Contents
Pneumonia is a dangerous disease in which the lung tissue becomes inflamed. Most often, it can be diagnosed at an early stage of development, since it is simply impossible to ignore the symptoms. However, there are exceptions to every rule. Sometimes the disease develops in a latent form, while the person does not have a cough and the body temperature does not rise. This is one of the most dangerous types of pneumonia, so every person should know exactly how it manifests itself.
Causes
If a person develops occult pneumonia, then he probably has problems with the immune system. The weaker the body’s own defenses, the higher the likelihood that it will not give an adequate response to the disease. Contribute to the weakening of the immune system stress, hormonal imbalance, chronic diseases. All these factors deplete the immune system, which is why it does not respond to the penetration of pathogenic flora into the lungs.
It is extremely dangerous to take antibiotics without a doctor’s prescription. They lead to the mutation of microbes that become resistant to them, acquire the ability to survive and multiply even in the conditions of therapy. At the same time, the symptoms of the disease become less pronounced, the temperature remains within the normal range, and there is no cough.
Moreover, most elderly people suffer from chronic diseases. In their body there are always foci of infection. The immune system gets used to the fact that it constantly has to resist the pathogenic flora, which is why it reacts badly. Therefore, with pneumonia, the patient may feel unwell, but his body temperature will remain normal.
Symptoms in adults
Even if the body temperature is low, an adult can understand that something is happening to his body. Sudden malaise cannot be attributed to overwork, since it does not go away even in the morning, after sleep. Deterioration of general well-being is a reason to visit a doctor. Timely treatment is a guarantee that pneumonia will not cause serious complications.
The main symptom of pneumonia is a wet cough with phlegm. With its help, they are cleared of the accumulation of mucus and microbes. Depending on the severity of the disease, it can be green, yellow or brown. The cough is especially intense in the morning, as much mucus accumulates in the lungs during the night.
The skin becomes pale. An unhealthy blush appears on the cheeks. Sweating increases, especially at night. Due to the loss of fluid and salts, a person is constantly thirsty.
If you suspect pneumonia, you need to pay attention to the movement of the chest. It may be uneven. On the side from which the focus of inflammation is localized, the chest will, as it were, “lag behind”, and sometimes it may even remain motionless.
With pneumonia, microbes multiply in the lung tissue. They divide, they feed, they die. Their waste products enter the systemic circulation, which leads to general intoxication of the body. It manifests itself in increased fatigue and weakness. Muscles and joints will hurt.
Two more obvious symptoms indicating damage to the respiratory system are tachycardia and shortness of breath. Moreover, the heart rate will be accelerated even at rest.
Symptoms in children
Diagnosis of pneumonia without fever in children is complicated by the fact that the child cannot independently understand what is happening to his body. Therefore, parents should be on guard of children’s health.
Symptoms to look out for:
Decreased habitual activity.
Increased drowsiness, unexplained lethargy.
Worse begins to study.
Refusal of outdoor games.
Increased thirst, decreased appetite.
Fatigue.
Parents who suspect a child has pneumonia should pay attention to the frequency of breathing during sleep, listen for wheezing or whistling.
Symptoms in bedridden patients
Bedridden patients are at increased risk, as their immunity is reduced, and sputum discharge is also difficult. Very often, it is in such patients that a latent form of the disease develops, in which there is not only hyperthermia, but also cough.
Disturbances in the functioning of the lungs, sputum stagnation, limited mobility, blood stasis in the vessels – all this is fertile ground for the reproduction of microbial flora.
In order to detect the disease in time, you need to pay attention to the following symptoms:
The appearance of an unusual blush on the cheeks.
Increased sweating, which leads to the need to change clothes more often.
Refusal to eat, but increased need for fluids.
Indifference to the environment.
If you find such symptoms, you must inform the doctor about it.
Diagnostics
If you suspect latent pneumonia, you should undergo a comprehensive diagnosis. You can identify the disease by studying the gas composition of the blood, analyzing the washings from the bronchi, or examining the mucus obtained during bronchoscopy.
Analyzes that are widespread, but do not allow a correct diagnosis:
Donating blood for counting the number of leukocytes. The analysis is uninformative due to a reduced immune status.
Sputum analysis. The patient is simply not able to cough it up.
X-rays of light. The focus of inflammation during the study is simply not visible.
Bronchoscopy is one of the priority methods of examination, which allows to detect pneumonia without fever. The patient is seated in a chair with a straight back. The airways should be as relaxed as possible. An apparatus equipped with a camera and a light source is inserted through the mouth or through the nose. With its help, the doctor examines the condition of the respiratory organs from the inside, and also collects material for further study. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
Treatment
Drugs are selected based on the cause of the inflammation.
If bacterial flora was detected in the sputum, then antibiotics are necessary. Penicillins are the first group of drugs.
If after 2 days there is no improvement, then the antibiotic is changed to drugs from the group of cephalosporins or macrolides.
Antibiotics are taken for 3 days. If there is no positive dynamics, then resort to a combination of several drugs.
Viral pneumonia is not treated with antibiotics. The patient is prescribed antiviral agents, interferons and other drugs. However, they are effective only at an early stage in the development of the disease. If time is lost, antibiotics are indispensable.
Sometimes inflammation of the lungs is a consequence of the reproduction of fungal flora. Therefore, the patient is prescribed fungicides. Pneumonia caused by parasites requires antiparasitic drugs.
If the patient does not have a temperature, but there is a cough, then expectorants are required.
In severe cases of the disease, immunomodulators are connected.
Prevention
Asymptomatic pneumonia is dangerous. It indicates that the immune system is so weak that it does not have the strength to fight the infection. The absence of cough worsens the prognosis. In the accumulated sputum, microbes begin to multiply, a secondary infection develops, which increases the likelihood of death.
Therefore, when unusual symptoms appear, you should not hesitate to contact a specialist. It is unacceptable to self-prescribe antibiotics or take cough suppressants. This will either lead to chronic pneumonia, or to the development of severe complications.
For preventive purposes, every adult should visit a therapist at least once a year.
Elderly people should treat their health with special attention. They need to be outdoors as often as possible, take walks, do breathing exercises. This will prevent stagnation of mucus in the lungs.
Bedridden patients need to be fully cared for. The patient should be in a sitting position from time to time. The room must be regularly ventilated.
Video: how to prevent pneumonia? Health School.