Pneumonia

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Difference between Viral Pneumonia and COVID-19 Pneumonia

The differences between viral pneumonia and COVID-19 begin with their names. Viral pneumonia is a broad concept, referring to lung inflammation caused by any respiratory virus, whereas COVID-19 specifically refers to the pneumonia caused by the novel coronavirus that emerged in 2019. Additionally, regarding symptoms, viral pneumonia can cause fever, cough, and sputum production, but rarely progresses to severe disease. On the other hand, treating COVID-19 is challenging as there are no specific drugs available, and a significant portion of patients may develop severe illness. Furthermore, in terms of prognosis, there are many vaccines available that provide protection against viral pneumonia, whereas, as of now, there is no vaccine available for COVID-19.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Symptoms of pneumonia in children

The symptoms of pneumonia in children mainly manifest as symptoms of a respiratory infection. In the early stages of the disease, symptoms such as chills, fever, aversion to cold, sore throat, runny nose, and sneezing may appear, followed by a gradual development of an irritating cough. If not treated in time, it may also lead to symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest tightness, coughing, and expectoration. Initially, it is advisable to drink plenty of water, eat more vegetables, and measure body temperature. Treatment should involve choosing antibiotics sensitive to the infecting pathogen for anti-inflammatory treatment. If there are symptoms of fever, corresponding antipyretic measures should also be taken to prevent high fever and convulsions.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Does ordinary pneumonia hurt?

Pneumonia is relatively common in clinical settings and is classified as a lower respiratory tract infectious disease. Patients with ordinary pneumonia can be further divided into mild and severe types. If the condition of ordinary pneumonia is mild, the patient may not experience chest pain. However, if the ordinary pneumonia infection is severe, it can cause chest pain, and may also be accompanied by fever, cough, phlegm, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing among other clinical symptoms. Therefore, the diagnosis of ordinary pneumonia must take into account the patient's medical history and related auxiliary examinations to make a definitive diagnosis.

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Written by Yang Feng
Pulmonology
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Are the symptoms of pneumonia severe?

Whether pneumonia symptoms are severe needs to be based on the patient's clinical presentation and the extent of infection seen in imaging studies. Through these assessments, one can generally determine the severity of the patient's infection and thus comment on the severity of the disease. Pneumonia is generally most commonly seen due to bacterial infections, but there are also instances of fungal, mycoplasma, and viral infections in clinical settings, which have become relatively more common than before. When these infections occur, it is necessary to identify the pathogen, and then choose an antibiotic susceptible to the pathogen based on bacterial culture and sensitivity tests. Generally, lung infections can be cured.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Can pneumonia symptoms include swollen feet?

Pneumonia generally does not cause swelling of the feet. Pneumonia is mainly due to various infectious or physicochemical factors that damage our alveoli, causing inflammation in the lungs, which leads to pneumonia. The main symptoms of pneumonia include coughing, fever, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and expectoration. Generally, swelling of the feet does not occur. The occurrence of foot swelling is mostly due to right heart failure or poor venous flow in the cavity, and the stagnation of blood flow in the lower limbs leads to this edema. If this occurs, it is important to consider whether it is due to heart failure in the elderly, or conditions such as kidney or liver diseases leading to hypoalbuminemia, and relevant tests should be conducted. This is not a complication caused by pneumonia itself, but rather a problem with some other organs of the patient.

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Written by Chen Jian
Infectious Disease
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How many days does the novel pneumonia take to develop?

After being infected with the novel coronavirus pneumonia, symptoms generally appear within three to seven days, with the shortest onset reported within one day and the longest at 27 days. However, most patients develop symptoms within two weeks, typically exhibiting respiratory symptoms post-onset. The novel coronavirus primarily attacks the lower respiratory tract, including the trachea, bronchi, and lungs. Patients often experience recurring fever, with temperatures generally ranging between 38 to 39°C, lasting over 72 hours, accompanied by significant coughing. In the early stages, there is usually no noticeable expectoration, presenting as a dry cough. Most patients also experience significant fatigue. If the condition progresses, patients may suffer from shortness of breath and decreased blood oxygen saturation, leading to apparent respiratory distress. In severe cases, patients may experience respiratory failure and even death.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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The difference between bronchopneumonia and pneumonia

Bronchopneumonia is a type of pneumonia. If we classify pneumonia anatomically, it is generally categorized into alveolar pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, and interstitial pneumonia. Thus, bronchopneumonia is a form of pneumonia. In lung imaging, bronchopneumonia often presents as patchy shadows distributed along the pulmonary markings, typically with blurry edges and more commonly seen in the lower lungs. These characteristics help distinguish it from other types of pneumonia.

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Written by Yang Feng
Pulmonology
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Are pneumonia symptoms contagious?

The main clinical symptoms of pneumonia include chills, high fever, cough, expectoration, shortness of breath, chest pain, etc. Pneumonia is a common infectious disease of the respiratory system, and it can be transmitted through the respiratory tract. However, pneumonia is not classified as a contagious disease; it is merely an infectious disease. It tends to be more prevalent during the flu season, so pneumonia is contagious, but it is not considered a contagious disease.

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Written by Yang Feng
Pulmonology
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How to diagnose pneumonia

Pneumonia is a common infectious disease of the respiratory system. Its main diagnostic methods include routine blood tests, C-reactive protein, and pulmonary imaging, among which pulmonary imaging is the gold standard for diagnosing pneumonia. Diagnosis can also be initially inferred from the patient's clinical presentation and medical history to determine the likelihood of a pneumonia infection. Once pneumonia is confirmed, there is no need for excessive worry. Active medication to control the infection can cure pneumonia. Therefore, anti-inflammatory treatment should continue once pneumonia is diagnosed.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How is pneumonia treated?

Pneumonia is a respiratory tract infectious disease that requires the timely selection of antimicrobial drugs and anti-inflammatory treatment, as well as the choice of symptomatic treatment medications. Symptoms of pneumonia include fever, headache, nausea, sore throat, cough, expectoration, chest pain, and difficulty breathing. The pathogens causing the infection vary, and so do the antibiotics used to treat them. For common bacterial infections, penicillin antibiotics or cephalosporin antimicrobial drugs can be selected. During an acute fever phase, antipyretic analgesics may be chosen or physical cooling methods may be employed.