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Pneumonia: symptoms of pneumonia in children and adults


What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the lung tissue that occurs in most cases because of exposure to various harmful microorganisms. Much less frequently pneumonia it happens for other reasons. This is, for example, pneumonia, congestive arising from prolonged bed rest.

Much more common are cases of infection by airborne droplets, i.e. when an open contact with the sick person. You can also call a number of factors that can contribute to the development of pneumonia: a chronic lung disease, diseases of the nasopharynx, heart ailments, diabetes, reduced immunity, excessive Smoking, alcohol, etc.


Symptoms of pneumonia

Symptom of pneumonia is a cough. The cough may be dry or with phlegm.

The phlegm produced during cough, – "rusty", as it is called – happens when lobar pneumonia.

Sputum blood with pus belongs to pneumonia caused by a stick Friedlander, the same sputum is pneumonia caused by strep.

If sputum produced during coughing, an unpleasant, putrid smell, it says that inside are inflamed foci of suppuration.

If there is hemoptysis is evidence of pneumonia caused by fungi, if hemoptysis is accompanied by severe pain in the side – it says about the pulmonary infarction.

Pain in the chest can also be a symptom of pneumonia, it can be both surface and deeper. Superficial pain occurs in case of inflammation of the muscles between the ribs, this pain manifests itself especially with a deep breath.

The pain is deep – it is evidence of defeat or the stretching membrane of the lung, and also tells about its inflammation. The pain becomes more intense with deep breaths or when coughing.

If the focus of the inflammatory process is located in the lower parts of the lungs and inflammatory process involved diaphragmatic pleura, in this case, the pain will give in the stomach, and quite sharply.

The feeling of lack of air, ie, shortness of breath, is also a clear sign of pneumonia, most strongly it manifests itself in inflammatory processes that develop in the case of chronic diseases, e.g., inflammation of respiratory system or heart failure.How strong is shortness of breath depends on the state of health of the patient.

Also characteristic of pneumonia symptoms such as chills, fever up to 40 °C, malaise, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting. The weak people or the elderly can be and disorders of consciousness.

Pneumonia in children

In young children, especially in the first year of life, pneumonia is very difficult. Have a weak, premature babies suffering from rickets, malnutrition, anemia, the disease is especially hard. If time does not provide the necessary expert assistance, and possible death.

The emergence and development of pneumonia in children is very often against the background of various acute respiratory viral infections, might also be involved in influenza.

There are certain signs how to recognize pneumonia in young children. Symptoms of pneumonia in a child are: temperature in babies in case of such disease may not be quite high, even if it may exceed the threshold of 37 degrees. Also if a baby has diarrhea, frequent cough, around the mouth appeared blue, which becomes brighter during feeding, the child is not eating, throws up and spits up after eating – all signs of pneumonia.