What is bronchopneumonia, what are the symptoms and what treatment does this disease require?

What is bronchial pneumonia

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The success of treatment of any disease depends on timely diagnosis and correct treatment tactics. Before understanding the nuances of therapy, you should study what bronchopneumonia is.

The pathology is an acute inflammatory process that affects the bronchioles, the terminal branches of the bronchial tree. It predominantly develops against the background of bronchitis or alveolitis of the lungs.

Bronchial pneumonia has the same pathogens as nosocomial pneumonia. The most common causes of the disease are Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas. The following may also be involved:

• enterobacteria;
• viruses;
• fungi.

This type of pneumonia is characterized by compactions in the lung tissue, numerous foci of isolation located in one or more pulmonary lobes. Typically, compactions are present in the basal lobes of the lungs, usually on both sides. The formations have a diameter of 2 to 4 centimeters, are distinguished by a gray-yellow color, and are capable of fusion. Depending on the course of the disease, acute, subacute and chronic forms of bronchial pneumonia are distinguished.

What is the difference between bronchopneumonia and pneumonia and which is worse?

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The disease is quite common, but knowledge about it is usually not enough. So, many people wonder what is worse – pneumonia or bronchopneumonia. Pneumonia is the “popular” name for pneumonia, reflecting the essence of the disease.

Considering the question of whether there is a difference between pneumonia and bronchopneumonia in order to understand which is worse is not entirely correct. These are partially synonymous concepts, but not without their peculiarities. When answering how pneumonia differs from bronchopneumonia, experts focus on the scale of the terms. In the first case, we are talking about a whole group of pathologies, and in the second, about one variety.

About bronchopneumonia

Bronchopneumonia is a lung disease that is inflammatory in nature and affects only small areas of the lung. Bronchopneumonia is also called focal pneumonia. Bronchopneumonia differs from typical pneumonia in its clinical manifestations, which can vary in severity.

Very often the recovery process lasts a long time, and relapses are possible. Bronchopneumonia can occur both primary and secondary - that is, often .

Bronchopneumonia occurs predominantly by hematogenous route. With the development of focal pneumonia, autoinfection during aspiration plays a huge role - this is the so-called aspiration pneumonia; in the lungs this is hypostatic pneumonia.

Localization and types

With the development of inflammation, foci are usually found on the posterior and posteroinferior pulmonary segments. Depending on the diameter of the lesions, as well as their location, bronchopneumonia is usually divided into types.

Focal

A lesion is defined as a limited area affected by the disease. Focal bronchopneumonia is an inflammatory process localized to a small area of ​​the lung. The pathology affects the respiratory sections and bronchi. The patient may have multiple lesions of varying duration. In severe cases, the boundaries of the lesions merge with each other, leading to a deterioration of the condition.

Basal

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In this case, the inflammatory process is localized at the root of the lung. This situation significantly complicates the diagnosis of hilar bronchopneumonia and increases the risk of complications.

In the initial stages, the pathology can be practically asymptomatic. Often clinical manifestations have to be distinguished from tuberculosis and tumor processes.

Right-handed

The most common type of focal pathology. With right-sided bronchopneumonia in an adult or small patient, the inflamed halo is localized in the right lung. The lesion is predominantly located in the lower part of the organ, which is due to the anatomical structure of the lungs. Bacteria, viruses and fungi lead to the development of right-sided bronchopneumonia in children and adults.

Left-handed

In this condition, the focal lesion is located in the lower part of the left lung. Left-sided bronchopneumonia in children and adults always occurs against the background of bronchitis, ARVI or influenza. Pathology is detected less frequently than right-sided lesions. However, this type of disease often occurs with complications.

Double-sided

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An anxiety state characterized by bilateral damage to the bronchi. Bilateral bronchopneumonia in an adult or child is a reason for immediate hospitalization. There are forms in which several segmental lobes are affected at once. They are called bilateral polysegmental bronchopneumonia.

The disease is accompanied by a severe clinical course; fever, sweating, respiratory distress. Untimely measures regarding bilateral bronchopneumonia in a child or adult patient can cause serious complications.

