Medication
- Tachypnea: RR
- Age 0 to 2 months: greater than 60; age 2 to 12 months: greater than 50; age 1 to 5 years: greater than 40; age greater than 5 years: greater ...
- Dyspnea
- Retractions: suprasternal, intercostal, or subcostal
- Grunting
- Nasal flaring
- Apnea
- Altered mental status
- Pulse oximetry measurement less than 90% on room air
Therapy
- Macrolides (e.g., azithromycin): Children and adults
- Fluoroquinolones: Adults
- Tetracyclines (e.g., doxycycline): Older children and adults
Self-care
Treatment for pneumonia depends on the type of pneumonia, how sick the patient is, the patient’s age, and if other underlying medical conditions are present. Mild cases of pneumonia will often go away on their own by managing symptoms and getting adequate rest.
Nutrition
You can try the following measures to feel better:
- Get lots of rest
- Drink plenty of fluids, especially hot liquids such as tea
- Take honey to help with cough, but do not give honey to an infant
- Use sinus rinses or saline nasal sprays
- Use lozenges to help with sore throat, but do not give lozenges to children under four
- Use a humidifier or inhale steam from a hot shower
What is the best medicine for pneumonia?
What antibiotic is best for pneumonia?
Can pneumonia go away on its own?
What over the counter medicine is good for pneumonia?
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.
What is the proper 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.
What is the first line treatment for pneumonia?
Pneumonia should be treated with antibiotics. The antibiotic of choice for first line treatment is amoxicillin dispersible tablets. Most cases of pneumonia require oral antibiotics, which are often prescribed at a health centre.
What is the treatment for Covid pneumonia?
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.
Will Covid pneumonia go away?
While most people recover from pneumonia without any lasting lung damage, the pneumonia associated with COVID-19 can be severe. Even after the disease has passed, lung injury may result in breathing difficulties that might take months to improve.
How long does it take to get rid of Covid pneumonia?
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's the best antibiotic for 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.
What are the 4 stages of pneumonia?
Stages of PneumoniaStage 1: Congestion. During the congestion phase, the lungs become very heavy and congested due to infectious fluid that has accumulated in the air sacs. ... Stage 2: Red hepatization. ... Stage 3: Gray hepatization. ... Stage 4: Resolution.
Can pneumonia go away on its own?
Mild cases of pneumonia can go away on their own if you manage your symptoms and get adequate rest. Home treatment for pneumonia includes getting plenty of rest, drinking adequate fluids, steamy baths or showers, fever reducers, and avoiding smoking. In severe cases of pneumonia, hospitalization may be needed.
How long does pneumonia take to recover?
Pneumonia and its complications can wreak havoc on a person's lungs and body. And, it can take anywhere from one to six months for a person to recover and regain strength after being hospitalized for pneumonia.
How do lungs recover from pneumonia?
The following steps can help your body recover from pneumonia.Choose heart-healthy foods, because good nutrition helps your body recover.Drink plenty of fluids to help you stay hydrated.Don't drink alcohol or use illegal drugs. ... Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. ... Get plenty of sleep. ... Get light physical activity.More items...•
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.2People who are very old, ve...
How Is Viral Pneumonia Treated?
Viral pneumonias are more likely to be treated at home, and not at the hospital.Viral pneumonia caused by the flu can be treated with an antiviral...
How Is Fungal Pneumonia Treated?
If the course of the pneumonia is slow and your chest X-ray looks unusual, you may have fungal pneumonia. These conditions can be diagnosed with a...
How Are Pneumonia Complications Treated?
Complications may be more common in pneumonia that starts after stomach contents are inhaled into the lungs, a type of condition called aspiration...
What Home Remedies Are There For Pneumonia?
There are no proven alternative treatments to get rid of germs that cause pneumonia, but there may be some home remedies that help with symptoms —...
Is There A Pneumonia Vaccine?
Because pneumonia can develop after a case of the flu, getting the seasonal flu shot can help prevent it.The Centers for Disease Control and Preven...
Can Vitamin C Fight Pneumonia?
The benefits of vitamin C were analyzed in a review published in April 2013 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, which looked at three s...
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 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 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 .
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.
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.
How to treat aspiration pneumonia?
Aspiration Pneumonia: Aspiration pneumonia 25 is treated by removing the foreign object, if possible, and stopping the aspiration of more food or fluids. This may mean that you're not permitted to eat and will be given calories and fluids through an IV or via a feeding tube.
What is the best way to relieve mucus in the lungs?
Breathing Treatments: Your doctor may also prescribe an inhaler or a nebulizer treatment to help loosen the mucus in your lungs and help you breathe better. 11 The most common medication for this is Ventolin, ProAir, or Proventil (albuterol).
Can antibiotics help with pneumonia?
Viral Pneumonia: If you're diagnosed with viral pneumonia, antibiotics won't help . Most importantly, you need to rest and take care of yourself. 21 If you try to keep up with your usual routine, it will most likely take you longer to recover, so do your best to slow down and get extra rest.
Can you use complementary medicine for pneumonia?
Complementary Medicine (CAM) 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.
What is the most common type of pneumonia that starts after stomach contents are inhaled into the lungs?
