Lobar pneumonia affects one or more lobes of the lungs, whereas bronchial pneumonia (also known as bronchopneumonia) affects patches throughout both lungs. Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, and is a serious condition in which the air sacs fill with pus and other liquid.
Acute respiratory illness known as pneumonia is characterized by recently appearing, segmental, or multilobar radiological pulmonary shadowing.
Pneumonia is most dangerous for infants and young children, adults over 65, and those with health conditions or weakened immune systems. Pneumonia can range in severity from mild to life-threatening.
CAUSES
Your body typically protects your lungs from infection by bacteria and viruses found in the air we breathe, but occasionally these germs can overwhelm your immune system, even if your health is generally good.
The types of germs that cause it and how you contracted the infection are used to categorize different types of pneumonia.
Community-acquired pneumonia
Since it develops outside of hospitals or other medical facilities, community-acquired pneumonia is the most typical type of pneumonia.
·Bacteria.Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most frequent cause of bacterial pneumonia in the United States, can affect one lobe of the lung, which is known as lobar pneumonia, and can develop on its own or as a result of a cold or the flu.
·Bacteria-like organisms.The term “walking pneumonia” is used informally to refer to a type of pneumonia caused by the mycoplasma pneumoniae bacterium, which typically causes milder symptoms than do other types of pneumonia.
·Fungi.The fungi that cause it can be found in soil or bird droppings and vary depending on geographic location. People with chronic health conditions or immune systems that are weakened as well as those who have inhaled large doses of the organisms are more likely to develop this type of pneumonia.
·Viruses.The most frequent cause of pneumonia in children under the age of five is a virus; viral pneumonia is typically mild but can occasionally be very serious. Some viruses that cause colds and the flu can also cause pneumonia.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia
People who are on breathing machines (ventilators), which are frequently used in intensive care units, are at higher risk of developing pneumonia. Hospital-acquired pneumonia, which some people contract while in the hospital for another illness, can be serious because the bacteria causing it may be more resistant to antibiotics and because the people who get it are already ill.
Health care-acquired pneumonia
Similar to hospital-acquired pneumonia, health care-acquired pneumonia can be brought on by bacteria that are more resistant to antibiotics and affects patients who reside in long-term care facilities or who receive care in outpatient clinics, including kidney dialysis facilities.
Aspiration pneumonia
Aspiration is more likely if something interferes with your natural gag reflex, such as a brain injury or swallowing issue, or if you use alcohol or drugs excessively. Aspiration pneumonia happens when you inhale food, drink, vomit, or saliva into your lungs.
HISTOPATHOLOGY
LOBAR PNEUMONIA
The progression of lobar pneumonia, which affects the entire lobe of the lung, can be divided into the following four stages:
There are few red blood cells and neutrophils at this stage, which is characterized by the accumulation of alveolar fluid that is rich in infectious organisms, diffuse congestion, vascular engorgement, and the appearance of lung tissue that appears grossly heavy and boggy.
Grossly, the lungs appear red and firm, similar to a liver; hence, the term “hepatization.” Red blood cells and fibrin are markedly infiltrated into the alveolar fluids.
Gray hepatization: This color change from red to gray is caused by the breakdown of red blood cells (RBCs) and fibrinopurulent exudates.
Resolution: The removal of exudates by local macrophages, with or without the development of lingering scar tissue.
BRONCHOPNEUMONIA
Suppurative inflammation that is localized in bronchial patches and may or may not be limited to a single lung lobe is what distinguishes bronchopneumonia from other respiratory illnesses.
Rarely, severe cases of pneumonia can spread to the pleural space, where it can cause an empyema, a fibrin-purulent exudate, and a complete breakdown of lung tissue.
SYMPTOMS
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to severe, depending on your age and general health as well as the type of germ that is infecting you. Mild signs and symptoms are frequently similar to those of the flu or a cold, but they last longer.
Pneumonia may exhibit the following symptoms and signs:
Chest discomfort when you cough or breathe
Dizziness or shifts in awareness (in adults 65 and older)
A cough that could result in phlegm
· Fatigue
High temperature, perspiration, and chills
Lower than average body temperature (in older adults over 65 and those with weakened immune systems)
· Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
· Shortness of breath
Infants and newborns may not exhibit any symptoms of the infection, or they may vomit, have a fever and cough, seem agitated or exhausted and lacking in energy, have trouble breathing, or have trouble eating.
RISK FACTORS
However, the two age groups most at risk from pneumonia are:
Infants and toddlers under the age of two
Seniors (65 years and older)
Other risk factors include:
·Being hospitalized.Being in an intensive care unit of a hospital increases your risk of developing pneumonia, particularly if you’re using a ventilator.
·Chronic disease.If you have asthma, heart disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you are more likely to develop pneumonia.
·Smoking.The natural defenses your body has against viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia are harmed by smoking.
·Weakened or suppressed immune system.The risk group includes those with HIV/AIDS/COVID 19, organ transplant recipients, those who have undergone chemotherapy, and those who have taken long-term steroids.
COMPLICATIONS
Even with treatment, complications from pneumonia can arise for some people, particularly for those in high-risk groups.
·Bacteria in the bloodstream (bacteremia).The infection may spread to other organs and result in organ failure if bacteria from your lungs enter the bloodstream.
·Difficulty breathing.You might require hospitalization and use of a breathing machine (ventilator) while your lung heals if your pneumonia is severe or if you have chronic underlying lung diseases.
