Bronchial Pneumonia

The human body comprises various organ systems that work in conjunction with each other so as to facilitate the vital bodily processes. The act of breathing, which is indispensable for survival, is facilitated by the human respiratory system. The respiratory organs work collectively to provide us with the life-giving oxygen from the air that we breathe. The air that we inhale, is filtered by the nasal passages, and taken through the windpipe and air passages called bronchi. There are two main air passages that take the air into the lungs. These air passages branch out into smaller airways that are called bronchioles. The inhaled air passes from small ducts in the bronchioles into tiny air-sacs called alveoli. The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide takes place within these sacs. If any of the components of the respiratory system gets affected, breathing becomes difficult. Most of the time, presence of environmental pollutants or pathogens in the inhaled air is the common cause of breathing problems. Pneumonia is one such respiratory disease wherein exposure to pathogens or pollutants causes inflammation of the lung tissue and congestion in the lungs. If the infection or the inflammation occurs only in a fixed section it is known as lobar pneumonia. If the infection leads to the inflammation of the walls of bronchioles along with the formation of patches all over the lungs, one is diagnosed with bronchial pneumonia. This type of pneumonia is also known as bronchopneumonia. People with a weak immune system are definitely at a greater risk of contracting this illness. In this article, we will look into the causes, symptoms and treatment of this type of pneumonia.

Bronchial Pneumonia

Causes and Symptoms

The susceptibility to pathogenic infections usually increases when the body's immune system has already been weakened due to poor nutrition, aging or an illness. Under these circumstances, the immune responses are faint which is why pathogens such as bacteria, viruses or fungi start growing at an alarming rate. It has been seen that if left untreated, some of the upper respiratory infections may develop into pneumonia. When the walls of the bronchioles become inflamed, it gives rise to the accumulation of fluid and pus and the consequent formation of patches in the lungs. The fluid buildup adversely affects the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Various strains of bacteria, viruses or parasites may cause this respiratory condition. While Streptococcus pneumoniae is believed to be most commonly responsible for causing lobar pneumonia, a condition wherein the bacteria attack a portion or the entire lobe of the lung, bronchopneumonia may be caused due to various pathogens.

So, is this type of pneumonia contagious? Well, viruses or bacteria that cause this respiratory ailment can be transmitted to others through person-to-person contact. So if one happens to be around an infected person while he/she sneezes or coughs, or shares personal items, the risk of community-acquired pneumonia increases. Sometimes, one may contract this respiratory ailment in hospitals or health-care settings. The most common symptoms of this condition include high fever, shaking chills, chest pain, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, body ache, malaise or brown/yellow colored sputum. At times, symptoms such as low fever, headache, body ache, dry cough and fatigue may appear gradually and the patient may not appear very ill.

Treatment

A chest X-ray along with blood arterial gas test, pulse oximetry, sputum analysis and other blood tests can help the doctor to formulate a diagnosis. As is the case with any bronchial infection, the treatment for bacterial pneumonia would involve the use of antibiotics. Azithromycin, clarithromycin, or erythromycin are some of the antibiotics that may be prescribed. Expectorants are often prescribed so as to clear the infection. It's extremely important to drink lots of fluids so as to make up for the loss of fluids. In severe cases, hospitalization would be a necessity. Fluids and medicines would be administered intravenously. If one is suffering from severe breathing difficulty, oxygen therapy may be needed. Complete bed rest is extremely important while one is recovering from pneumonia. Resting the body helps the immune system fight the infection in a better way.

It would also be better to stay away from crowds in order to eliminate the chances of inhaling in other environmental irritants or microbes. This will speed up the process of recovery and will also lower the risk of others contracting the infection. The recovery time usually ranges from four to six weeks. Drug therapy is an important part of the treatment. While drug therapy is essential to arrest the growth of pathogens, one can also try some home remedies. One can add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to vaporizer water and inhale. This oil is known for its anti-bacterial properties and therefore, inhaling it will surely help. Since common cold or flu can also progress to pneumonia, it's essential that precautionary measures be taken before the flu season. In case, fluid has accumulated between the membranes that cover the lungs, a procedure called thoracentesis might need to be performed to drain out the fluid.

If left untreated, this type of pneumonia can turn into a life-threatening condition. A timely diagnosis and proper treatment is, therefore, extremely important in order to clear out the infection. It is also important to complete the course of antibiotics or other prescribed drugs. This is to eliminate the risk of a relapse. One must religiously follow the guidelines of medical experts so as to recover soon from this medical condition.