Complications may be more common in pneumonia that starts after stomach contents are inhaled into the lungs, a type of condition called aspiration pneumonia. Another dangerous variation is necrotizing pneumonia, a bacterial pneumonia that can result from a large number of pathogens, including staphylococcus. ( 6)
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.
How many types of fungi cause pneumonia?
These conditions can be diagnosed with a blood test that shows your body is making antibodies to the fungus. More than 10 types of fungi can cause fungal pneumonia, which is more common in people with weakened immune systems. ( 5)
Can you treat pneumonia with medication?
Medication is usually ineffective in treating the viral types of pneumonia — doctor s will instead treat the symptoms — though these infections also tend to be milder and clear up on their own. Working closely with your doctor and following all directions will speed your recovery.
How to check for pneumonia?
Listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. Possibly order a chest X-ray to look for signs of pneumonia and the extent of the infection. Conduct a pulse oximetry test to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood (indicates how well your lungs are moving oxygen into your bloodstream).
What is pneumonia in the lungs?
Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of your lungs caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. When there is an infection in the lungs, several things happen, including: The air sacs in the lungs fill with mucus and other fluids. Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center.
What is the name of the disease where liquids and saliva go down the trachea?
Aspiration pneumonia is another type of pneumonia. Aspiration is when solid food, liquids, saliva or vomit go down the trachea (windpipe) and into the lungs instead of going down the esophagus and into the stomach.
What causes pneumonia in the respiratory tract?
Viruses: Any virus that causes a respiratory tract infection ( infections of the nose, throat, trachea
What causes pneumonia outside of a hospital?
This type of pneumonia occurs outside of a hospital or other healthcare facility. Causes include: Bacteria: Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumoniae and other atypical bacteria: Other types of bacteria with unique features can cause different types of pneumonia.
How long does it take for a cough to go away?
Symptoms of viral pneumonia usually begin to improve within a few days after starting treatment. A cough can last for several weeks.
How to treat pleural effusion?
Pleural effusion can be treated by draining excess fluid with a catheter, chest tube or by surgery. Bacteria in the bloodstream (bacteremia): The bacteria that cause pneumonia can leave your lungs and enter your bloodstream, spreading the infection to other organs. This condition is treated with antibiotics.
Diagnosis
Definitively diagnosing Streptococcus pneumoniae infection generally relies on isolating the organism from blood or other normally sterile body sites. Tests are also available to detect capsular polysaccharide antigen in body fluids.
Medical Management
For more information on medical management of pneumonia, please see the guidelines below.
How to prevent pneumonia?
Get vaccinated. Vaccines are available to prevent some types of pneumonia and the flu. Talk with your doctor about getting these shots. The vaccination guidelines have changed over time so make sure to review your vaccination status with your doctor even if you recall previously receiving a pneumonia vaccine.
What is a health care acquired pneumonia?
Health care-acquired pneumonia is a bacterial infection that occurs in people who live in long-term care facilities or who receive care in outpatient clinics , including kidney dialysis centers.
What happens when you have pneumonia?
Pneumonia and your lungs. Most pneumonia occurs when a breakdown in your body's natural defenses allows germs to invade and multiply within your lungs. To destroy the attacking organisms, white blood cells rapidly accumulate. Along with bacteria and fungi, they fill the air sacs within your lungs (alveoli).
What is the most common cause of pneumonia?
The most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in the U.S. is Streptococcus pneumoniae. This type of pneumonia can occur on its own or after you've had a cold or the flu. It may affect one part (lobe) of the lung, a condition called lobar pneumonia. Bacteria-like organisms.
What are the complications of pneumonia?
Even with treatment, some people with pneumonia, especially those in high-risk groups, may experience complications, including: Bacteria in the bloodstream (bacteremia). Bacteria that enter the bloodstream from your lungs can spread the infection to other organs, potentially causing organ failure.
Why is pneumonia so serious?
Hospital-acquired pneumonia can be serious because the bacteria causing it may be more resistant to antibiotics and because the people who get it are already sick. People who are on breathing machines (ventilators), often used in intensive care units, are at higher risk of this type of pneumonia.
How many cases of pneumococcal infection are resistant to antibiotics?
Available data. show that pneumococcal bacteria are resistant to one or more antibiotics in 3 out of every 10 cases. Antibiotic treatment for serious pneumococcal infections typically includes ‘broad-spectrum’ antibiotics until results of antibiotic sensitivity testing are available.
Can a doctor test for pneumonia?
Doctors can use a urine test to help make a diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia in adults. Doctors usually diagnose ear and sinus infections based on a history and physical exam findings that support pneumococcal infection.
Do antibiotics work against bacteria?
Broad-spectrum antibiotics work against a wide range of bacteria. Once the sensitivity of the bacteria is known, clinicians may choose a more targeted (or ‘narrow-spectrum’) antibiotic. The number of antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal infections has decreased due to the success of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine.
Diagnosis
Clinical Trials
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Preparing For Your Appointment
Specialist to consult
Home Remedies and Lifestyle
Prescriptions
- Explore Mayo Clinic studiestesting new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.
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…
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.
Complementary Medicine
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…