Bilateral pneumonia in adults

Pneumonia is common throughout the world. Before the pandemic, it was registered in almost 15 million people annually. Almost 1 million cases were in children, the rest – in adults of different ages. Pneumonia ended in death in about 300 thousand patients.

What is bilateral pneumonia

Bilateral pneumonia is inflammation of both lungs at once. The degree of damage to the left and right parts can be approximately equal (from 5 – 10% to 70% or more), or one half of the lungs is affected much more severely.

Causes of bilateral pneumonia in adults

The inflammatory process can be caused by various microbes – bacteria, viruses or pathogenic fungi. In addition, inflammation can occur after a chest injury, under the influence of allergens, toxic substances, and radiation.

Bilateral pneumonia is more likely in people who suffer from chronic bronchitis, immunodeficiencies, congenital malformations of the lungs, severe heart disease, and liver problems. Those who are weakened or exhausted, abuse alcohol, and smoke a lot are more likely to get sick. In addition, bilateral pneumonia is more common in the elderly – older than 65 – 70 years.

Provoking factors that can create conditions for bilateral pneumonia can be considered:

• severe hypothermia or prolonged overheating of the body;
• frequent colds that a person does not fully cure;
• infections of a bacterial nature;
• violations of the activity of immunity (immunodeficiency, autoimmune pathologies);
• chronic stress and lack of sleep;
• problems of the respiratory system (asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis);
• allergy.

These factors affect the functioning of the immune system, reduce the body’s resistance, which is why pathogenic organisms, especially bacteria and viruses, more actively damage the lungs, causing extensive areas of inflammation.

Symptoms of bilateral pneumonia in adults

Inflammation of both lungs at once is a rather serious situation. Bilateral pneumonia cannot be left untreated or trying to carry it on your feet – this is life-threatening. It manifests itself with various symptoms, depending on age, general health and the cause of inflammation. Key features:

• severe weakness, malaise, drowsiness;
• a sharp decrease in appetite up to a complete refusal to eat;
• severe sweating;
• an increase in temperature from slight to extremely high;
• persistent cough (can be both dry and with phlegm);
• a bluish tint of the fingers (under the nails) and the nasolabial triangle;
• noisy breathing, wheezing;
• shortness of breath on inhalation and exhalation.

Sometimes pneumonia can occur almost without symptoms at the beginning of inflammation, the first sign of serious damage to the lungs will be a sharp rise in temperature. If a large volume of lungs is affected, shortness of breath increases sharply. Also, the patient may notice pain when coughing, separation of green sputum or streaked with blood, breathing sharply quickens, becomes shallow.

Prognosis of treatment of bilateral pneumonia in adults

If the cause of bilateral pneumonia is not determined in time and treated immediately, the prognosis is poor. Inflammation can spread to a large amount of lung tissue. This will lead to respiratory failure (the lungs will not be able to fully saturate the blood with oxygen). This can damage the brain, kidneys, heart, and liver.

Without treatment, pneumonia can be fatal.

Treatment of bilateral pneumonia in adults

The appearance of any suspicious signs is a reason to immediately consult a doctor. If the condition is severe, there is a high temperature – you need to call an ambulance doctor. This form of pneumonia is usually treated in a hospital.

Diagnostics

First of all, the doctor will examine the patient, in parallel, finding out all the complaints that were before and are present today. Be sure to listen to the lungs: with pneumonia, breathing changes – wheezing and a muffled sound appear in places of inflammation. Additionally, the doctor may prescribe:

• blood tests (confirm the presence of inflammation and its nature – viruses, bacteria);
• x-ray of the lungs (the doctor will see the foci of inflammation and the extent of the lesion);
• CT of the lungs in difficult cases, when the nature of the inflammation is atypical;
• sputum analysis (examination under a microscope and planting on the flora).

All this will help not only to identify pneumonia, but also to find out its type. These data are necessary for proper treatment.

Modern treatments

For microbial pneumonia, the doctor will select antibiotics, which can be administered intravenously, into a muscle, or in the form of tablets. With a viral nature, antiviral drugs (Amixin, Ingavirin, Relenza, Tamiflu, Acyclovir and others) can be prescribed. In addition, a number of activities are shown that help reduce inflammation and unpleasant symptoms:

• bed rest;
• light meals and plenty of fluids;
• the use of immunostimulating drugs;
• vitamins (group B, ascorbic acid, vitamin D);
• antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs (Nurofen, Ibuklin, Rinza, Paracetamol);

• oxygen inhalation or a permanent nasal catheter with an oxygen mixture supply;
• physiotherapy to accelerate the resorption of inflammatory foci;
• breathing exercises;
• complex of massage and exercise therapy to stimulate expectoration of sputum.

To liquefy sputum with a dry cough, ACC, Bromhexine, Ambroxol are indicated, as the sputum begins to move away, expectorants can be prescribed – Libexin, Pertussin, licorice root, Bromhexine.

Rehabilitation after bilateral pneumonia in adults

Recovering from pneumonia is a slow process.

In order for the lungs to restore their functions, a course of rehabilitation will be required – physiotherapy exercises, physiotherapy, observation by a doctor for at least six months. This is important because complications are possible, irreversible damage to the lung tissue, which will need to be identified in a timely manner.

Prevention of bilateral pneumonia in adults at home

The basis for the prevention of bilateral pneumonia is protection against infections and strengthening the immune system. It is important to be vaccinated against dangerous pathogens – influenza, coronavirus, pneumococcal and hemophilic infections.

In addition, simple hygiene measures are important:

• washing hands or using antiseptics;
• wearing protective masks;
• good nutrition, healthy lifestyle;
• to give up smoking.

Popular questions and answers

The development of bilateral pneumonia is always a very serious situation, indicating that the body is weakened, or the pathogen is very aggressive. How dangerous this disease is, can it be cured and when to see a doctor, she told us pulmonologist Tatyana Neeshpapa.