Pneumonia is a medical condition that affects the lungs and is caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. It leads to lung inflammation, which in turn causes the lungs to fill with fluid or pus. Furthermore, pneumonia can attack only one or both lungs in “bilateral” or “double” pneumonia.

There are different types of pneumonia. Some of them are as follows.

• Hospital-acquired pneumonia: Also known as HAP, this classification is hinged on the fact that the infection is more common in people who have been in the hospital for a while. This can also be a severe infection, as it may be particularly resistant to antibiotics. 
• Community-acquired pneumonia: As the name implies, CAP is the type acquired outside any medical setting. 
• Ventilator-associated pneumonia: Abbreviated as VAP, this bacterial infection is contracted when using a ventilator. 
• Aspiration pneumonia: Finally, aspiration pneumonia is the type of infection inhaled into the lungs, either from food, drink, or even saliva. 

Symptoms of Pneumonia 

The varied symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to life-threatening. These include:

• Coughing
• Fever
• Sweating or chills
• Vomiting or nausea
• Headaches

Treatments For Pneumonia

Treating pneumonia usually involves the treatment of the infection and preventing future complications. People diagnosed with CAP can be treated at home with medications prescribed by a doctor. In general, there are distinct types of treatment for the infection, in line with the attendant severity of the disease and the patient’s age and overall health. These options include: 

• Antibiotics: Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with medications. This type of treatment may take a while to identify the type of bacteria causing the infection. Therefore, in cases where the symptoms of the disease don’t improve, seek your doctor’s advice.

• Cough medicine: You can also use cough medications to lessen the cough that comes with such an infection. However, because coughing helps to move fluid from the lungs, it is not ideal to completely get rid of the cough.

• Fever reducers/ pain relievers: You may need to take these medications to reduce the discomfort from the infection. Drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen are ideal for alleviating discomfort. 

• Hospitalization: Finally, a patient may need to be hospitalized if such a patient is older than 65; is confused about time, people, or places; has rapid breathing; or has a temperature below normal.