Respiratory Illnesses

[Guest guest]

Why would it be wrong for the media to print the info. of hazardous side effects of drugs if companies already know the truth and we have free speech? Why can’t people publish their serious side effects of drugs in the major newspapers and let other people read it? Why does the killing or the store robbery take more precedence over someone dying because of a drug? Is the media owned by drug companies?? Bioxin: 2 deaths out of 696 people according to clinical studies from the drug trials! That equals 2000 deaths out of 696,000 people, and 200,000 deaths out of 696,000,000 people. And that's okay? or do all those people have tumors quickly degenerating and they don't even know it?? Yet if you turn to the homeopathic doctors there are NEVER any deaths - not one since homeopathy has been used - and it was

the popular medicine before prescription drugs! And if in the alternative field, those people can't publish their work in the media because they don't cure people, well, neither does western medicine in situations like cancer, and diabetes! If in small controlled groups of 40 or 80 people about 10 died from Paxil why would it be the #1 anti-depressant in the world? End of statement..................... Introduction Every year, more than 60,000 Americans die of pneumonia — an inflammation of the lungs that's usually caused by infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi or other organisms. Pneumonia is a particular concern for older adults and people with chronic illnesses or impaired immune systems, but it can also strike young, healthy people. Worldwide, it's a leading cause of death in children. There are many kinds of pneumonia ranging in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. Pneumonia acquired while in the hospital can be particularly virulent and deadly. Although signs and symptoms vary, many cases of pneumonia develop suddenly, with chest pain, fever, chills, cough and shortness of breath. Infection often follows a cold or the flu, but it can also be associated with other illnesses or occur on its own. Although antibiotics can treat some of the most common forms of bacterial pneumonias, antibiotic-resistant strains are a growing problem. For that reason, and because the disease can be very serious, it's best to try to prevent infection in the first place. Ironically, high-risk groups such as older adults and people with a chronic illness or compromised immune system may have fewer or milder symptoms than less vulnerable people do. And instead of the high fever that often characterizes pneumonia, older adults may even have a lower than normal temperature. Bacterial pneumonia is often confined to just one area (lobe) of the lung. This is called lobar pneumonia. Half of all pneumonia’s are viral, and then: Mycoplasma. This tiny organism causes signs and symptoms similar to those of other bacterial and viral infections, although symptoms appear more gradually and are often mild and flu-like. You may not be sick enough to stay in bed or to seek medical care and may never even know you've had pneumonia. That's why this type of pneumonia is often called walking pneumonia. Mycoplasma

pneumonia responds well to treatment with the appropriate antibiotics, although you may continue to have a dry, nagging cough and continue to feel weak during your convalescence. Certain types of fungus also can cause pneumonia, although these types of pneumonia are much less common. Most people experience few if any symptoms after inhaling these fungi, but some develop symptoms of acute pneumonia, and still others may develop a chronic pneumonia that persists for months. Pneumonia caused by P. carinii is an opportunistic infection that affects people living with AIDS. People whose immune systems are compromised by organ transplants, chemotherapy, or treatment with corticosteroids or other immune-suppressing drugs such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors also are at risk. The signs and symptoms of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia include a cough that doesn't go away, fever and shortness of breath. Each lung is divided into lobes — three on the right and two on the left. Your body has mechanisms to protect

your lungs from infection. In fact, you're frequently exposed to bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia, but your body normally prevents most of these organisms from invading and overwhelming your airways. Sometimes — for reasons that aren't always well understood — these microorganisms can get past your body's defenses, finally finding their way into your lungs' air sacs. There, white blood cells

(leukocytes), a key part of your immune system, begin to attack the invading organisms. The accumulating pathogens, white cells and immune proteins cause the air sacs to become inflamed and filled with fluid, leading to the difficult breathing that characterizes many types of pneumonia. If both lungs are involved, it's called double pneumonia. Community-acquired pneumonia. This refers to pneumonia you acquire in the course of your daily life — at school, work or the gym, for instance. Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) pneumonia. If you're hospitalized, you're at a higher risk of pneumonia, especially if you are on a mechanical ventilator, are in the intensive care unit or have a compromised immune system. This type of pneumonia can be extremely serious, especially for older adults, young children and people with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) or HIV/AIDS. A common predisposing factor for this type of pneumonia is gastroesophageal reflux. This occurs when some of the contents of your stomach back up into the upper esophagus. From there, the gastroesophageal contents can be aspirated into the trachea and then into your airways. Even very small amounts of gastroesophageal reflux can lead to pneumonia in people who are hospitalized. Aspiration pneumonia. This type of pneumonia occurs when foreign matter is inhaled (aspirated) into your lungs — most often when the contents of your stomach enter your lungs after you vomit. This commonly happens when a brain injury or other condition affects your normal gag reflex. Another common cause of aspiration pneumonia is consuming too much alcohol. This happens when the inebriated person passes out, and then vomits due to the effects of alcohol on the stomach. If someone's unconscious,

