Natural solution to pneumonia
- Be Healthy
Pneumonia is inflammation in your lungs caused by an infection.
You have two lungs one on each side of your chest. Each lung has separate sections called lobes. Normally as you breathe air moves freely, through your trachea or windpipe then through large tubes called bronchi, through smaller tubes called bronchioles and finally into tiny sacks called alveoli.
Normal operation of your lungs
Your airways and alveoli are flexible and springy. When you breathe in each air sac inflates like a small balloon and when you exhale the sacs deflate.
Small blood vessels called capillaries surround your alveoli. Oxygen from the air you breathe passes into your capillaries. Then carbon dioxide from your body passes out of your capillaries into your alveoli so that your lungs can get [[how-did-you-get-rid-of-hemorrhoids-grade-2|rid]] of it when you exhale.
Abnormal operation of lungs infected by pneumonia
If you have pneumonia your airways or lungs have an infection caused by germs, such as:
- bacteria
- viruses
- fungi or
- parasites
Your airways catch most germs in the mucous that lines your trachea bronchi and bronchioles.
Hair like cilia lining the tubes constantly push the mucus and germs out of your airways where you may expel them by coughing. Sometimes germs make it past your mucus and cilia and enter your alveoli.
Normally cells of your immune system attack these germs which keep them from making you sick. However if your immune system is weakened due to age illness or fatigue pneumonia-causing germs can overwhelm your immune cells and begin to multiply.
Your bronchioles and alveoli become inflamed as your immune system attacks the multiplying germs. The inflammation causes your alveoli to fill with fluid making it difficult for your body to get the oxygen it needs.
If you have lower pneumonia one lobe of your lungs is affected if you have bronchopneumonia many areas of both lungs are affected.
Symptoms of pneumonia
Pneumonia may cause the following symptoms :
- difficulty breathing
- chest pain
- coughing fever and chills
- confusion
- headache
- muscle pain
- and fatigue
Pneumonia complications
Pneumonia can lead to serious complications.
Respiratory failure
Respiratory failure occurs when your breathing becomes so difficult that you need a machine called a ventilator to help you breathe.
Bacteremia
Bacteremia occurs when the bacteria causing your pneumonia move into your bloodstream where they may travel to infect other organs.
In some cases of pneumonia a large collection of fluid and pus called an abscess may form inside one of your lungs. If an abscess forms around the outside of your lung it’s called an empyema.
Possible treatments
Possible treatments for pneumonia include:
- antibiotics if the cause is bacteria or a parasite.
- antiviral drugs if the cause is a flu virus
- anti-fungal medication if the cause is a fungus
- rest and drinking plenty of fluids and over-the-counter (or otc) remedies to manage your fever aches and pains.
If you have severe pneumonia you may be admitted to the hospital and given intravenous antibiotics and oxygen.