Catarrhal

The catarrhal form is characterized by an inflammatory process that affects the alveoli and bronchi, leading to the appearance of fluid. The latter is called “exudate”. Initially, inflammation is localized in the lobules of the lung and is focal in nature. In the absence of adequate treatment, the lesion covers the lobules of the segments, and then the lobes of the lungs. Catarrhal bronchopneumonia often becomes purulent.

Measles

Measles is a highly contagious infection that leads to an obsessive cough, fever, and general intoxication of the body. A dangerous complication of the disease is measles bronchopneumonia. It is a secondary condition that develops against the background of a bacterial infection.

DOES PNEUMONIA REALLY FOLLOW COVID-19?

— Recently, an analysis of statistical data shows that the medical community is mistakenly addicted to antibiotics in the treatment of a new coronavirus infection, suggesting that changes in the lungs are immediately associated not only with the virus, but also with a bacterial component. This is not true, says pulmonologist Vladimir Beketov.

According to the expert, to date, a number of reputable medical associations have issued memorandums and open letters calling on colleagues to reduce the use of antibiotics during the treatment of COVID-19, because antibiotics do not provide benefit, but in this case cause harm, including toxic damage to the liver and development of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

— That is, we seem to be trying to treat pneumonia, which in the doctor’s mind is strongly associated with bacteria, but in fact, at the stage, while there is no secondary pneumonia associated with Covid, we are only dealing with coronavirus lung damage, which is recommended not to be called pneumonia, and call it pneumonitis (inflammation of the vascular walls of the alveoli, as well as the tissue separating the alveoli from the lungs, which is accompanied by scarring - editor's note), says pulmonologist Vladimir Beketov.

The very phenomenon of secondary bacterial pneumonia due to coronavirus is overestimated, the expert continues. Such processes develop mainly in patients with heart failure, and for them there are increased precautions, restrictions on movement, recommendations for self-isolation and treatment at home.

- Smokers are also at risk for developing bacterial pneumonia. However, if smokers with COPD receive proper inhalation treatment and are vaccinated against pneumococcus, then their risks of secondary bacterial pneumonia are also minimized, says Vladimir Beketov.

How does it appear on x-ray?

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One of the most important ways to diagnose a disease is x-ray. The technique allows you to visualize internal organs due to the penetration of electromagnetic waves into the body. X-rays for bronchopneumonia help to assess the location of foci and the degree of damage to the bronchi. During the study, the patient receives a non-critical amount of radiation.

Table 1. X-ray manifestations

To carry out diagnostics, it is recommended to study in two projections - frontal and lateral. You should not try to look at the photo yourself. Only a specialist can decrypt it. However, even a physician is not always able to identify pathology in the initial stages.

Symptoms and treatment for children

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The disease is especially dangerous for patients under 5 years of age. Bronchopneumonia in children is characterized by rapid development and is a real threat to the life and health of the baby.

Main symptoms

If the condition occurs against the background of bronchitis or other pathologies, then, as a rule, it is not possible to detect early manifestations. Often the first sign of bronchopneumonia in the acute stage is sudden chills. The disease is also signaled by:

• increased body temperature;
• severe weakness;
• headache;
• cough;
• increased heart rate.

Most patients develop fever. Body temperature rises to 38-39 degrees. Loss of performance is accompanied by headaches, and sometimes patients complain of chest pain. Treatment of bronchopneumonia in children partially determines such symptoms as cough. It can be either dry or wet. Sometimes tachycardia and joint pain are observed.

Is it possible to have no temperature?

The lion's share of patients experience an increase in body temperature. The thermometer readings can reach up to 40 degrees.

In extremely rare cases, bronchopneumonia in children may occur without fever. This phenomenon is typical for patients with a reduced immune status.

Bronchopneumonia in adults sometimes also goes away without fever.

Clinical treatment guidelines

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Due to the rapid and unpredictable development, therapy for pathology should be carried out by a specialist. Clinical recommendations for the treatment of bronchopneumonia in children emphasize comprehensive treatment of the disease. Pharmacological therapy, in particular antibiotics, plays a leading role. Additionally, the child may be prescribed antiviral, antifungal, and mucolytic agents. In addition to pharmacological treatment, clinical recommendations include:

• use of physical therapy;
• ultraviolet irradiation;
• massage and physical therapy.

