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Brilio.net - Pneumonia or pneumonia is an inflammatory condition that occurs in the lung tissue. This inflammation causes the alveoli (air sacs) to fill with fluid, so that the lungs cannot function properly. This condition is caused by bacteria, viruses and fungi. There are many types of pneumonia, one of the most common is pneumococcal pneumonia.
Caused by the streptococcus pneumonia bacteria, this disease can be classified as mild, or it can also be a more serious disease. Pneumonia can be life-threatening, especially for babies 12 months and under and people over 70 years old. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumonia kills more than 808,000 children under the age of 5 years.
In 2017, cases of pneumonia or pneumonia accounted for 15 percent of all deaths of children under 5 years. Meanwhile, data from clinicbarcelona.org shows that 2.5 million people died from pneumonia worldwide in 2019. 600 thousand of them were children under 5 years of age.
From this exposure, pneumonia or pneumonia can threaten health. Therefore, you must know what the symptoms, causes and how to overcome them are. Reported by brilio.net from various sources on Thursday (27/6), here are the symptoms, causes and ways to treat pneumonia.
Symptoms of wet lungs
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Symptoms of pneumonia or pneumonia often present a serious picture and require medical attention. The symptoms that you can know are as follows:
- Fever with a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or higher
- Dry cough or produces thick mucus
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Rapid breathing
- Generally feel tired and unwell
- Loss of appetite
The cough symptoms will disappear within a few weeks after the pneumonia has been successfully treated. However, if it does not heal, it will produce the following symptoms:
- Having a headache
- Suffering from pleurisy (chest pain that worsens when breathing)
- Becoming confused or disoriented (especially the elderly) due to lack of oxygen
- Blueness around the mouth (cyanosis) due to lack of oxygen
Causes of wet lungs
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The causes of pneumonia or pneumonia can vary. The causes of wet lungs are as follows:
1. Wet lungs due to bacteria
Pneumonia or pneumonia is caused by pneumococcal bacteria, called streptococcus pneumoniae. This is one of the worst types of pneumonia. Other types of bacteria that can cause pneumonia are Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.
2. Viral wet lung
Pneumonia can be caused by influenza (flu) viruses, respiratory syncytial viruses, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. In severe cases of Covid-19, difficulty breathing can develop into pneumonia.
3. Wet lungs due to other infections
Another cause of wet lungs is mycoplasma pneumoniae. This disease caused by mycoplasma organisms is usually milder, but the recovery period can be longer. Apart from that, there are other organisms such as fungi that can also cause pneumonia. This occurs more often in people whose immune systems are not functioning well, such as people with HIV or people who are being treated for cancer.
How to treat wet lungs
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Treating pneumonia depends on the cause and the patient's overall health condition. For sufferers of pneumonia or pneumonia, bacteria will be given antibiotics. Meanwhile, treatment of viral pneumonia involves the use of antiviral drugs. Furthermore, fungal pneumonia requires special treatment with antifungal drugs.
You should also try to get enough rest, because good self-care is very important for recovering from pneumonia. Drinking plenty of fluids, eating nutritious foods, and avoiding smoking or exposure to air pollutants can help the immune system fight infections.
(brl/mal)
