Indolent pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue. The most dangerous thing is that the disease proceeds sluggishly, in a mild form, so there are practically no bright symptoms. Indolent pneumonia is a special type of pneumonia that is caused by viruses and bacteria. We will talk in more detail about how dangerous this disease is, how and how to treat it.
Reasons
Indolent pneumonia usually develops as a second infection after a person has had a respiratory illness. Less often - the disease manifests itself after the flu, as a complication of tracheobronchitis.
Usually, the disease is diagnosed during massive influenza epidemics (autumn and winter). Influenza greatly reduces the immune system, so pathogenic microflora easily penetrates the respiratory tract. It is for this reason that complications appear in the form of purulent otitis media, peritonitis and whooping cough.
Signs of indolent pneumonia canmanifest itself in people who are predisposed to pneumonia or chronic diseases. The most dangerous among them are diabetes and oncology.
Rare, but sluggish pneumonia occurs in bedridden patients. This is mainly due to the fact that the ventilation of the lungs is disturbed and stagnation appears.
Symptoms
With sluggish pneumonia, the symptoms are mild, there are practically no signs of the disease.
The patient does not have a high fever up to 40 ° C, there is no cough with sputum or blood. In the body there is a slow intoxication. Moreover, the patient does not have unbearable headache, vomiting and nausea. There is no pain even in the muscles, which is typical for pneumonia and flu.
Signs of indolent pneumonia in adults are difficult to detect, the disease can last for decades.
Basically, pneumonia affects the focus of the lung tissue, it practically does not go beyond. This nature of the lesion (focal) is caused by the fact that the immune system is activated. It protects he althy tissue and prevents disease from spreading.
Indolent pneumonia develops in three ways:
- as a complication of SARS and bronchitis;
- as an extension of acute pneumonia;
- as an independent disease.
Main symptoms:
- temperature rises to 37.5°C;
- difficulty breathing, shortness of breath during exercise;
- general malaise;
- decrease in performance.
Uin adults, wheezing and whistling appear in the lungs, when coughing - greenish sputum.
Temperature is the first sign of indolent pneumonia, which disappears after 4-5 days. After that, the disease develops latently.
During the course of this type of inflammatory disease, remissions occur. The patient's condition improves, and with relapses, general malaise reappears.
Risk group
Indolent pneumonia is more common in adults than in children. However, there is a category of patients who are most predisposed to this disease. So, at risk are:
- Persons whose professional activities involve regular contact with harmful substances. For example, at risk are builders, painters, cleaners, sanitation workers. At risk are also smokers, drug addicts who constantly inhale toxic substances. When harmful toxins are inhaled, the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract atrophies. In addition, an additional negative factor is reduced immunity.
- Patients suffering from chronic bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis and tonsillitis. With these diseases, the larynx, bronchi, trachea and sinuses become inflamed. Against the background of one of the listed diseases, sluggish pneumonia may develop.
- Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle. This is especially true for adults and the elderly. With a lack of physical activity, lung capacity decreases. Therefore, they become stagnant. Atbedridden patients experience the following symptoms: shortness of breath, wheezing, sputum when coughing. The likelihood of such pneumonia arises even if the patient has obesity and cardiovascular disease.
- With a decrease in immunity and HIV infection. Every day, a huge number of pathogens enter the lungs along with the inhaled air. With normal immunity, lung he alth is maintained. And if the immune system is weakened, then the risk of pneumonia increases significantly.
Symptoms of low-grade pneumonia in adults are more likely to occur if people are drug addicts, alcoholics and homeless.
Negative factors
This disease is formed and proceeds against the background of negative factors. With sluggish pneumonia, symptoms in adults are provoked by such external components:
- hypothermia;
- viral, bacterial or fungal infection;
- complication after surgery on the chest or abdomen;
- cardiovascular disease;
- diseases associated with problems of the endocrine system.
Most often, the disease affects the alveoli of the lungs and bronchi. If not treated in a timely manner, it can become chronic. Accordingly, this form of the disease is more difficult to cure.
If symptoms of indolent pneumonia occur in adults, treatment is required immediately. Otherwise, death is possible. More often this applies to patientsover 65.