Treatment of bronchopneumonia with Rikta laser devices

According to indications, the trigger zones are affected, the Zakharyin-Ged zones are 1000 Hz for extraceptive, 50 Hz or PEREM for proprioceptive, exposure is 2-5 minutes until the clinical effect (reduction or elimination of the corresponding symptoms).

The course of treatment for a smooth course of the disease is 12-15 procedures, 1 procedure per day. A combination with drug therapy (antibiotics, sulfonamides, etc.) is necessary.

Repeated course after 1 month. If there is x-ray confirmation of the localization of the focus of inflammation, then the projection of the focus is additionally used at a frequency of 5 Hz, exposure time is 2 minutes. If signs of deterioration appear, for example, signs of lung destruction, then laser therapy should be temporarily interrupted until these symptoms are eliminated.

How to treat at home in adults

Treatment of complex forms of the disease is carried out in a hospital setting. Residual treatment of bronchopneumonia in adults can be carried out at home. As with young patients, pharmacotherapy is a key component of recovery.

Table 2. How to treat bronchopneumonia in adults

When considering the question of how to treat bronchopneumonia, one cannot ignore physiotherapy. The patient is recommended inhalations, electrophoresis, wave treatment of the lungs, chest massage. For a speedy recovery from illness, physical therapy is prescribed.

Pneumonia in children: symptoms, treatment, prevention

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Pneumonia (pneumonia) is a serious infectious disease that affects people of all ages. And children are no exception. Recently, there has been an increase in the number of acute infectious diseases of the respiratory system, and pneumonia is the most dangerous of them. Therefore, parents should understand what pneumonia is, how to recognize this disease, and what to do if it appears in a child.

Description

The danger of the disease is associated with the important role played by the lungs in the human body. After all, the lungs perform the function of delivering oxygen to the tissues of the body and, therefore, damage to such an important organ can have serious consequences.

The lungs receive oxygen from the upper respiratory tract during inhalation. In the special vesicles of the lungs - the alveoli - the process of enriching the blood with oxygen occurs. At the same time, carbon dioxide enters the alveoli from the blood and is released out during exhalation. The inner surface of the lungs has a mucous membrane, the purpose of which is to protect the lungs from negative external influences.

Each lung consists of 10 segments, which are grouped into lobes - there are three in the right lung, two in the left. With pneumonia, the infectious process affects the internal structures of the lungs, which significantly complicates the process of breathing and gas exchange. And this can affect other organs, primarily the heart.

Gas exchange does not exhaust the functions of the lungs in the body. They also participate in the following processes:

• regulation of body temperature,
• filtration of harmful substances,
• regulation of the amount of liquids and salts,
• blood purification,
• removal of toxins,
• synthesis and neutralization of proteins and fats.

With infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, poisoning, injuries and burns, the load on the lungs increases many times, and they may not be able to cope with removing toxins from the body. This can provoke an infectious process in the lungs.

Types of pneumonia

Unlike other respiratory diseases, the proportion of cases with a purely viral etiology is small. In approximately 80% of cases, we are talking about damage to the lungs by various strains of bacteria. In childhood, the bulk of pneumonia is associated with three types of bacteria - pneumococcus, mycoplasma and pulmonary chlamydia. However, other types of bacteria can also become a source of disease.

These include staphylococci, streptococci, Klebsiella, Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and some others. Much less often, the lungs suffer from the effects of pathogenic fungi; even less often, pneumonia caused by helminths can occur.

Pathogens are also distributed unevenly across age groups. Pneumonia in infants and preschool children is most often caused by pneumococci. At primary school age, children are more often susceptible to mycoplasma pneumonia. Teenagers most often suffer from pneumonia caused by chlamydia.

Based on the size and shape of the area of ​​inflammation, pneumonia is divided into:

• focal,
• segmental,
• drain,
• lobar,
• left-handed,
• right-sided

With focal pneumonia, there are only individual foci of inflammation about 1 cm in size, and with confluent pneumonia, these foci merge together. In segmental pneumonia, one segment of the lungs is affected. With the lobar type of pneumonia, the pathological process covers the entire lobe.

With bronchopneumonia, not only the lung tissue is affected, but also the bronchial mucosa. Usually bronchopneumonia is a consequence of bronchitis.

