Chest pain & decreased urination? It could be a deadly form of pneumonia

By Dr Sushila Kataria

Pneumonia is a condition in which one or both of the lungs are infected. The word 'pneumo' means air, referring to infection and inflammation in the small air sacs of the lungs called alveoli.

What is pneumonia?

Pneumonia is a common health condition which is caused by viral & bacterial organisms (mycoplasma), and fungal infections. It affects people of all age groups. Non-infective causes include exposure to chemicals, gases and radiation from various therapies.

Who is at risk?
Pneumonia can happen to anyone at any time of the year. However, children below 2 years and adults above 65 years of age are more prone to risk and severity of the infection. People with chronic lung conditions like COPD and asthma, smokers, diabetics, and chronic kidney and liver patients are more likely to have severe pneumonia.

Common symptoms
Symptoms of pneumonia depend on the severity of the condition and age of the patient. Common symptoms include cough with yellow, green or rust-coloured sputum, and mild to high grade fever with chills.

In the elderly, it is manifested through temperature below normal level caused due to their weak immune system, and chest pain due to increased deep breathing on the side of the infected area. This is accompanied by fast breathing and decreased urine output. The person can even turn blue due to the lack of oxygen.

Pneumonia may further lead to complications such as respiratory or kidney failure, and pus formation around the lungs, resulting in death.

Diagnosis
If one suspects lung infection, a doctor should be consulted immediately as early treatment can prevent complications. Common tests for diagnosing pneumonia include chest X-Ray, sputum test, blood test and bronchoscopy. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be required.

Treatment
There are two parts to the treatment for pneumonia - general and specific care. The former comprises of taking adequate rest, staying hydrated, eating a nutritious diet and throwing out the sputum through gentle oxygen therapy in case of breathing difficulties. Specific care consists of treating the condition with the use of antibiotics or anti-fungal medicine depending on the condition.

Preventive measures
Pneumonia can be prevented by maintaining basic hygiene:

- Cover the mouth and nose while coughing or sneezing
- Wash your hands before eating and after visiting the restroom
- Wear a mask to prevent the infection from spreading
- Get vaccinated to prevent influenza and streptococcal bacterial pneumonia
- Flu vaccination should be administered once a year while the pneumonia vaccine can be taken once in life time or may be repeated once every 5 years depending on age and clinical condition

(The author is Director of Internal Medicine at Medanta - The Medicity, Gurgaon)