Pneumonia is not just "pneumonia", a baffling and frightening term. This is, firstly, turning off the lung area from gas exchange (that is, he althy departments will need to take over the function of the affected department in order to ensure normal oxygen supply to organs and tissues), and secondly, this is poisoning the body with products of lung tissue destruction.
Bilateral pneumonia means that the foci of inflammation are in two lungs. That is, this is a dangerous condition: the remaining he althy departments cannot always cope with the provision of organs with oxygen. You can figure out how badly the lungs have suffered from the further terminology that comes after the word “bilateral”. But first you need to remember that the right lung consists of three lobes, the left - of two. Each share consists of several segments.
So, there are these types:
- focal pneumonia: there is a small area of inflammation in the lung;
- segmental pneumonia: one segment affected;
- polysegmental pneumonia: several segments affected;
-lobar (aka lobar) pneumonia: one lobe involved.
Bilateral pneumonia rarely affects both lungs equally. So, in one organ it can be polysegmental, in another - focal. The larger the area of those areas that are inflamed, the more difficult the prognosis and the longer the treatment.
What causes bilateral pneumonia
It can be viruses, bacteria and fungi. Of the viruses, this is mainly the influenza virus (especially H1N1). Of bacteria, this is inherent in staphylococcus, pneumococcus, and some other microorganisms.
How to suspect bilateral pneumonia
Classic signs of pneumonia: this is a frequent exhausting cough (wet, less often dry) that occurs against the background (or simultaneously) of an increase in body temperature to fairly high numbers, weakness, loss of appetite. Influenza pneumonia develops as follows: against the background of fever, pain in the bones, muscles, head, a cough occurs. It is moist, may be accompanied by chest pain, coughing up bloody sputum.
With a bilateral process, a feeling of lack of air, shortness of breath is added to the above symptoms very early. If the inflammation captures large areas, shortness of breath can be more than 40 breaths per minute, the person's skin becomes pale, and the lips become bluish. These are very dangerous signs that require an immediate call for an ambulance and hospitalization.
There may also be a violation of consciousness or in the direction of its oppression (drowsiness up to coma), or, conversely, in the direction of excitation.
How is bilateral pneumonia treated
This variant of pneumonia is treated only in a hospital, often in the intensive care unit, which is equipped with ventilators and other equipment necessary in these cases.
- Very powerful antibiotics are prescribed, which have a wide spectrum of action. Usually a combination of two or even three antibacterial drugs is used.
- If influenza is suspected, Tamiflu is prescribed.
- The treatment of pneumonia in a hospital also includes the provision of oxygen support: with the help of a mask or nasal catheters, in severe cases, the patient is put under anesthesia and transferred to machine breathing.
- Inhalations are carried out so that sputum, and with it the cells that have performed their function, do not stagnate in the lungs, but come out.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Drugs to maintain normal heart activity, since bilateral pneumonia is a big burden on the heart.
What to do after pneumonia
If the x-ray shows that inflammation in the lungs is decreasing, it is important to continue the therapy that ensures normal drainage of sputum through the bronchi. After inflammation, a cough may persist for a long time.
Treatment after pneumonia includes:
a) conducting inhalations;
b) taking expectorant drugs ("Lazolvan", "Ambroxol");
c) receptionmeans to strengthen the immune system (Eleutherococcus tincture, echinacea tincture, various herbal teas);
d) antihistamines ("Erius", "Loratadine");
e) necessarily - breathing exercises: inflating balloons, exhaling air with force into a tube lowered into water, and so on.
After pneumonia, it is important to get enough sleep, eat with an increased number of calories (and high protein), limit yourself from stress. After all, the body suffered such stress, it fought hard against the disease and needs to be restored.