Pure viral pneumonia is less common. The causative agents of this form of the disease can be influenza viruses, parainfluenza, and adenoviruses. Bilateral pneumonia is most often caused by pneumococci and Haemophilus influenzae. Atypical pneumonia in a child is most often caused by mycoplasmas and chlamydia. This type of pneumonia can last longer and is difficult to treat with antibiotics.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is most often caused by staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella.

Features of pneumonia in childhood

Left-sided pneumonia in a child is most often more severe than right-sided pneumonia. This is due to the fact that the lungs have an asymmetrical structure, and the airways on the left side are narrower than on the right. This circumstance makes it difficult to remove mucus and contributes to the establishment of infection.

It is well known that children are more susceptible to pneumonia than adults. There are several reasons for this fact. First of all, young children have rather weak immunity compared to adults. And the second reason is that a child’s respiratory organs are not as developed as those of an adult. In addition, the narrowness of the respiratory passages in children causes mucus to stagnate in them and makes it difficult to remove.

Also, in infants, breathing is usually carried out using movements of the diaphragm, which are influenced by the state of the gastrointestinal tract. Disruption of its functioning, expressed, for example, in bloating, immediately affects the lungs - stagnation occurs in them, leading to an increase in the number of pathogenic microorganisms. Infants also have relatively weak respiratory muscles, which prevent them from coughing up mucus effectively.

Symptoms of pneumonia in a child

How does pneumonia manifest? Symptoms of pneumonia in children of different ages are slightly different. However, it is worth noting that with all types of pneumonia, a symptom such as respiratory failure is noted. It is expressed, first of all, in increased breathing during pneumonia, which usually does not happen with infectious diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Normally, the ratio of pulse and respiratory rate is 3 to 1. However, with pneumonia, the ratio can reach 2 to 1 and 1 to 1. That is, if a child’s pulse is 100, then the respiratory rate can be more than 50 breaths per minute. Despite the increased frequency of breathing, it is usually superficial and shallow.

How else can you determine respiratory failure? There are a number of other signs that indicate it, for example, blue discoloration of the skin surfaces, primarily in the area of ​​the nasolabial triangle. Sometimes pale skin may occur.

Secondly, with pneumonia there is another characteristic sign - high temperature. The level of hyperthermia in pneumonia is usually much higher than in other respiratory diseases and can reach +39-40ºС. However, this symptom may not occur with all types of pneumonia. Signs of atypical pneumonia in a child include low-grade fever or a temperature slightly above +38ºC. Sometimes a disease scenario can be observed when the temperature rises to high values ​​in the first days and then decreases. In addition, in children under one year old, due to the imperfection of the immune system, the temperature can also remain within the subfebrile range even with the most severe forms of pneumonia.

Signs of pneumonia in a child include other respiratory symptoms. First of all, it's a cough. As a rule, it can be observed if the infection affects not only the lungs, but also the bronchi, which most often happens in practice, and also if pneumonia is a complication of acute respiratory infections. The cough can be varied, but as a rule, it is not completely dry, but is associated with the discharge of sputum. Or, in the first days of the disease, a dry cough appears, and then it turns into a cough with expectoration of sputum. Bilateral lobar pneumonia is characterized by a variety of manifestations. In children, symptoms of this form of the disease include not only a cough, but “rusty” sputum, including red blood cells from damaged small capillaries.

When pneumonia develops in a child, symptoms will include signs of intoxication - headaches, nausea, dizziness. With some types of pneumonia in children, symptoms may include pain in the chest, sometimes in the hypochondrium.

Symptoms of pneumonia in an infant may not be as severe as in older children. Often, symptoms of pneumonia in infants include only low-grade fever and cough (in some cases, it may not be present). Therefore, recognizing the disease before the age of one year is difficult. You should pay attention to indirect symptoms - low muscle tone, lethargy, breast refusal, anxiety, frequent regurgitation.

Causes

Based on the causes of occurrence, pneumonia is divided into primary and secondary. Primary pneumonia includes cases of disease that arise directly from infection with pathogens. Secondary pneumonia includes cases of disease that are complications of other respiratory diseases - ARVI, bronchitis, influenza, sore throat, etc.