Chronic pneumonia
With improper treatment of pneumonia, there is a threat of the disease becoming sluggish. This usually happens if the patient stopped taking medications ahead of time or self-medicated. Exacerbation of the chronic form of pneumonia occurs:
- while smoking (by inhaling toxic harmful substances);
- during a decrease in immunity (due to another disease);
- during pregnancy;
- in trauma and blood loss;
- with age-related aging of the body.
Quite common cases when patients had acute pneumonia in middle age, and later suffered exacerbations of the chronic form until old age.
Therefore, if after treatment of pneumonia the cough does not go away or reappears, then you should immediately consult a doctor. Only with timely treatment can the healing process be accelerated.
Diagnosis
Only a doctor with experience can diagnose low-grade pneumonia. However, only guided by the study of the lungs (auscultation). With this method, the doctor can hear wheezing and pleural friction. Patients usually have hard breathing.
If it is necessary to clarify the diagnosis, the doctor refers the patient to an x-ray or computed tomography. The latter method of examination allows you to determine even smallinflammatory foci.
Be sure the patient needs to take a blood and urine test.
Based on the results of these tests, the doctor will be able to assess the general condition of the patient's body. In some cases, ultrasound of the pleural cavity of the lungs and bronchoscopy are prescribed.
Treatment
If the doctor has diagnosed sluggish pneumonia, treatment occurs with the help of antibacterial drugs. If it is not possible to identify the causative agent of the disease, then the doctor prescribes systemic drugs of the penicillin group, cephalosporin and fluoroquinalone.
Duration of treatment - at least 10 days.
If a doctor prescribes antibiotics, then not in tablets, but intravenously or intramuscularly.
The following medicines are used in the treatment of symptoms of indolent pneumonia:
- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- antipyretics;
- expectorants;
- in especially advanced forms of pneumonia - corticosteroids;
- vitamin complexes;
- immunomodulators.
If a patient has heart problems, the doctor must prescribe heart medications. After treatment of the acute stage of the disease, chest massage is recommended.
What not to do
Many patients self-medicate with sluggish pneumonia. Doing this is not recommended. Because if not properly treated, the disease can become more complicated.
You can not put mustard plasters in the acute period of the disease. Also, you can not visit the bathhouse, sauna. Many patients believe that all bacteria will go away in the bath, and the disease will disappear as if by hand. However, this is a big misconception. A person's condition can only get worse, especially with chronic heart disease.
Mustard plasters can be put only during normal body temperature. If it is elevated, then this method of treatment is contraindicated. This procedure must be coordinated with the attending physician.
It is strictly forbidden to carry the disease on your feet. Bed rest is a prerequisite for treatment.
Complications
Modern medicine classifies two types of complications after sluggish pneumonia:
- lung complications;
- extrapulmonary complications.
When complications occur in the lungs, the tissue of the respiratory organs is disrupted. Subsequently, the tissue of the lungs can turn into an airless compacted tissue, forming a scar.
If there is a high activity of leukocytes in the blood, then the risk of a lung abscess increases.
Extrapulmonary complications are observed when exposed to infections. If inflammation occurs in the lymphatic vessels, then diseases in the abdominal cavity, purulent formations in the brain and joints are possible.
If the respiratory function is disturbed, then a lethal outcome is possible. Basically, this phenomenon occurs in patients who are addicted to alcohol. Death can also occur if the disease is severe.
Forecast
The most dangerousthe microorganism that harms the lungs is pneumococcus.
Indolent pneumonia is especially dangerous for the elderly. Most often, the disease comes with oral candidiasis.
Folk remedies are strictly forbidden to use before making a diagnosis by a doctor.
If the treatment is done in a timely manner, the prognosis is quite positive. Full recovery can be expected in 14 days.
Prevention
As a preventive measure, it is recommended to lead a he althy lifestyle. The guarantee of recovery from sluggish pneumonia is that the treatment takes place only under the supervision of a doctor.
Risk of relapse may appear for several months after treatment. You need to listen carefully to your body. Don't get cold. Take a vitamin complex. Physical therapy recommended.
For a month after treatment, you can not sunbathe, get vaccinated and load the body with increased physical activity.
If a relapse occurs, the patient should seek help from an immunologist. Perhaps the problem lies in the immune system. It is necessary to restore the protective properties of the body. With a weakened immune system, focal pneumonia, diseases of the bronchi and throat quickly develop.
It is important to pay attention to symptoms in time after recovery from respiratory viral infections and flu. Self-medication is contraindicated.
