suppressant.
If your case of pneumonia is severe, you may need to be hospitalized. If you are experiencing shortness of breath, you may be given oxygen to help your breathing. You might also receive antibiotics intravenously. People who have weakened immune systems, heart disease or lung conditions, and people who were already very sick before developing pneumonia are most likely to be hospitalized.
Useful Tips:
It necessay for you to enhance physical fitness and improve the immunity. This is an effective way to prevent pneumonia.