In most cases we are talking about secondary diseases. It should be noted that viral respiratory diseases very often provoke the occurrence of pneumonia and prepare the ground for them by weakening the immune system and reducing the protective properties of the bactericidal sputum formed in the lungs.

Quite rarely, pneumonia is transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets. As a rule, the causative agents of the disease already live in the body, long before it begins, and are simply waiting in the wings to begin their attack on the lungs. A trigger that can provoke the activation of pathogenic microflora can be an infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract, influenza, weakened immunity, for example, as a result of hypothermia.

A special group of cases of pneumonia includes so-called hospital infections. They occur in hospitals when patients are being treated for other diseases. Hospital-acquired pneumonia is caused by special, hospital-acquired strains of bacteria that are highly resistant to traditional antibiotics.

Thus, pneumonia can also be caused by congestion in the lungs associated with prolonged bed rest. In young children, congestion in the lungs can also be caused by intestinal infectious diseases, in which bloating appears and normal ventilation of the lungs is disrupted. Also, the occurrence of pneumonia can be facilitated by frequent regurgitation of food by a child, during which vomit containing intestinal pathogenic microorganisms can partially enter the lungs.

If pneumonia occurs in newborns, then there can be two main reasons for this - either the child became infected directly in the maternity hospital, or was infected already in the womb.

Other factors contributing to the disease:

• stress,
• avitaminosis,
• unhealthy diet
• passive smoking of others.

Diagnostics

Acute pneumonia in a child can only be diagnosed by a doctor. At the first signs of pneumonia in a child, you should call a therapist. An experienced doctor can determine the source of inflammation by listening to noises and wheezing in the lungs and tapping the chest. Other diagnostic signs are also used to recognize the disease: respiratory failure, the nature of hyperthermia, damage to the upper respiratory tract.

However, in order to unambiguously make a diagnosis and determine the location of the source of the disease, radiography is required in most cases. The x-ray image clearly shows the extent of lung damage and the area of ​​distribution of the pathological process. It is this sign that is most important in diagnosis.

However, x-rays do not always allow one to determine the causative agent of the disease. But the treatment strategy largely depends on this information. For this purpose, bacteriological analyzes are used - the isolation of antibodies to the pathogen or the pathogens themselves from the blood and droplets of sputum. True, it is not always possible to unambiguously determine the pathogen, since sputum may contain several potentially pathogenic microorganisms at once. In addition, a violation of the leukocyte formula, an increase in the level of ESR (20 mm/h or more), and a decrease in hemoglobin are taken into account. However, a significant increase in the number of leukocytes does not accompany all types of pneumonia. The maximum increase in the number of leukocytes is observed during chlamydial infections (30,000 per μl).

Forecast

In most cases of pneumonia in children, provided timely consultation with a doctor, the prognosis is favorable. Pneumonia poses a serious threat to life in newborns and infants, especially premature infants. Also dangerous for their severe complications are pneumonia caused by staphylococci and streptococci, as well as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In most cases, with proper treatment, the likelihood of complications is low.

Complications

Pneumonia in a child aged 2 years can take severe forms and spread to other organs.

Among the most common complications are lung abscess, destruction of lung tissue, pleurisy, and air entering the pleural area.

Complications of pneumonia in children that affect other organs:

• heart failure,
• sepsis and septic shock,
• meningitis,
• myocarditis,
• endocarditis,
• pericarditis,
• blood clotting disorder.

Treatment

Treatment of acute pneumonia in a child can be carried out both in a hospital and at home. The choice of one or another option is made by the doctor, based on the following factors:

• child's age,
• patient status,
• suspected type of disease
• the ability of parents to provide adequate care for the child,
• presence of smokers in the family.

If acute pneumonia is not treated, it can become chronic, lasting up to six months.

Treatment of bacterial pneumonia in a child is carried out mainly with antibiotics. Of course, during the first examination, the doctor often does not have the opportunity to accurately determine the type of pathogen. Therefore, general antibiotics are prescribed first, or an antibiotic is selected based on rough assumptions. Subsequently, as diagnostic data accumulates, this assignment can either be canceled or confirmed. The effectiveness of the antibiotic is assessed in the first days after prescription, usually after 2-3 days. How can you tell if the drug has worked? If, while taking it, the patient’s condition improves - a decrease in temperature, a weakening of symptoms indicating pulmonary failure, then drug therapy with this drug continues. If there is no improvement, then another drug is used. By this time, the doctor may already have information about the nature of the infection that can help him make the right choice.

