Pneumonia

Question: What is the difference between Pneumonia and Walking Pneumonia? What is the difference between the two? I bet in a decade there will be Jogging Pneumonia and Sprinting Pneumonia. How about Galloping or Skipping Pneumonia? haha. Why do they call it 'walking' Pneumonia, anyways?

Answer: Pneumonia is acute inflammation of the lungs caused by infection. Initial diagnosis is usually based on chest x-ray. Causes, symptoms, treatment, preventive measures, and prognosis differ depending on whether the infection is bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic; whether it is acquired in the community, hospital, or nursing home; and whether it develops in a patient who is immunocompetent or immunocompromised. An outdated term, "walking pneumonia", has been used to describe a type of community-acquired pneumonia of less severity (hence the fact that the patient can continue to "walk" rather than require hospitalization). Walking pneumonia is usually caused by a virus or by atypical bacteria.

Question: What is a type of pneumonia that sounds close to bilobar pneumonia? My teacher told me to look up the definition of bilobar pneumonia (a term used in the TV show called House), but there is no condition called bilobar pneumonia... Never mind, i found something called lobar pneumonia, which is pneumonia affecting one or more lobes of the lungs. With that info, would bilobar pneumonia affect two lobes of the lungs.

Answer: It just means that two lobes of the lung are consolidated with fluid from infection. or maybe you mean Bilateral pneumonia which means the infection is in both the left and right lung. you got it!

Question: What are the chances of a pneumonia reoccurance? I had pneumonia last February and ever since every cold has been "stronger". The last cold I had was very strong. I had chest pain but not as much as when i had pneumonia. I felt the same way but less intense. What are the chances of getting pneumonia again? Just out of curiosity and for my own knowledge. Thanx in advance. If, I have asthma, will it increase my chances? When I had pneumonia, it was really bad. I was hospitalied, given IV antibiotics. Stayed in the hospital for 5 days. I'm 13.

Answer: Recurrence of pneumonia is very, very common. Many people have it 3 or 4 times over a course of a couple of years after getting it the first time. A pneumonia vaccine cannot prevent pneumonia, as this condition can be caused by bacteria, viruses, inhalation of small foreign particles, etc.

Question: how is hypertension related to pneumonia? and can be fatigue a cause of pneumonia? i am a nursing student in third level and i am doing my defense in my case presentation on Tuesday. my patient is a 68 yrs. old female, and household personnel. she has pneumonia with a medical family history of hypertension. she is non-smoker and non-drinker person. thanks for those who can help me and God bless.

Answer: all i know is that fatigue can cause pretty much anything bc its when your body uis weak, and harmful things can take over.

Question: What is the difference between pneumonia and bronchitis? My doctor diagnosed me with bronchitis, but I think it is pneumonia. Isn't a bronchitis cough dry and pneumonia causes a lot of phlegm?When I cough I get a rattling in my chest and my cough sounds like Rice Crispies in milk. I've been sick with a cough over a month. My doctor gave me an antibiotic but I don't feel much better.

Answer: Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tubes and the bronchi that go into the lungs and pneumonia is in the lungs and where they fill with fluid. Your chest will feel heavy and hurt on movement and not just on breathing. Sometimes your chest will hurt on one side and feel"heavy" and you can definitely tell the difference.

Question: What effects could pneumonia and pulmonary congestion have on gas exchange? Both pneumonia (infectious inflammation of the lungs) and pulmonary congestion (left heart failure) can lead to fluid accumulation in the lungs.

Answer: Pneumonia and pulmonary congestion cause a fundamental change in the way gas is exchanged within the lungs. Gas is exchanged through structures called alveoli. They are microscopic sacs of epithelial tissue. When these sacs become filled with fluid (referred to as consildation) gas cannot pass from the alveoli into the blood. Thus, gas exchange is impeded and the patient typically must work harder to breathe.

Question: How long does it take for pneumonia to get started and become lethal? An experienced nurse does a through check on a patient with a stethoscope and says everything is just ok, but patient dies after 2 weeks from pneumonia. Did she miss something or can pneumonia start and get lethal in the period of time. Shortness of breath was the primary reason for the check.

