Treatment for double pneumonia depends on what caused it and how it has affected the body: People who have bacterial pneumonia will need antibiotic therapy. People with severe infections related to pneumonia, such as infectious pleural effusion or sepsis, will need intravenous antimicrobial therapy.
What are the treatment options for double pneumonia?
What are the treatment options for double pneumonia? Pneumonia in two lungs is treated the same way as it is in one lung. The treatment plan will depend on the cause and severity of the infection, and your age and general health. Your treatment may include over-the-counter drugs to relieve pain and fever.
What is double pneumonia?
What is double pneumonia? Double pneumonia is a lung infection that affects both of your lungs. The infection inflames the air sacs in your lungs, or the alveoli, which fill with fluid or pus. This inflammation makes it hard to breathe.
Can I take cough suppressants If I have double pneumonia?
People who have double pneumonia should not take a cough suppressant medicine unless a doctor recommends doing so. Resting, and following a prescribed course of treatment, will promote a steady recovery. With prompt treatment, most healthy people recover from pneumonia.
What are the treatment options for community acquired pneumonia?
Treatment. Treatment for pneumonia involves curing the infection and preventing complications. People who have community-acquired pneumonia usually can be treated at home with medication. Although most symptoms ease in a few days or weeks, the feeling of tiredness can persist for a month or more.
How do you fix double pneumonia?
Treatment depends on the cause of the infection. It may involve antibiotics, antiviral medication, or antifungal medication. Pneumonia often clears up in a few weeks. See a doctor right away if your symptoms get worse, as you may need to be hospitalized to prevent or treat more serious complications.
Can you recover from double pneumonia?
"Pneumonia can be incredibly taxing and there's no one-size-fits-all to recovery. Some people feel better in about six weeks, but it can take several months for others to feel better after severe pneumonia," adds Dr. Lee. "Most importantly, be patient with your body."
How long do you stay in the hospital with double pneumonia?
Most people are well enough to leave the hospital within about 3 days. Many factors contribute to your treatment plan, however. Some people can go home earlier, and some need to stay longer. Talk with your healthcare providers about how long you need to stay.
What is standard treatment for pneumonia?
The main treatment for pneumonia is antibiotics, along with rest and drinking plenty of water. If you have chest pain, you can take pain killers such as paracetamol. Treatment depends on how severe your pneumonia is. Treatment with antibiotics should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis.
How long does it take to get over double pneumonia with Covid?
For the 15% of infected individuals who develop moderate to severe COVID-19 and are admitted to the hospital for a few days and require oxygen, the average recovery time ranges between three to six weeks.
What is the treatment for pneumonia caused by COVID-19?
Are There Treatments for COVID-19 Pneumonia? Pneumonia may need treatment in a hospital with oxygen, a ventilator to help you breathe, and intravenous (IV) fluids to prevent dehydration.
How long do you stay on a ventilator for pneumonia?
The majority are on a ventilator for an average of four or five days,” says UNC pulmonologist and critical care doctor Thomas Bice, MD. “The second group is people who require it for 10 to 14 days or more.”
How long does it take for lungs to heal after pneumonia?
It may take time to recover from pneumonia. Some people feel better and are able to return to their normal routines in 1 to 2 weeks. For others, it can take a month or longer.
What helps pneumonia heal faster?
Drink warm beverages, take steamy baths and use a humidifier to help open your airways and ease your breathing. Contact your doctor right away if your breathing gets worse instead of better over time. Stay away from smoke to let your lungs heal. This includes smoking, secondhand smoke and wood smoke.
How is pneumonia treated in the elderly?
If you are elderly, it is best to treat your pneumonia as early as possible. Your doctor will likely prescribe you antibiotics or over-the-counter medicines, or they may even suggest a hospital visit depending on how sick you are. Some of these medicines can be: Antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia.
How is bilateral pneumonia treated?
If you get pneumonia as a result of the virus, your doctor may help you breathe by giving you oxygen through a mask or tubes. If it's very serious, you might need a breathing machine. Some early studies have shown that an antibiotic drug called azithromycin might help.
What happens when pneumonia doesn't respond to antibiotics?
If your pneumonia isn't treated, the pleura can get swollen, creating a sharp pain when you breathe in. If you don't treat the swelling, the area between the pleura may fill with fluid, which is called a pleural effusion. If the fluid gets infected, it leads to a problem called empyema.
What is double pneumonia?
So again, double or bilateral pneumonia is a term used to describe when there's inflammation caused by an infection in the air sacs in both lungs, Thomas Monaco, MD, assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine, tells Health.
What are the symptoms of double pneumonia?
There's no real difference in the symptoms of double pneumonia versus pneumonia that affects a single lung, Raymond Casciari, MD, a pulmonologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California, tells Health. But because double pneumonia affects both lungs, it may feel more severe.
What causes double pneumonia?
Pneumonia is usually caused by either a bacteria, virus, or fungi—and that's true whether you have double or single pneumonia, says Dr. Casciari. However, he adds that viral infections are usually more likely to show up in both lungs.