Not every antibacterial drug can be used to treat pneumonia in children. Among the drugs that are effective against pneumonia and approved in pediatric practice, the most widely used antibiotics are cephalosporins and macrolides. However, the choice of other drugs is also possible - penicillins, sulfonamides, amoxicillins. Fluoroquinolones and tetracyclines are used less frequently, only in cases of severe complications and the ineffectiveness of other agents. It is also worth taking into account the age of the child, for example, at 3 years old some drugs may be suitable, but at 1 year old – no longer.

Choosing a drug is not an easy task, and it should not be done at random, by people who do not have information about the properties of antibiotics, but by a qualified specialist with extensive practical experience and able to take into account all factors, such as contraindications, effectiveness and side effects of the drug, as well as the patient’s condition , his age, characteristics of the disease. Otherwise, the use of antibiotics can only cause harm.

If a child has pneumonia, oral antibiotics are usually prescribed. However, if the disease is severe, or if taking antibiotics causes nausea or vomiting in the child, parenteral administration of the drugs is prescribed.

You should strictly follow the dosage of medications prescribed by your doctor. Irregular use can negate the entire therapeutic effect of the medication, due to the fact that there will not be a sufficient concentration of the substance in the blood. Also, if the patient shows signs of improvement, you should not stop taking the drug; you must complete the course of treatment.

Among the negative factors associated with taking antibiotics, one should highlight the fact that they negatively affect the beneficial microflora of the body, primarily the intestinal one. Therefore, in parallel with taking antibiotics, probiotics should also be taken.

Should I use antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs for pneumonia in a child? This can be done in some cases, but only with the permission of a doctor. Reducing the temperature with the help of antipyretics for pneumonia is not recommended for the reason that hyperthermia is a protective reaction of the body and is designed to mobilize all its forces to fight the infection. Of course, a lot depends on how high the temperature is. If it exceeds +39ºС, then such overheating of the body can negatively affect the patient’s condition. In young children, high fever can even lead to seizures. In such cases, it is worth giving the child an antipyretic when the thermometer reaches +37.5ºС. Otherwise, if the child tolerates the temperature well and does not have any concomitant diseases in which a high temperature can be dangerous, then it is better not to lower the temperature artificially. Paracetamol and other non-steroidal drugs are most often used as antipyretic drugs.

It is also necessary to give the patient as much fluid as possible. When a child has pneumonia, the body loses a lot of fluid - this is due, first of all, to excessive sweating. In addition, drinking plenty of fluids allows you to quickly remove toxins from the body. However, if there are signs of pulmonary edema, fluid intake is limited.

As a rule, pneumonia in a child is combined with the formation of mucus in the bronchi and a cough, during which this mucus is removed from the respiratory system. Therefore, cough relief drugs are an important category of drugs. They are divided into three main groups - mucolytic, expectorant and bronchodilator. Mucolytics reduce the viscosity of bronchial mucus, and expectorants facilitate its removal. Among expectorants and mucolytic drugs, bromhexine, ambrohexal, and acetylcysteine ​​are most often used. Among bronchodilators intended to relieve bronchospasms, aminophylline is most often used.

Antitussive drugs that suppress the activity of the cough center are contraindicated because they lead to stagnation of sputum in the lungs.

Is it possible to use folk remedies?

Is it worth using traditional medicine for pneumonia diagnosed in a child, and can they replace antibiotics? As you know, many parents are wary of antibiotics. And this concern is understandable - after all, antibiotics can have side effects, for example, dysbiosis and can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, they are trying to replace antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases with some alternative means. It is worth saying directly that such an approach in the case of bacterial pneumonia is irresponsible frivolity.

Pneumonia in a child is not a sore throat, which goes away in seven days if treated, and in a week if untreated. It is a serious and life-threatening disease with no effective treatment other than antibiotics. This is due to the fact that the source of inflammation is located very deep, sometimes in the lower part of the lungs, and no amount of gargling with herbal infusions or even inhalation can affect it. Those wishing to treat their child with traditional methods should remember that before the invention of antibiotics, the survival rate of young children in case of pneumonia was about 30%. These statistics clearly show the effectiveness of folk remedies compared to modern antibiotic therapy. Of course, if a child does not tolerate an antibiotic well, then you should tell the doctor about it, and he will probably be able to find a replacement.