it's possible to aspirate the liquid contents and possibly solid food from the stomach into the lungs, causing aspiration pneumonia. Outbreaks of the H5N1 influenza (bird flu) virus and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have caused serious, sometimes deadly pneumonia infections, even in otherwise healthy people. So it really wasn’t SARS that killed those people, it was pneumonia. RISK FACTORS Have certain diseases. These include immune deficiency diseases such as HIV/AIDS and chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, emphysema and diabetes. You're also at increased risk if you've had your spleen removed, or your immune system has been impaired by chemotherapy or long-term use of immunosuppressant drugs. Smoke, or abuse alcohol. Millions of microscopic hairs (cilia) cover the surface of the cells lining your bronchial tubes. The hairs beat in a wave-like fashion to clear your airways of normal secretions, but irritants such as tobacco smoke paralyze the cilia, causing secretions to accumulate. If these secretions contain bacteria, they can develop into pneumonia. Alcohol interferes with your normal gag reflex as well as with the action of the white blood cells that fight infection. Maybe I should go to school, to study being a respiratory therapist, and it’s okay with Mom and Dad! YIPPY!! (people are VERY defensive about their health, and we’re not supposed to talk about it in families!) Exposure to air pollution or toxic fumes can also contribute to lung inflammation, which makes it harder for the lungs to clear themselves. Have had surgery or experienced a traumatic injury. People who've had surgery or who are immobilized from a traumatic injury have a higher risk of pneumonia because surgery or serious injuries may make coughing — which helps clear the

lungs — more difficult and lying flat can allow mucous to collect in your lungs, providing a breeding ground for bacteria. When to seek medical advice If you think you may have pneumonia, don't hesitate to get medical care. Serious pneumonia can be life-threatening. See your doctor right away

if you have a persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain that fluctuates with your breathing (pleurisy), an unexplained fever — especially a lasting fever of 102 F or higher along with chills and sweats — or if you suddenly feel worse after a cold or the flu. Be especially prompt about seeking medical care if you're an older adult or you're affected by tobacco use, alcoholism, injury, chemotherapy or the use of drugs such as prednisone that suppress your immune system. For some older adults and people with heart failure or lung ailments, pneumonia can quickly prove fatal. During the exam, your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope to check for abnormal bubbling or crackling sounds (rales) and for rumblings (rhonchi) that signal the presence of thick liquid. Both these sounds may indicate inflammation caused by infection. You're also likely to have chest X-rays to confirm the presence of pneumonia and to determine the extent and location of the infection. Your doctor can suspect pneumonia, but he or she can't diagnose it without a chest X-ray. You may also have blood tests to check your white cell count, or to look for the presence of viruses, bacteria or other organisms. Sometimes your doctor may examine a sample of your phlegm or your blood to help identify the microorganism that's causing your illness. The extent of all this testing depends on how sick you are and your underlying risk factors, and whether or not you're responding to therapy. If you have heart failure or lung ailments, especially

from smoking, or if you're older, your pneumonia may be harder to cure. You're also more likely to develop complications, some of which can be life-threatening. In some cases the infection may invade your bloodstream (bacteremia). It can then spread quickly to other organs. This is detected by doing cultures of your blood. Fluid accumulation and infection around the

lungs. Sometimes fluid accumulates between the thin, transparent membrane (pleura) covering your lungs and the membrane that lines the inner surface of your chest wall — a condition known as pleural effusion. Normally, the pleurae are silky smooth, allowing your lungs to slide easily along your chest wall when you breathe in and out. But when the pleurae around your lungs become inflamed (pleurisy) — often as a result of pneumonia — fluid can accumulate and may become infected (empyema). In that case, you may have a tube placed between your ribs to drain the fluid or, occasionally, a surgical procedure to clear out some of the infected material. Lung

abscess. A cavity containing pus (abscess) that forms within the area affected by pneumonia is another potential complication. Abscesses usually are treated with antibiotics, but in rare cases they may need to be removed surgically. If you have emphysema or pneumonia in both lungs (double pneumonia), you may need a mechanical respirator to help you breathe. TREATMENT: Pneumonia treatments vary, depending on the severity of your symptoms and the type of pneumonia you have. Bacterial. Doctors usually treat bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics. Although you may start to feel better shortly after beginning your medication, be sure to complete your entire course of antibiotics. Stopping medication too soon may cause your pneumonia to return. It also helps create strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics — an increasingly serious problem in the United States. Viral. Antibiotics aren't effective against most viral forms of pneumonia. And although a few viral pneumonias may be treated with antiviral medications, the recommended treatment is generally the same as for the flu — rest and plenty of fluids. Mycoplasma. Mycoplasma pneumonias are treated with antibiotics. Even so, recovery may not be immediate. In some cases fatigue may continue long after the infection itself has cleared. Many cases of mycoplasma pneumonia go undiagnosed and untreated. The signs and symptoms mimic those of a bad chest cold, so some people never seek medical attention. Fungal. If your pneumonia is caused by a fungus, you'll likely be treated with antifungal medication. Follow-up appointments and X-rays are especially important in smokers. If you're not feeling better, the follow-up visit is an opportunity for your doctor to schedule tests to determine more specifically what's causing your symptoms. You usually don't "catch" pneumonia from someone else. Instead, you develop the disease because your immune system is temporarily weakened, often for no known reason. The following suggestions can help keep you healthy: Get

vaccinated. Because pneumonia can be a complication of the flu, getting a yearly flu shot is a good way to prevent viral influenza pneumonia, which can lead to bacterial pneumonia. In addition, get a vaccination against pneumococcal pneumonia at least once after age 55, and if you have any risk factors, every five years thereafter. Take care of yourself. Proper rest and a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains along with moderate exercise can help keep your immune system strong. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pneumonia/DS00135 Peace of mind begins when we stop thinking about how far we have to go, or how hard the road has been, and just let ourselves feel peace.

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