Learn what is bilateral pneumonia

Bilateral pneumonia or bilateral pneumonia is a dangerous complication of certain respiratory infections, colds of the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. This complication without timely treatment can lead to serious consequences, including death.

• Infectious or not
• Forecast
• Symptoms of the disease
• How to treat?

Pneumonia usually develops on the background of other respiratory diseases, as they weaken the immune system of the body, various pathogens are easier to provoke the inflammatory process on the mucosa. Usually, pneumonia is caused by pneumococci, staphylococci, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella, E. coli by others. Such unfavorable factors as smoking, general weakening of the organism, immunity disorders, chronic lung and cardiovascular diseases, old age, prolonged hypodynamia can play a role.

In addition to various bacterial infections, this disease can be triggered by toxic substances, other rare forms of irritants. However, according to statistical data, bacterial inflammation accounts for more than 95 percent of all cases of bilateral pneumonia.

There are two main forms of pneumonia: one-sided and two-sided. With a one-sided form, the inflammatory process develops exclusively in one lung, with bilateral it usually affects both lungs. Both forms are approximately equally distributed, while one-sided can go to bilateral without treatment.

Two-sided pneumonia in children is most dangerous, since the immunity of the child is weaker than that of an adult. Inflammatory process in childhood develops faster, the probability of complications increases. It should be noted that the disease can manifest itself sufficiently weak until complications arise.

Bilateral pneumonia in the elderly is also common. In elderly people, immunity is usually lowered, more often there are various lung diseases, against which pneumonia may occur. The older the person, the greater the likelihood of serious complications.

The best way to avoid pneumonia is the timely treatment of colds. Inflammation of the lungs usually does not occur on its own, in most cases it is only a complication of other diseases.

Important! To engage in self-medication with inflammatory lung diseases is strictly prohibited, home treatment can lead to serious consequences.

Infectious or not

Inflammation of the lungs is almost always a consequence of colds. The pathogens themselves are not infectious because many of them are normally present in the body of any healthy person. Infectious can be other bacterial and viral infections that cause respiratory diseases.

For example, lead to this disease can the flu virus, pneumonia can become its complication. The influenza virus is a fairly contagious infection that is simply transmitted from person to person. Therefore, it is impossible to catch pneumonia itself, but you can get a bacterial or viral infection, which, without proper treatment, leads to a similar complication.

However, the flu itself or another infection, colds of the nasopharynx do not necessarily lead to pneumonia. If the disease is treated in a timely manner, the complications will not begin to develop. To avoid pneumonia, you should immediately begin to treat a cold, even if from the side it seems rather harmless at first.

Forecast

In general, if the disease is detected in a timely manner, a suitable treatment is scheduled in time, pneumonia does not lead to serious consequences. To date, inflammation in the lungs is quite easy to treat, the main thing is for the treatment to be controlled by a specialist.

If the necessary therapy does not start, pneumonia can trigger serious complications:

• purulent pleurisy;
• abscess of the lung;
• acute respiratory failure;
• glomerulonephritis;
• meningitis;
• myocarditis;
• bronchoobstructive syndrome
• infectious-toxic shock.

Without treatment, a lethal outcome is possible.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of pneumonia, especially in the initial stages, can resemble a common cold with a rather severe course. In general, the signs of bilateral croupous pneumonia can be divided into several groups depending on the stages on which they arise:

1. High temperature 39-40 ° C, chills are possible. Cough is heavy, rattles can be heard. Usually there is shortness of breath, pain in the chest. Significant deterioration of the state is not observed, this stage in most cases lasts up to two to three days.
2. Sputum begins to develop in the alveoli at the next stage. It can be both mucous and purulent. In addition, the so-called "rusty" sputum is possible - with blood veins. This is typical for croupous pneumonia. Cough becomes severe, dyspnea intensifies. If there are too many sputum, breathing may be disturbed. At this stage, the disease can last up to ten days.
3. During treatment, the condition gradually begins to improve. This stage is called the stage of resolution, independently, without treatment, it practically does not occur. Exudate begins to escape from the lungs.

Also, against the background of pneumonia, intoxication can occur, caused by the presence of exudate, which poisons the body. In this case, strong nausea, sometimes reaching vomiting, digestive tract disorders, may be added to the temperature. Depending on the sensitivity of the body, rashes may appear on the skin.

Important! In newborns, the occurrence of the inflammatory process can be determined by intermittent, hoarse breathing, constant anxiety, crying, high temperature.

How to treat?

When bilateral pneumonia is usually prescribed inpatient treatment, then, with a favorable course and improving the patient's condition, you can go to home treatment. Sometimes home treatment is allowed immediately if the form of the disease is not severe. Self-medication with this disease is contraindicated, it can lead to extremely adverse effects. The lungs and the respiratory tract in case of pneumonia should never be warmed, the heat intensifies the inflammatory process.

The course of treatment for this disease is usually the following. All medications should be prescribed exclusively after consultation with a physician:

1. First of all, bed rest is shown. In this case, the room should be ventilated, any additional stimuli should be absent.
2. Antibiotics. They are prescribed in all cases, usually in the form of tablets or intramuscularly. Antibacterial agents of a wide spectrum of action are used against pneumonia. For example, Flemoxin, Suprax and their analogues. Scheme of antibiotic therapy is selected only by a doctor, based on the severity, features of the course of the disease, a possible pathogen, the patient has chronic diseases.
3. If necessary, detoxification therapy is prescribed: a dropper with glucose, physiological solution.
4. Inhalations. They are necessary for liquefaction of sputum, purification of the respiratory tract. Usually, expectorants and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. For example, Lazolvan, Berodual, Ambroxol and others.
5. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. They are prescribed for lowering the temperature and against pain, usually using drugs based on ibuprofen and nimesulide: Ibuprofen, Naise and others.

With diabetes and other serious diseases, you must individually select a therapy plan, since some drugs may be contraindicated. In most cases, diabetes and other endocrine pathologies are not a serious obstacle.

In addition, it is important to comply with the drinking regime. With pneumonia and other severe colds, you need to drink enough fluids, preferably plain water. Also usually useful are various decoctions and infusions of medicinal herbs: dog rose, linden, chamomile, cowberry, mint and others. If there are no contraindications, they advise eating honey. To put mustard and rub the chest or back with pneumonia is strictly prohibited.

With properly selected therapy, the main symptoms disappear within one to two weeks after the start of treatment. If the condition begins to deteriorate sharply, breathing is disrupted, the person loses consciousness, it is urgent to call an ambulance.