Additional measures during treatment

Massage and physiotherapy may be prescribed as auxiliary measures. They are carried out for pneumonia, when the child’s temperature begins to decrease.

It goes without saying that when treating at home, the patient must remain in bed. The air in the room where it is located should not be too warm or too cold. The optimal temperature is 19-20 degrees. You should also ensure that there is sufficient air humidity, since dry air irritates the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. In addition to drinking plenty of fluids, you should also pay attention to your diet. Of course, the patient should not be force-fed if there is no appetite at a high temperature. However, it is worth noting that when sick, the body must receive an increased amount of proteins, vitamins and microelements, so nutrition must be complete. Food should be easily digestible and hypoallergenic.

In inpatient conditions, in severe cases, oxygen therapy (artificial ventilation) is performed.

Recovery period

If all doctor's instructions are correctly followed, complete recovery can occur in 10-14 days. However, even after recovery, a child attending school should be exempt from physical education and physical activity for several months (from 1.5 to 3). Emotional and physical fatigue of children who have had pneumonia should be avoided. They are registered at the dispensary for a period of up to one and a half years. At this time, additional tests and x-rays may be prescribed. During the rehabilitation period, it is recommended to use breathing exercises.

After recovery, residual symptoms of the disease may be observed for some time, for example, a dry cough associated with insufficient restoration of the mucous membrane. To quickly restore lung functionality, sanatorium treatment and inhalation of sea air are recommended.

Prevention

Pneumonia in a child in most cases is a disease of reduced immunity. Therefore, prevention of the disease in children includes measures to increase immunity - hardening, proper daily routine, physical activity, good nutrition, taking vitamin complexes. At the same time, care should be taken to ensure that the child does not suffer from hypothermia, and that the air in the apartment is clean and has sufficient humidity. And, of course, it is necessary to promptly treat respiratory diseases that can become a direct cause of pneumonia - ARVI, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, and, first of all, bronchitis.

An important preventive measure is vaccination of children. There are no universal vaccinations against pneumonia at the moment, but you can get vaccinated against some pathogens of pneumonia, for example, pneumococcus and Haemophilus influenzae. Vaccinations against pneumococcal infection are included in the National Calendar of Preventive Vaccinations and are mandatory, given to children under 1 year of age twice with an interval of 2 months, vaccinations against Haemophilus influenzae are given to children at risk three times simultaneously with vaccination against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus at 3, 4.5 and 6 months and a single revaccination in the second year of life.

Is it a contagious disease or not?

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Caution should be exercised during any contact with a sick person. Whether bronchopneumonia is contagious in adults depends on the causative agent of the pathology. However, in most cases, the cause of the disease is bacteria, viruses or fungi, which are easily transmitted to other people.

It is not true to say that you can become infected with pneumonia. Most people who come into contact with a person with pneumonia remain healthy. In this regard, it is worth focusing not so much on whether bronchopneumonia is contagious or not, but on risk groups.

Contact with infected people is especially dangerous for children and the elderly, heavy smokers, pregnant women and other people with weakened immune systems.

Bronchopneumonia in adults

Among the adult population, the diagnosis of bronchopneumonia is most often given to people over 65 years of age.
This is due to the weakening of their immunity and the characteristics of the respiratory system. In old age, the disease can lead to serious complications and even death. Among the complications in adults, the most common is pleurisy - the spread of infection to the inner and outer layers of the pleura. The development of edema, abscess and even gangrene of the lung, as well as acute respiratory failure, is possible. If the infection enters the blood, sepsis develops.

How is it transmitted?

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There are many possible ways of infection. Here's how bronchopneumonia is transmitted:

• due to the penetration of foreign bodies or mucus from the nasopharynx;
• by inhaling charged particles;
• due to the spread of infection through the blood from another source;
• due to the spread of the inflammatory process from neighboring organs;
• due to a penetrating chest injury.

Pathogens can enter through water, food, dirty objects, and remain on the palms of the hands during a handshake or contact with an infected surface.