Treatment FAQ

what is the best treatment for pneumonia?

by Delmer Friesen MD Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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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.

Medication

Aug 14, 2018 · Uncomplicated pneumonia treatment in the outpatient setting usually should last 5 to 10 days.54 Inpatient admission for pneumonia warrants longer duration of antibiotic therapy, typically 7 to 10 days of combined parenteral and oral therapy or at least 1 week after becoming afebrile.58 Complicated cases of pneumonia will require a minimum of 2 weeks of therapy …

Therapy

Antibiotic treatment for serious pneumococcal infections typically includes ‘broad-spectrum’ antibiotics until results of antibiotic sensitivity testing are available. Antibiotic sensitivity testing shows which antibiotics will be most successful at treating a bacterial infection. Broad-spectrum antibiotics work against a wide range of bacteria.

Self-care

Viral pneumonia caused by the flu can be treated with an antiviral medication called Tamiflu (oseltamivir), but for many other viral pneumonias, your …

Nutrition

Oct 05, 2020 · There is no single treatment that’s best for pneumonia, but it’s most commonly treated with antibiotics, cough medicines, and fever reducers. Some people may try natural or home remedies to help reduce symptoms associated with pneumonia-like coughing.

What is the best home remedy for pneumonia?

Sep 30, 2021 · Other appropriate antibiotics may include the fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as levofloxacin ( Levaquin ); or combined therapy of a beta-lactam such as amoxicillin or amoxicillin/clavulanate ( Augmentin) with a macrolide antibiotic. See also: Medications to treat pneumonia Related Support Groups Amoxicillin (176 questions, 292 members)

Can you cure pneumonia naturally?

Pneumonia is the infection and inflammation of air sacs in your lungs. These air sacs, called alveoli, can fill with fluid or pus, causing a serious cough and fever. Learn more about pneumonia at …

What is the strongest antibiotic for pneumonia?

What over the counter medicine is good for pneumonia?

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What is the most common treatment for pneumonia?

Mild pneumonia can usually be treated at home with rest, antibiotics (if it's likely be caused by a bacterial infection) and by drinking plenty of fluids. More severe cases may need hospital treatment.

How can I recover from pneumonia faster?

Tips for regaining your strength after severe pneumoniaGet plenty of rest.Slowly start moving around once you're ready — but don't overdo it.Complete any (and all) treatments prescribed by your doctor.Eat a nutritious diet.Quit smoking and avoid second-hand smoke.More items...•Jun 7, 2021

What is the best antibiotic to treat pneumonia?

Macrolides. The best initial antibiotic choice is thought to be a macrolide. Macrolides provide the best coverage for the most likely organisms in community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (CAP). Macrolides have effective coverage for gram-positive, Legionella, and Mycoplasma organisms.

How long does it take to recover from pneumonia?

Recovering from pneumonia1 weekyour fever should be gone4 weeksyour chest will feel better and you'll produce less mucus6 weeksyou'll cough less and find it easier to breathe3 monthsmost of your symptoms should be gone, though you may still feel tired6 monthsyou should feel back to normal

How long does it take to recover from pneumonia from 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.Jul 6, 2021

Can your body cure pneumonia on its own?

Viral pneumonia usually goes away on its own. Therefore, treatment focuses on easing some of the symptoms. A person with viral pneumonia should get sufficient rest and stay hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids. A doctor may prescribe cough-relieving medication to help ease coughing.

What are the danger signs of pneumonia?

The signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:Cough, which may produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus.Fever, sweating and shaking chills.Shortness of breath.Rapid, shallow breathing.Sharp or stabbing chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough.Loss of appetite, low energy, and fatigue.More items...•Jul 30, 2021

Which is better doxycycline or azithromycin?

The beneficial effect continued until 2 months after treatment. In the azithromycin group three patients had diarrohea, while photosensitivity was seen in two patients using doxycycline. This study indicates that azithromycin is at least as effective as doxycycline in the treatment of acne.

What are the 4 stages of pneumonia?

The 4 stages of untreated lobar pneumonia are:Stage 1: Congestion.Stage 2: Red hepatization.Stage 3: Grey hepatization.Stage 4: Resolution.Jun 21, 2021

How do you get rid of pneumonia from Covid?

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.Jan 25, 2022

What will happen if pneumonia is not treated?

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.Sep 22, 2020

Is walking good for pneumonia?

This study extends the findings of previous research on the effects of exercise on pneumonia by demonstrating that daily walking alone is sufficient to reduce pneumonia-related mortality among older people who do not regularly engage in other exercise habits.May 22, 2020

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 are the complications of pneumonia?