How is double pneumonia treated?
Treatment usually depends on what caused your pneumonia in the first place, Dr. Sood says. Here's a breakdown of possible treatments:
Why do people get double pneumonia?
Some people develop double pneumonia as a complication of being severely immunocompromised. It is crucial to tell a doctor about all health conditions and to be honest about lifestyle choices, such as tobacco smoking. People who are very ill may need to be hospitalized.
What are the factors that increase the risk of developing double pneumonia?
Factors that increase the risk of developing double pneumonia include being over the age of 65, having asthma, and experiencing a viral infection. Infections from viruses or bacteria that get inside of the lungs are the most common cause of pneumonia. Less frequently, people may develop pneumonia. Trusted Source.
What are the complications of pneumonia?
Complications of pneumonia include: Sepsis, an infection that causes systemic inflammation in the body.
Can you get pneumonia from breathing in dust?
Some people also get pneumonia after exposure to breathing in dust or certain gases, or after getting fluid in their lungs. These situations make it easier for a germ to sneak into a person’s body and cause infection. People who have these risk factors should look out for symptoms of pneumonia. These symptoms include.
Can you tell if you have pneumonia?
It is impossible to tell if a person has pneumonia or double pneumonia based on symptoms alone. Anybody who thinks they may have pneumonia must see a doctor as soon as possible.
Can pneumonia cause death?
Usually, a small amount of pleural fluid fills the gap between the membranes, but pneumonia may cause an accumulation of this fluid. If there is a buildup of fluid, or it becomes infected, a pleural effusion can cause death. Pleurisy.
What is the best medicine for pneumonia?
It may take time to identify the type of bacteria causing your pneumonia and to choose the best antibiotic to treat it. If your symptoms don't improve, your doctor may recommend a different antibiotic. Cough medicine.
What to do if pneumonia isn't clearing?
If your pneumonia isn't clearing as quickly as expected, your doctor may recommend a chest CT scan to obtain a more detailed image of your lungs. Pleural fluid culture. A fluid sample is taken by putting a needle between your ribs from the pleural area and analyzed to help determine the type of infection.
What is the test for pneumonia?
This measures the oxygen level in your blood. Pneumonia can prevent your lungs from moving enough oxygen into your bloodstream. Sputum test. A sample of fluid from your lungs (sputum) is taken after a deep cough and analyzed to help pinpoint the cause of the infection.
How to get rid of pneumonia?
Get plenty of rest. Don't go back to school or work until after your temperature returns to normal and you stop coughing up mucus. Even when you start to feel better, be careful not to overdo it. Because pneumonia can recur, it's better not to jump back into your routine until you are fully recovered.
What tests are done to determine if you have pneumonia?
If pneumonia is suspected, your doctor may recommend the following tests: Blood tests . Blood tests are used to confirm an infection and to try to identify the type of organism causing the infection. However, precise identification isn't always possible. Chest X-ray.
How long does it take for a person to feel tired after pneumonia?
Although most symptoms ease in a few days or weeks, the feeling of tiredness can persist for a month or more. Specific treatments depend on the type and severity of your pneumonia, your age and your overall health. The options include: Antibiotics. These medicines are used to treat bacterial pneumonia.
Can you take cough suppressant with pneumonia?
In addition, you should know that very few studies have looked at whether over-the-counter cough medicines lessen coughing caused by pneumonia. If you want to try a cough suppressant, use the lowest dose that helps you rest. Fever reducers/pain relievers. You may take these as needed for fever and discomfort.
What to do if you have pneumonia in the hospital?
If your pneumonia is so severe that you are treated in the hospital, you may be given intravenous fluids and antibiotics, as well as oxygen therapy, and possibly other breathing treatments.
How long does it take to recover from pneumonia?
Some people feel better and are able to return to their normal routines within a week. For other people, it can take a month or more. Most people continue to feel tired for about a month. Adequate rest is important to maintain progress toward full recovery and to avoid relapse.
What is the best medicine for cough and fever?
Most people can manage their symptoms such as fever and cough at home by following these steps: Control your fever with aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen), or acetaminophen. DO NOT give aspirin to children.
How to keep germs from spreading?
Cover your mouth and nose when you cough, promptly dispose of tissues in a closed waste container and wash your hands often .
Diagnosis
Treatment
- Treatment for pneumonia involves curing the infection and preventing complications. People who have community-acquired pneumonia usually can be treated at home with medication. Although most symptoms ease in a few days or weeks, the feeling of tiredness can persist for a month or more. Specific treatments depend on the type and severity of your pne...
Clinical Trials
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- These tips can help you recover more quickly and decrease your risk of complications: 1. Get plenty of rest.Don't go back to school or work until after your temperature returns to normal and you stop coughing up mucus. Even when you start to feel better, be careful not to overdo it. Because pneumonia can recur, it's better not to jump back into your routine until you are fully rec…
Preparing For Your Appointment
- You may start by seeing a primary care doctor or an emergency care doctor, or you may be referred to a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases or in lung disease (pulmonologist). Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment and know what to expect.