Pneumonia- Home Treatment. Home treatment is important for recovery from pneumonia. Chest pain; Pain in the ear; Chills; Lump in the neck; Cough, sometimes with bloody sputum; this cough may last as long as six weeks after. Doctor insights on: Dark Spot On Chest X. The following measures can help you recover and avoid complications: Get plenty of rest. Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. Take care of your cough if it is making it hard for you to rest. A cough is one way your body gets rid of the infection. And you should not try to stop your coughing unless it is severe enough to make breathing difficult, cause vomiting, or prevent rest. Consider taking acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or aspirin to help reduce fever and make you feel more comfortable. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 2. Reye syndrome. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Pulmonary consolidation; Pneumonia as seen on chest X-ray. A: Normal chest X-ray. B: Abnormal chest X-ray with consolidation from pneumonia in the right lung. Influenza-virus pneumonia. Chest radiographic changes in influenza pneumonia (seen in the image below). Read more about Viral Pneumonia Imaging on Medscape. Your doctor may want to see you after a week of treatment to make sure you are getting better. Be sure to contact your doctor if you do not feel better, your cough gets worse, you have shortness of breath or a fever, you feel weak, or you feel faint when you stand up. Recommended Related to Lung Disease/Respiratory Problems. Obstructive and Restrictive Lung Disease. Doctors may classify lung conditions as obstructive lung disease or restrictive lung disease. Obstructive lung diseases include conditions that make it hard to exhale all the air in the lungs. People with restrictive lung disease have difficulty fully expanding their lungs with air. They may not be safe for young children or for people who have certain health problems, so check the label first. If you do use these medicines, always follow the directions about how much to use based on age and weight. Always check to see if any over- the- counter cough or cold medicines you are taking contain acetaminophen. If they do, make sure the acetaminophen you are taking in your cold medicine plus any other acetaminophen you may be taking is not higher than the daily recommended dose. Ask your doctor or pharmacist how much you can take every day. An infection of the lung is called pneumonia. A chest X-ray helps make the diagnosis. Was the cause of your chest pain broken or bruised ribs? Chest Radiology > Pathology > Pneumonia. Pneumonia is airspace disease and consolidation. The air spaces are filled with bacteria or other microorganisms. Learn all about pneumonia - an infection of the lungs that is caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. Find out about the causes, diagnosis and treatment options. Pediatric Information - Overview of Pneumonia. Pneumonia is an infection of the lung that causes fluid to collect in the air sacs (alveoli). Approximately 8. 0% of pneumonia cases are caused by viruses and 2. Viral pneumonia is usually milder than bacterial pneumonia. Bacterial pneumonia tends to have a more abrupt onset, higher fevers (often over 1. Only bacterial pneumonia is helped by antibiotics. Because it's difficult to distinguish bacterial from viral pneumonia, antibiotics are prescribed for some children with viral pneumonia. Because pneumonia is usually a complication of a cold, it's not considered contagious. Definition of Pneumonia. Labored breathing (respiratory distress)Rapid breathing. Occasionally painful breathing. Coughing. Fever, sometimes with chills. Abnormal patch (“infiltrate”) on chest x- ray film. This diagnosis must be confirmed by a physician. Note: Most rattly breathing is not pneumonia. Pneumonia's Expected Course. Before antibiotics were available, bacterial pneumonia was dangerous. With antibiotics, it improves within 2. On the other hand, viral pneumonia can continue for 2 to 4 weeks. Most children with pneumonia can be cared for at home. Admission to the hospital for oxygen or intravenous fluids is required in less than 1. Most children admitted to the hospital are young infants or children who have extensive involvement of the lungs. Recovery from viral pneumonia is gradual but complete. Recurrences of pneumonia are rare. Pneumonia Home Treatment. Antibiotics. Children with bacterial pneumonia need an antibiotic. Medicines for Fever. Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen for moderate fever (over 1. These medicines can also help chest pains. Warm Fluids for Coughing Spasms. Coughing spasms are often caused by sticky secretions in the back of the throat. Warm liquids usually relax the airway and loosen the secretions. Offer your child warm lemonade, warm apple juice, or herbal tea. In addition, breathing warm moist air helps to loosen the sticky mucus that may be choking your child. You can provide warm mist by placing a warm, wet washcloth loosely over your child's nose and mouth; or you can fill a humidifier with warm water and have your child breathe in the warm mist it produces. Avoid steam vaporizers because they can cause burns. Don't give cough suppressant medicines (such as those containing dextromethorphan) to children with pneumonia. The infectious secretions need to be coughed up. Humidity. Dry air tends to make coughs worse. Use humidifiers in your child's bedroom. The new ultrasonic humidifiers not only have the advantage of quietness, but also kill molds and most bacteria that might be in the water. No Smoking. Tobacco smoke aggravates coughing and makes coughs last longer. Don't let anyone smoke around your child. In fact, try not to let anybody smoke inside your home. Remind teenager with pneumonia, if he smokes, that the cough will last weeks longer than it normally would without smoking. Call Your Pediatrician Immediately if: Breathing becomes more labored or difficult. Your child starts acting very sick. Call Your Pediatrician Within 2. Hours if: The fever lasts over 4. The cough lasts over 3 weeks. You have other concerns or questions. Adapted from Instructions for Pediatric Patients, 2nd Edition, 1. WB Saunders Company. Written by Barton D. Schmitt, M. D., pediatrician and author of Your Child's Health, Bantam Books, a book for parents.
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