Pneumonia: 4 main mistakes in treatment

Pneumonia, or pneumonia, is often perceived by us as a cold with a very high fever, weakness and cough. We are in no hurry to call a doctor, we treat ourselves, we do not trust traditional methods. This is fraught with various complications even after recovery. What is the most common mistake we make?

Mistake #1: There are no vaccines for pneumonia

In fact, the pneumonia vaccine has been invented and produced for a long time. But it is effective only when pneumonia is caused by one of the pathogens – pneumococcus. In 52 countries of the world, such a vaccination against pneumonia has already been included in the National calendar of mandatory childhood vaccinations. Two foreign pneumococcal vaccines have been registered in Russia: the 7-valent conjugate vaccine Prevenar (USA) and the polysaccharide vaccine Pneumo 23 (France). The Prevenar vaccine can be administered to all children from three months of age, the Pneumo 23 vaccine – only from two years. “In 70–90% of cases, pneumonia in children under five years of age is caused by pneumococcal infection, which is difficult to treat and has a high percentage of severe consequences,” says Mikhail Kostinov, MD, Head of the Laboratory for Vaccine Prevention and Immunotherapy of Allergic Diseases at the Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums named after . I.I. Mechnikov. “Therefore, the most reliable and effective means to combat pneumonia is mass vaccination.”

Mistake #2: Don’t Take Antibiotics

It seems to us that throughout life we ​​drink antibiotics so often that our body is used to them, and they are used to it. That is, resistance has arisen, and efficiency has decreased. And with pneumonia, antibiotics are no longer helpers. In fact, humanity has not invented more effective medicines against any inflammatory process than antibiotics. But there is a problem, and it lies in the fact that the causative agents of pneumonia are a wide variety of bacteria, microbes and viruses, such as pneumococci, staphylococci, Haemophilus influenzae, E. coli, etc. Children more often than adults suffer from pneumonia, which is caused by mycoplasma microbes. These microbes are similar to both bacteria and viruses at the same time. But inflammation of the lungs, which is caused by the causative agent of legionella, practically does not occur in children. By the way, one of the sources of legionella are air conditioning systems. A new group of pathogens has been discovered – bacteroids, which for a long time were considered non-pathogenic flora of the oral cavity. There are also non-biological agents of pneumonia, such as gasoline. Depending on the type of pathogen, one or another antibiotic should be prescribed for pneumonia. To identify it, a sputum test is needed. And it is done in rather rare cases – when the patient is hospitalized, that is, is in the hospital.

There is such an unpleasant form – hospital-acquired pneumonia, to which antibiotics are practically inapplicable. It occurs in patients or medical personnel in whom the microbes that cause pneumonia come from the hospital environment. They are indeed resistant to antibiotic drugs.

Mistake number 3: it is worth steaming well

It is true that the most common cause of pneumonia is hypothermia. Therefore, it is worth treating it with heat. But going to the bath with pneumonia, especially with croup, even if there is strength for this, is by no means possible. High temperatures already test our cardiovascular system for strength. And in the steam room, the heart may not withstand the temperature shock at all. The opinion that the disease comes out with sweat is unfounded. Oddly enough, cold compresses, which must be changed every half hour, help bring down the temperature in acute pneumonia.

At body temperature up to 37 degrees, warming compresses, mustard plasters on the chest, hot mustard foot baths (as a distraction) can be used. To facilitate sputum production, warm milk is given in half with Borjomi or soda (half a spoon per glass of milk). If thick sputum is secreted, expectorants are indicated, for example, an infusion of thermopsis herbs, solutions of iodine salts. If you like folk remedies, then resort to herbal medicine. It requires three tablespoons of fresh raspberries, which must be brewed with two glasses of hot water, leave for 45 minutes, strain and drink. But in any case, first of all, consult a doctor.

Mistake #4: You need to move as little as possible

Of course, at a temperature of 40 degrees, you should not disturb your body with movement. But as soon as the temperature dropped to 37 degrees, so that there was no stagnation in the lungs, the doctor may recommend physiotherapy exercises. It is better to start with breathing exercises: for example, exhale through a cocktail tube (50-60 cm), the lower end of which is lowered into a glass of water, exhale through lips folded in a tube, or inflate balloons, rubber toys.

Breathing exercises are also recommended.

1. Starting position – main stance. Bend your arms in front of your chest – take a deep breath, vigorously pull your elbows back and raise your head – exhale.

2. Starting position – the same. Raise your arms above your head – inhale, lower your arms – exhale. Repeat 15-20 times.

3. Starting position – standing, feet shoulder-width apart, arms to the sides – inhale, lean forward vigorously. Touching the floor with your fingers – a long exhalation. Repeat 7-10 times.

4. Starting position – the same, hands on hips. Make a rotational movement of the body, alternately in each direction. Repeat 3-5 times on each side.