People who may be more likely to have complications from pneumonia include: 1 Older adults or very young children. 2 People whose immune system does not work well. 3 People with other, serious medical problems such as diabetes or cirrhosis of the liver.

What is ARDS in a lung?

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a severe form of respiratory failure. Lung abscesses, which are infrequent, but serious complications of pneumonia. They occur when pockets of pus form inside or around the lung. These may sometimes need to be drained with surgery.

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 get rid of an infection?

If your cough is preventing you from getting the rest you need, ask your doctor about steps you can take to get relief. Drink warm beverages, take steamy baths and use a humidifier to help open your airways and ease your breathing.

How to stop breathing when you smoke?

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. Talk to your doctor if you are a smoker and are having trouble staying smokefree while you recover.

How to stop quitting for good?

This would be a good time to think about quitting for good. Get lots of rest. You may need to stay in bed for a while. Get as much help as you can with meal preparation and household chores until you are feeling stronger. It is important not to overdo daily activities until you are fully recovered.

Diagnosis

If doctors suspect serious pneumococcal disease, like meningitis or bloodstream infections, they will collect samples of cerebrospinal fluid or blood. Cerebrospinal fluid is fluid near the spinal cord. View the lumbar puncture illustration to see how a doctor collects this fluid. Doctors then send the samples to a laboratory for testing.

Treatment

Doctors use antibiotics to treat pneumococcal disease. However, some pneumococcal bacteria have become resistant to certain antibiotics used to treat these infections. Available data#N#pdf icon#N#show that pneumococcal bacteria are resistant to one or more antibiotics in 3 out of every 10 cases.

What is the best treatment for pneumonia?

Over-the-counter remedies that are typically used to help treat the symptoms of pneumonia include: 1 Fever reducers/pain relievers: Tylenol (acetaminophen), Motrin or Advil (ibuprofen), Aleve (naproxen), or aspirin will help bring your fever down and decrease any pain you might have. 14  Remember to never give aspirin to children because it increases their risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening illness. 2 Expectorants: These medications help loosen and move mucus out of your lungs. 15  Your doctor probably won't want you to take cough suppressants, or at the very least, will only want you to take a low dose because you need to be able to cough to move the infection out.

How to treat pneumonia?

Most times, pneumonia 1  can be managed with home remedies, but other treatments may be necessary, including over-the-counter medications, antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and breathing treatments. In some cases, hospitalization may be necessary.

Why are antibiotics important for pneumonia?

Antibiotics are also an important part of treatment to help minimize the bacteria collecting in your lungs and prevent the infection from worsening. 26 This type of pneumonia can be challenging to treat and may require an extended course of antibiotic treatment.

What does walking pneumonia mean?

It's often referred to as "walking pneumonia," meaning that you don't feel so sick that you have to stay in bed all day. Technically, mycoplasma pneumonia 24 is caused by a bacteria and in some cases is treated with antibiotics, though it often goes away on its own without treatment as well.

Who is Sanja Jelic?

Sanja Jelic, MD, is board-certified in sleep medicine, critical care medicine, pulmonary disease, and internal medicine. Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type that you have, as well as how severe it is.

How long does it take for a person to feel better after taking antibiotics?

Your symptoms should begin to improve one to three days after being on the antibiotic, but it will take at least a week or longer before you feel completely better, depending on how healthy you were to begin with. Viral Pneumonia: If you're diagnosed with viral pneumonia, antibiotics won't help.

Can you replace pneumonia with alternative medicine?

Because pneumonia can be a life-threatening illness, you should never replace regular treatments with alternative therapy. However, complementary alternative medicine (CAM) can complement conventional treatments when they're used together. 18 

What is the best treatment for pneumonia?

Viral pneumonia caused by the flu can be treated with an antiviral medication called Tamiflu (oseltamivir), but for many other viral pneumonias, your doctor can only treat the symptoms. This means drinking lots of fluids, eating well, resting, taking medication for pain or fever, and treating breathing difficulties.

How is pneumonia treated?

How Is Bacterial Pneumonia Treated? Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, which usually help people feel better within a few days to a week. (2) People who are very old, very young, have shortness of breath, or have a high fever may need to be admitted to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics.

What causes pneumonia in the elderly?

Other causes of pneumonia include bacteria and fungi. Your doctor will outline a plan that's specific to you, considering the type of pneumonia you have, the severity of the condition, your age, and your overall health. From there, you'll know whether you can be treated at home or at the hospital, and whether or not you need antibiotics.

What is necrotizing pneumonia?