Answer: can range from hours to days, depends on the person immunity status and the virulence of the organism involved

Question: What is the difference between flu and pneumonia? What is the difference between having a flu and having pneumonia? Oh also... If you dunk your head in cold water and went outside during a chilly day, you could catch a cold, maybe the flu, maybe even pneumonia? Could someone please clerify the difference in how each are caught?

Answer: pneumonia can be viral and bacterial. though both flu and pneumonia can cause respiratory problems, pneumonia usually causes more severe breathing issues, as it is primarily oriented in the lungs. as for dunking your head in the water and going outside, sure its possible to catch either if your immune system is compromised.

Question: How can someone in a coma get pneumonia? My family has a friend, who tried to kill himself this past saturday. He overdosed on pills. He was unconscious that night, and had to put him on Life Support. He has been in a coma since then but on Monday, they took him off it, with him surviving 24 breathes a minute. They discovered later on that he has pneumonia. I was wondering, out of all of this, how could he have got pneumonia?

Answer: I'm sorry. He could have aspirated when he was unconscious on Saturday or later. Sometimes people take pills that make them unconscious, but they vomit and it goes from the esophagus (food tube) into the mouth and down the trachea (wind pipe) because they have no gag reflex because of the medications. Sometimes this happens even with saliva. If he was on a ventilator, he still could have aspirated (inhaled into his lungs) either vomit or saliva because even though the tube in the trachea has a balloon that is blown up to prevent this and to deliver oxygen without it leaking out through his mouth, liquid can still get around it. People on ventilators are heavily sedated and have no gag reflex. Also, pneumonia takes a day or two to show up on a chest xray and develop after this happens, because the chemical reaction or bacteria take a while to grow. It is no one's fault and happens. Also, people in his condition, aren't able to cough and clear their secretions like you or I do on a regular basis, so secretions settle and set him up for an infection. Unfortunately there are nosocomial (hospital aquired) infections in the hospital that can be passed from patient to patient which is less likely, however you or I being healthy, would not be likely to develope a pneumonia from it. This is less likely. Thankfully it is usually able to be treated. Take care.

Question: How long does it take to recover from pneumonia? I have been on antibiotics since Thursday (now Tuesday) for pneumonia. I still feel like crap though! The pain in my lungs is not as bad, but it's still an ache that won't go away. Plus I am extremely tired, all I can do is sleep. Should I go back to the doctor? How long does it take for pneumonia to clear up? I was on one type of antibiotic from Thursday till Sunday but it wasn't working so they put me on a stronger one, that has been since Sunday to today.

Answer: I had double pneumonia in April. I took antibiotics for 10 days after getting out of the hospital and I still didn't feel well. Sometimes it takes a longer time. I had to take antibiotics for another 10 days after that and I still don't feel 100%. I'm older so I have other diseases as well and that might account for my very slow recovery. But not everyone fits into a certain category. If you are within a day or so of being finished with your antibiotics, call your doctor and get a refill. Your body must need the rest to recuperate, so don't worry about that. Feel well soon.

Question: Pneumonia? It's winter (obviously), but it's not cold here. The lowest the temperature usually drops it about 50 or 60. Sometimes I go outside without a jacket and with short sleeves. My grandma always argues with me and tells me that if I don't put on warm clothes then I will get sick with a cold or pneumonia. My great grandma had double(?) pneumonia and died shortly after. How do you get pneumonia?

Answer: You can get pneumonia from a variety of sources (as the PP said--viral, bacterial, fungal). Of the bunch, viral is generally the easiest to acquire and fortunately also usually the least serious, but you have to be exposed to them. Cold alone will not do it. (And 50-60 degrees doesn't sound cold to me!) There is some evidence that stressing the body through chilling, soaking, starvation or overtiredness may make it more likely for one of these things to take hold. This is thought to be due to the immune system not working quite at full strength because the body is using up its resources elsewhere or is depleted. I'm sorry about your great-grandmother. Yes, you can have 'double pneumonia', which is a way of saying it's in both lungs and is obviously more serious than having it only in one. Older people tend to be much more suceptible to pneumonia because their immune systems are weaker and because they often have less reserve to fall back on when they get sick. Don't argue with your grandma. *g* Take a sweater.

Question: What can someone coming off pneumonia do to play football this friday? I am coming off of pneumonia and I feel great. I play varsity football and we have a game this friday. My cough is gone but the wheezing is still there when I sprint. What can a do pre during and post game to be at my best. ( I have an inhaler also.)

