Is pneumonia different from pneumonia?
The content of the article:
- How does the disease develop
-
Types of pneumonia
What is the difference between pneumonia and pneumonia
- How does pneumonia manifest?
- Diagnosis of pathology
-
Therapy
Non-traditional treatment of the disease
- Prevention of pneumonia
- Video
What is the difference between pneumonia and pneumonia? This question is often of interest to people who have the first symptoms of the disease. Among doctors, there is no difference between these two concepts, since they mean the same pathology. At the same time, there is a widespread misconception that these are two separate diseases.
Only a qualified doctor can diagnose and determine what the disease is called.
Pneumonia (pneumonia; Greek pneumon - lung) is a collective term that unites a whole group of diseases manifested through an inflammatory process in the lung tissues (i.e., pneumonia).
When the first signs of the disease appear, it is recommended to consult a pulmonologist for an accurate diagnosis. The manifestations of the disease are in many ways similar to those of other infections.
Therapy of pathology, first of all, should be aimed at destroying the pathogen that caused its development. In case of a mild course of infection, in agreement with a doctor, treatment can be carried out at home, while in cases of a severe form, emergency hospitalization in an intensive care unit is required.
How does the disease develop
Pathology is caused by pathogenic microorganisms - viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, spirochetes.
Various infectious agents, including viruses and bacteria, lead to the development of pathology.
They most often enter the lung tissue by the bronchogenic route, which is facilitated by:
- aspiration - inhalation of microbes from the environment;
- relocation of pathogenic flora from the upper parts of the respiratory system to the lower;
- artificial lung ventilation;
- medical procedures - tracheal intubation, bronchoscopy;
- inhalation from contaminated inhalers.
Less common routes of infection are hematogenous and lymphogenous. In the first case, the infection spreads with the blood flow against the background of septic processes, intrauterine infection, as well as drug addiction, when narcotic substances are injected intravenously with non-sterile syringes.
Other risk factors:
- congenital disorders of the bronchopulmonary system;
- smoking, excessive alcohol consumption;
- elderly age;
- concomitant diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, parkinsonism;
- recent surgical interventions;
- lung injury.
Types of pneumonia
The following types of pneumonia are distinguished:
| Criterion | Kinds | Characteristic |
| According to epidemiological data | Community-acquired | Occurs at home or during the first 2 days of hospital stay |
| Nosocomial | Appears after 2 days of hospital stay | |
| By the prevalence of the inflammatory process | Focal | Pathogens form a focus on a small part of the lung |
| Segmental | The infection spreads to one or more segments of the respiratory tract | |
| Lobar | Lobe of the lung is infected | |
| Drain | Small foci of inflammation merge into larger | |
| Unilateral | One lung affected | |
| Bilateral | Both lungs are infected | |
| Total | The infection spreads to the entire lung | |
|
By development mechanism |
Primary | Is an independent disease |
| Secondary | Develops as a complication of the underlying pathology | |
| Aspiration | Appears when a foreign body enters the bronchi | |
| Post-traumatic | It occurs due to damage to the chest, against the background of which bronchial secretions are delayed and ventilation of the lungs is impaired | |
| Radiation | Develops after X-ray therapy in oncology | |
| Heart attack pneumonia | The trigger is thromboembolism of small vascular branches of the pulmonary artery | |
| By nature of origin | Bacterial | Develops under the influence of streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, klebsiella, legionella |
| Viral | Pathogens are parainfluenza, influenza, Epstein-Barr viruses, adenoviruses, cytomegalovirus | |
| Fungal | The causative agents are pneumocysts, molds, endemic dimorphic and yeast-like fungi | |
| Mixed | Develops under the combined influence of two or more pathogenic microorganisms | |
| By the nature of the flow | Sharp | Divided into acute (up to 21 days) and protracted (up to 2 months) |
| Subacute | Lasts for 21-42 days | |
| Chronic | The manifestations are low-intensity, it lasts for a long time - from several months to many years and even decades | |
| According to the severity of the current | Easy | Mild intoxication, subfebrile body temperature (up to 38 ° C), a small focus of inflammation |
| Medium | Intoxication is moderate, fever reaches values of 39 ° С, lung infiltration is pronounced | |
| Heavy | Severe intoxication with an increase in body temperature up to 41 ° C, extensive infiltration of the lungs, the development of severe complications |
What is the difference between pneumonia and pneumonia
Inflammation of the lungs of non-infectious etiology can occur in the following cases:
- conditions developed under the influence of harmful chemical and physical factors;
- congenital and acquired defects of enzymatic systems;
- allergic diseases;
- diffuse connective tissue diseases.
Lung damage not associated with infection is called:
- pneumonitis: if the inflammation mainly affects the respiratory parts of the lungs;
- alveolitis: with a predominantly diffuse inflammatory lesion of the terminal sections of the respiratory tract (alveoli).
The danger of pneumonitis and alveolitis lies in the fact that bacterial, viral-bacterial or fungal pneumonia often develops against their background.
How does pneumonia manifest?
The most characteristic signs of pathology include:
- dry cough, gradually flowing into a wet cough with sputum discharge;
- dyspnea;
- an increase in body temperature from subfebrile indicators to 41 ° C, depending on the type of disease and pathogen;
- sweating;
- weakness;
- chills;
- chest pain that gets worse with coughing or deep breathing;
- feeling of lack of air in a calm state.
The disease is characterized by an increase in body temperature, weakness, chills.
The peculiarities of the course of the disease and how long a person will get sick directly depends on his condition, the severity of the inflammatory process, the properties of pathogenic microorganisms and the addition of complications.
