Severe pneumonia is caused by non infectious factors such as allergies, chemicals, uremia, and infectious factors such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and viruses. The clinical symptoms are severe, including high fever (>39 ℃), cough, respiratory dysfunction (such as insufficient inhalation and difficulty exhaling), and can also cause systemic organ failure, even endangering life. The main treatment methods are drug therapy (antibiotics) and mechanical ventilation, with a poor prognosis. But in recent years, the prognosis has significantly changed, and the cure rate has significantly improved.
1、 Symptom manifestations
1. What sensations can indicate early severe pneumonia
The original symptoms of cough and sputum are aggravated, with rapid breathing, irregular fever, and chills.
2. How do you know if you have severe pneumonia? Typical symptoms of severe pneumonia include coughing, phlegm production, difficulty breathing, high fever, chest pain, general fatigue, low blood pressure, consciousness disorders, and shock in most people. A small number of people may have gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, joint pain, etc.
3. What are the different symptoms of different types of severe pneumonia? Bacterial pneumonia: Patients often experience symptoms such as fever, cough, sputum production, difficulty breathing, chest pain, and the presence of purulent or bloody sputum.
Fungal pneumonia: Patients may not have any obvious clinical features in the early stages, or only have mild symptoms such as cough and sputum.
Viral pneumonia: Viral pneumonia refers to inflammation caused by viral infection of the respiratory tract and lungs. Patients experience varying degrees of hypoxia and infection symptoms, including fever, cough, wheezing, shortness of breath, and wet rales in the lungs.
4. Other symptoms
Some patients may experience headaches, dizziness, jaundice, reduced urine output, as well as digestive symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
2、 Possible complications
Pleural effusion: During pneumonia, inflammatory mediators stimulate the pleura, leading to increased permeability of pleural capillaries, fluid leakage, and the formation of pneumonia pleural effusion. The patient presents symptoms such as palpitations, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath.
Infectious shock: Bacteria and viruses continuously release toxins that enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing sepsis and, in severe cases, septic shock. The patient presents with decreased body temperature, confusion, damp and cold skin, irritability, and shallow and rapid breathing.
Acute respiratory distress syndrome: Due to infection, trauma, and other reasons, bacteria continuously damage lung tissue, and alveolar capillaries are damaged, causing refractory hypoxemia. The onset is acute, and patients present with symptoms such as shortness of breath, respiratory distress, and restlessness.
3、 Diagnostic criteria
Pathogenic bacteria can be detected based on the patient's typical symptoms, sputum culture, and sputum smear. Combined with chest X-rays or CT scans, patchy shadows in the lungs can be detected, accompanied by pleural effusion, to confirm the diagnosis.
4、 Severe pneumonia type
Bacterial pneumonia: It is the most common type of infectious pneumonia, which is caused by pulmonary parenchymal inflammation due to bacterial infection, mainly including pathogenic bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, etc.
Fungal pneumonia: Fungal pneumonia is a lung inflammation caused by deep fungal infection.
Viral pneumonia: It is often caused by the downward spread of upper respiratory tract viral infections, such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, etc. It can also be caused by mixed infection of more than one virus and secondary bacterial infection.
The above is an introduction to severe pneumonia. In life, patients with severe pneumonia should drink more water, eat liquid or semi liquid food, such as Congee, egg soup, Noodles in soup, and eat more vitamin rich vegetables, such as spinach, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, etc. Eat more high protein foods such as eggs, milk, lean meat, etc. Avoid spicy foods such as chili, garlic, ginger, etc. to prevent the condition from worsening.