Answer: I realize the importance of being a varsity football player is something you feel passionate about. That is great that you are into it and able to do it, if you weren't recovering from pneumonia. Pneumonia is not a "respiratory infection" like bronchitis. This is a major viral infection that actually fills your lung cavities with fluid that is highly infectious and it isn't "gone" just because you're done taking antibiotics and can walk and run. I speak from decades of experience as a person who has had pneumonia several times in 40 years and am a pharmacy technician. There is a recuperation period that lasts a couple of months after the doctors have treated you that is very easy to have a relapse of this nasty viral infection and if it happens, you'll be worse off than the first time. But it's your call and I know how hard it is to not be able to do something that means a lot (it's easier said than done, I know.) So if you go ahead and play, know that it's a risk and make sure you have a full inhaler on you because you'll be puffing on it hourly.

Question: How long do lymph nodes usually stay swollen with pneumonia? I have had walking pneumonia for about the past two weeks. The cough has gotten substantially better and only comes on and off rarely. However, my lymph nodes seems to be just as swollen as ever. I was wondering how long lymph nodes usually stayed swollen when one has pneumonia. Is it abnormal for them to still be swollen? Should I consult my doctor yet again?

Answer: During an infection bacteria, viruses, and white blood cells all get filtered through your lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are also the location where your immune system selects the proper white blood cells for the job. Once they are selected they multiply rapidly which is why your lymph nodes swell. Now that you're starting to get over the pneumonia and you're feeling better that doesn't mean that your infection is over. A few more things have to happen: 1) your body has to turn the immune system off to prevent new pneumonia bacteria targeting white blood cells from being produced. 2) your body has to clean up all the dead bacteria and dead white blood cells. Both of those things take time which is why your lymph nodes are still swollen. You don't need to see your doctor again unless you start feeling bad and your symptoms return. I hope this helps.

Question: At what age should a healthy adult consider the pneumonia vaccine? I am seeing conflicting informtion on the web about the age at which a healthy adult should consider getting the pneumonia vaccine. Some web sites indicate that it's age 50, while others say it's age 65. Does anyone have any information about the age at which a healthy adult should get his pneumonia shot?

Answer: I had mine when I was 18 but I have bad ashma and that doctor said it would be a good idea to have it done along with my flu shot. I think I have to have it every five years.

Question: how can you tell the difference between pneumonia and a cold flu and cough? how long does it take to progress into something serious. like say you get sick start coughing and think you are sick then you make an appointment to see a doctor in a week. can the pneumonia spread super fast and kill you? i mean if you are elderly and you are trying to see a doctor as fast as you can but say you cant get in for a week. or you dont think it is serious... until it is very developed. can it develop in a week?

Answer: Pneumonia is the lung's reaction to a bacterial or viral infection in the lungs, and it can develop as quick as a day. If you feel like you have something worse than a cold, then instead of waiting for a Doctor go to an ER or better yet go to a walk-in clinic and let them know of your symptoms. They will do a chest x-ray to determine if you have pneumonia. Signs of pneumonia include a "wet" chest, coughing up sputum that is green or yellow colored and/or foul smelling, shortness of breath, and possible fever. Most common sign is shortness of breath.

Question: What is it like to die of pneumonia in an 94 yr old dementia patient ? My dad is in dementia and lives far away and he has pneumonia and they have him in the hospital. I know a lot of times frail people like him die and I expect that, but what is it like to die from pneumonia, ? Is it painful ??? do they keep them sedated ?? What is it like ? He has smoked for 80 years and I really don't see him coming home, but since I can't be there because I am sick, chronic, what is death to pneumonia like in elderly frail people. ?

Answer: Don't worry. They'll keep him comfortable and sedated. He won't suffer. My Mom was at the point where she needed a respirator to breathe and she had made it clear that she did not want to live that way. We had them remove it, but first asked the doctors straight up if this was going to cause her a lot of distress. They said no and assured us that she was heavily sedated and wouldn't suffer. We were there when they removed her from the respirator and it was just like she was going to sleep. I'm sorry about your Dad, but rest assured the doctors have the means and will do everything possible to keep him comfortable. Best of luck to you.