Diagnosis of pathology
Important components for the selection of effective therapy are timely detection of infection, differential diagnosis with other pathologies of the respiratory system, including bronchitis and acute respiratory viral infections, determination of the pathogen and the severity of the disease.
First of all, the pulmonologist conducts an external examination and collects anamnesis data, including the patient's complaints. Intoxication, rapid onset of fever, and severe cough are those manifestations in which the doctor first suspects pneumonia.
To confirm the diagnosis and identify the pathogen, it is necessary to undergo appropriate studies
Required minimum diagnostic:
- X-ray examination: it is mandatory. If the images obtained show darkening in the lower lobe of the lungs or an increase in the pulmonary pattern, the diagnosis of pneumonia is confirmed. To control the resolution of inflammation, the x-ray is repeated 3-4 weeks after the first study;
- analyzes: the list of tests carried out during the diagnosis includes a general and clinical blood test, as well as urine tests. The presence of pathology is evidenced by an increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, a shift in the leukocyte formula, the presence of leukocytosis, the detection of proteinuria or, much less often, microhematuria;
- sputum examination: after confirming the diagnosis, the pulmonologist gives the patient a referral for a sputum examination in order to identify the pathogen. If, according to its results, the bacterial nature of the disease is determined, an antibioticogram is performed to identify the resistance or sensitivity of the pathogen to different groups of antibiotics.
Therapy
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the treatment of the disease is carried out in a hospital setting, in order to avoid the development of dangerous complications, including pleurisy, acute respiratory failure, infectious-toxic shock and, in extreme cases, death. The doctor can recommend therapy at home with a mild course of infection and only if the patient strictly adheres to the prescribed scheme.
Treatment should primarily be aimed at destroying the causative agent of the disease.
In the course of the treatment, the following goals should be realized:
- eradication of the microorganism that caused the inflammation;
- stopping the manifestation of pathology;
- normalization of functional disorders of the respiratory system and laboratory parameters;
- resolution of infiltrative changes in lung tissue;
- prevention of potential complications of the disease.
The first-line drugs for the disease are those whose action is aimed at eliminating the causative agent cells - antibiotics, less often - antiviral or antifungal agents. In addition to such remedies, the following are used to reduce the severity of symptoms:
- anti-inflammatory, antitussive, antipyretic drugs;
- bronchodilators;
- solutions for inhalation;
- physiotherapy methods - electrophoresis of absorbable agents, magnetotherapy, lung warming;
- breathing exercises;
- chest massage;
- traditional medicine recipes.
The most effective for pneumonia are drugs such as:
- antibacterial: Augmentin, Amoxiclav, Azimed, Sumamed, Roxibid, Klacid;
- reserve antibiotics: Moximak, Sparflo, Suprax, Levoflox, Tsedex;
- antiviral: Cytotect, Humaglobin, Foscarnet, Ganciclovir;
- antifungal: Ketoconazole, Itraconazole, Fluconazole, Amphotericin;
- anti-inflammatory: Ibuprofen, Nimesulide;
- antipyretic: Paracetamol, Fervex, Teraflu;
- antitussives: Acetylcysteine, Erdosteine, Bronchicum, Bromhexine, Ascoril;
- bronchodilators: Theophylline, Berodual, Salbutamol, Fenoterol, Euphyllin.
It is also important to limit contact with others, in order to avoid transmission of infection to each other.
Non-traditional treatment of the disease
On the recommendation of a doctor, to improve the patient's condition and reduce the manifestations of the disease, recipes of traditional medicine can be used, namely:
- recipe number 1: ½ liter of medical tar is poured into a 3 liter glass jar, poured with boiling water until the container is completely filled. The jar is tightly closed with a lid and kept in a warm place for 9 days. The finished product is taken orally before bedtime, without drinking water, adults - 1 tbsp. spoon, children - 1 teaspoon each, in the morning the liquid is used to gargle;
- recipe number 2: 1 teaspoon of roots and leaves of coltsfoot is mixed with the same amount of oregano, 1 liter of boiling water is poured and infused for 1 hour. Ready herbal infusion is drunk 1/2 cup 2 times a day before meals;
- recipe number 3: equal parts (1 tablespoon each) of the fruits of anise, pine buds, marshmallow roots, licorice and sage leaves are mixed, pour 1 liter of hot boiled water and boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Next, filter the broth, cool and take ¼ glass every 3 hours;
- recipe number 4: pour 250 ml of red wine over a few aloe leaves and add 1 teaspoon of liquid honey. The balm is insisted for 14 days, and then they drink 1 tbsp. spoon before meals 3 times a day.
Home medications should be taken only as directed by a doctor, since only a specialist can take into account the patient's contraindications to such drugs and the possible side effects of taking them. When preparing traditional medicines, it is important to observe the recommended proportions and not exceed the prescribed dosages.
Prevention of pneumonia
Prevention measures should be aimed at preventing the re-development of the disease.
One of the effective preventive measures for the development of the disease is smoking cessation.
Patients and healthy individuals at risk are advised to:
- vaccination with pneumococcal or influenza vaccine;
- to give up smoking;
- hardening of the body;
- balanced diet;
- physiotherapy exercises, regular physical activity;
- annual visits to medical resorts for climatotherapy procedures.
Pneumonia and pneumonia are one and the same disease. Early initiation of adequate therapy is of particular importance for the complete destruction of the focus of infection, relief of manifestations and prevention of potential complications. In this regard, when the first symptoms of the disease appear, it is recommended to seek advice from a pulmonologist.
Video
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Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author
Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".
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