Another dangerous variation is necrotizing pneumonia, a bacterial pneumonia that can result from a large number of pathogens, including staphylococcus. ( 6) Complicated pneumonias such as these may result in respiratory failure, which requires assisted breathing with a machine called a ventilator.

How to protect yourself from a syphilis?

Other steps you can take to help protect yourself against the illness include: Washing your hands often. Quitting smoking. Covering your nose and mouth with a tissue or your sleeve when coughing or sneezing. Disposing of used tissues. Staying home when you're sick, and keeping your child home if they're sick.

Is mycoplasma a virus?

Mycoplasmal pneumonia is caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which was originally thought to be a virus or a fungus, but has since been classified as a bacteria. ( 4) Also called atypical pneumonia, it's a mild and common type that's most likely to affect children and young adults.

What is the best medication for pneumonia?

Viral pneumonia, or pneumonia caused by a fungus, may require the prescription of antiviral and antifungal medications. Relenza (zanamivir) is one example of a popular antiviral, and fluconazole is commonly prescribed as an antifungal.

How to prevent pneumonia?

Improving immune function: Making changes to improve the immune system will not only help prevent future cases of pneumonia from happening but also reduce the length of the current onset of pneumonia. Avoiding inflammatory foods like sugar, alcohol, and dairy products are one way to boost immune function.

What are the symptoms of pneumonia?

Experiencing a cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, and high fever can be both physically and mentally exhausting . These are just some of the symptoms that characterize pneumonia, which affects more than 3 million people in the United States every year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ...

What is a HCAP?

Cases of pneumonia that happen at hospitals or care facilities are referred to as healthcare-acquired pneumonia (HCAP) and if outside healthcare facilities, it is sometimes referred to as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The treatment given for pneumonia will depend on what’s causing it.

How many stages of pneumonia are there?

Pneumonia is typically described as having 4 stages: consolidation, red hepatization, grey hepatization, and resolution. Consolidation: This first stage of pneumonia happens within the first 24 hours and is marked by deep breathing and coughing.

Can pneumonia cause hives?

Contact your doctor or pharmacist if your side effects persist or worsen. Pneumonia medications may cause allergic reactions that result in hives, difficulty breathing or swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. Allergic reactions can be life-threatening.

What is the best treatment for walking pneumonia?

For example, walking pneumonia, a milder version of bacterial pneumonia, is commonly treated with antibiotics. Fungal pneumonia would be treated with an antifungal medication. Pneumonia may be preventable with vaccines but is treatable with antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, cough suppressants, and fever reducers.

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Treatment

Clinical Trials

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Preparing For Your Appointment

Your provider will work with you to develop a care plan that may include one or more of these treatment options.
The course of treatment depends on the cause of infection, symptoms and severity of the condition.
Medication

Antibiotics: To treat bacterial infection.

Levofloxacin . Azithromycin


Antivirals: To treat viral infection.

Oseltamivir . Zanamivir


Antifungals: If the infection is caused by fungi.

Fluconazole . Itraconazole


Analgesics: To ease symptoms of pain.

Acetaminophen . Ibuprofen


Cough suppressants: To relieve cough.

Dextromethorphan . Codeine

Therapy

Oxygen therapy:To maintain oxygen level in the blood.

Self-care

Always talk to your provider before starting anything.

  • Take rest
  • Drink plenty of fluids
  • Do not over strain the body

Nutrition

Foods to eat:

  • Increase fluid intake; broth based soups provide relief from symptoms
  • Take plenty of fruits and vegetables
  • Consume lean proteins such as chicken

Foods to avoid:

  • Refined starch and sugar; pasteurized milk and dairy products

Specialist to consult

Pulmonologist
Specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect the respiratory system.

Home Remedies and Lifestyle

  • 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 …
See more on mayoclinic.org

Prescriptions

  • Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
See more on mayoclinic.org

Over-The-Counter Therapies

  • 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…
See more on mayoclinic.org

Hospitalization

  • 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.
See more on mayoclinic.org

Complementary Medicine

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Most cases of pneumonia can be treated at home with the following measures: 1. Get as much rest as possible. If you have pneumonia,2you need rest so that your body can fight the infection and heal. Don't try to do everything you normally do and rest when you feel tired. The more you're able to rest, the quicker you will get bett…
See more on verywellhealth.com

Type-Specific

  • There are a variety of prescriptions your healthcare provider may give you, again, depending on the type of pneumonia you have and your symptoms. Antibiotics: If you have bacterial or aspiration pneumonia, your healthcare provider will prescribe an antibiotic.10Finding the best antibiotic depends on being able to figure out which type of bacteria you've been infected with, s…
See more on verywellhealth.com

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