·Fluid accumulation around the lungs (pleural effusion).You may need to have the fluid drained through a chest tube or removed through surgery if fluid builds up in the pleura, the thin layer of tissue that lines the lungs and chest cavity as a result of pneumonia.
·Lung abscess.When pus accumulates in a lung cavity, an abscess develops, which is typically treated with antibiotics but occasionally necessitates surgery or drainage through the insertion of a long needle or tube into the abscess.
PREVENTION
To help prevent pneumonia:
·Get vaccinated.The vaccination guidelines have changed over time, so even if you remember receiving a pneumonia vaccine, make sure to review your vaccination status with your doctor. Vaccines are available to prevent some types of pneumonia and the flu. Talk with your doctor about getting these shots.
·Make sure children get vaccinated.Children who attend a group child care center should also get the vaccine, and doctors also advise flu shots for children older than 6 months. Children under the age of 2 and those between the ages of 2 and 5 who are particularly at risk of pneumococcal disease should receive a different pneumonia vaccine.
·Practice good hygiene.Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer or regularly wash your hands to guard against respiratory infections, which can occasionally progress to pneumonia.
·Don’t smoke.Smoking impairs your lungs’ built-in resistance to respiratory infections.
·Keep your immune system strong.Get enough rest, work out frequently, and maintain a balanced diet.
DIAGNOSIS
medical history and physical examination, which includes using a stethoscope to listen to your lungs for any unusual bubbling or crackling sounds that might indicate pneumonia.
It is advised to perform the following tests if pneumonia is suspected:
·Blood tests.Although precise identification isn’t always possible, blood tests are used to confirm an infection and try to determine the type of organism that is causing it.
·Chest X-ray.This aids in the diagnosis of pneumonia, as well as locating the infection’s extent and site, but it is unable to reveal the specific type of germ that is the cause of the illness.
·Pulse oximetry.Pneumonia can prevent your lungs from supplying your bloodstream with enough oxygen, as shown by the oxygen level in your blood.
·Sputum test.After a vigorous cough, a sample of your sputum is collected and examined to help identify the infection’s root cause.
·CT scan.A chest CT scan to get a more precise picture of your lungs may be advised by your doctor if your pneumonia isn’t improving as quickly as you’d hope.
HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES
When it comes to treating pneumonia, homoeopathy is a rapidly expanding system that is used throughout the world. Its strength lies in its apparent effectiveness as it adopts a holistic approach by promoting inner balance at the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical levels of the sick individual.
FERRUM PHOSPHORICUMFerrum phos is also appropriate in the later stages of pneumonia. Ferrum phos is a remedy for the first stage of pneumonia. Fever. Hard, dry cough with sore throat. Cough, better at night. Bleeding from lungs in pneumonia after concussion or fall. Face flushed, cheeks hot and sore.
BRYONIA ALB— Difficult, quick, respiration with stitching pain in chest, made worse by movement; fever and chills; dry, hard, and painful cough; patient holds chest due to intense pain during coughing; cough worse after eating or drinking; vomiting; stitches in chest; coming into warm room; expectoration of rust-colored streaked with blood; right lung is affected; Bryonia alb is more appropriate to pneumonia in the elderly.
-**IPECAUANHA. -**Difficulty breathing and constriction in the chest. Constant, violent cough that gets worse with each breath. Wheezing cough. Bubbling rales. Loose, coarse rattle in the chest without expectoration. Sometimes the expectoration is bloody. Suffocative cough; the child gets stiff and blue in the face. Constant nausea. Pneumonia accompanied by persistent nausea and vomiting. Tongue clean, not
ANTIMONIUM TARTARICUMBronchial tubes are loaded with mucus, causing great rattling in the chest and little expectoration. This causes rapid, short, difficult breathing as well as a feeling of impending suffocation, forcing the person to sit up.
Suffocation. -Difficulty breathing and shortness of breath. Whistling, wheezing respiration. Unable to lie down because of fears of suffocation, the patient must sit up. Expectoration is scant and frothy. The patient coughs up bloody sputum. The patient experiences intense anxiety and restlessness. The patient experiences frequent but infrequent thirst.
When coughing, one must hold their chest in order to produce thick, ropy, greenish, copious expectoration. This delayed resolution of pneumonia causes one to spring up in bed and hold the painful side. The tongue has a bitter, brown coating.
Congestion of the lungs. Tight suffocative breathing, worse cough. Hard, dry, racking cough. Sputum that is rust-colored, blood-colored, or purulent. **PHOSPHORUS.—**Pneumonia of the left lower lung.
The symptoms of VERATRUM VIRIDE include pneumonia with violent congestion of the lungs, difficult breathing, slow, heavy breathing that feels like a load on the chest, nausea, vomiting, and a violent cough that starts right away.
**CHELIDONIUM MAJUS —**Respiratory symptoms with liver liver symptoms, very quick and short inspirations, pain on deep inspiration, pressing pain in the chest on deep inspiration, cough with rattling, but little expectoration or it flies from mouth, fan-like motion of the alae nasi, tongue yellow with imprint of teeth, pain under the corner of the right shoulder blade, patient preference for hot food and beverages.
SULPHUR 200-When exudation begins, this substance is used to both treat and prevent the development of undissolved patches.
TUBERCULINUM 1000– Children’s bronchopneumonia, which is characterized by a hard, hacking cough, excessive perspiration, weight loss, and chest rales.
LOBELIA INFLATA-Breathing difficulties due to chest constriction, a mercurial taste in the mouth, a white tongue charged with a thick coating on the right side only, a ringing cough, and short breaths that catch in the throat.
EMAIL—[email protected]
Comments are closed.