Diseases are not be taken lightly as a little carelessness can cost you your life. That does not mean that you go into panic mode for even a slight cough or cold.
One needs to be able to assess the symptoms displayed before the onset of a disease and find a proper cure. Certain ailments can be cured without taking medicines, but illness such as pneumonia require immediate medical attention as they can turn fatal very easily.
What Is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia happens due to the inflammation of the lung tissues which occurs primarily because of an infection. Pneumonia is way more serious than bronchitis, and when the two happen together, the condition is called bronchopneumonia.
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Can Pneumonia Kill You?
Pneumonia is a severe infection of the lungs. It is a serious medical condition that requires medical attention right at the onset and has to be treated with antibiotics. If you are normally a healthy person with a strong immune system, it is most likely that you will make a speedy recovery. Though if someone is already keeping a poor health or is very old then pneumonia can be an extremely serious and life threatening disease for them. Though if untreated pneumonia can kill young adults as well. Children and people suffering from chronic problems are also an easy victim of this disease.
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Pneumonia Symptoms
There are certain symptoms that one needs to watch out for which are a clear indication of pneumonia. They are a cough, high temperature, sweats, shivers, being off food and feeling generally unwell. Other common symptoms are headaches, aches, and pains. You also usually make more sputum than the usual amount, and it would be yellow or green in color. Though sometimes your mucus can be blood stained as well. You may also become easily breathless, breath fast and often develop a tightness of the chest. If the infection involves the pleura, then a sharp pain may develop in the side of the chest. Your breathing would be difficult, and if a doctor listens with his stethoscope, he will hear crackles in your chest.
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Pneumonia Treatment
It is important to get immediate medical attention if you are displaying the symptoms of pneumonia. If the infection is not severe and you feel fine, then you can treat the illness at home with antibiotics such as amoxicillin which kills the bacteria that causes the infection. Your doctor may prescribe you an antibiotic depending upon your requirements, and if they are genuinely working, then you will see the change within three days. If the pneumonia is too severe, then the doctor would ask you to get admitted
If you were already in poor health or are old or a chronic patient, then it is safer to get treatment in the hospital. Often patients are made to go through certain tests such as Blood tests, sputum tests and also chest x rays. In really severe cases, patients might require oxygen and other supportive treatments.
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