What are the early signs of pneumonia and its four stages?

What is Pneumonia?

Before discussing the early signs and symptoms of pneumonia, let us first understand what pneumonia is.

Pneumonia is a medical name that is given to a seasonal infection. Therefore, it is a lung infection caused by bacteria, viruses, and other types of illnesses. If not treated promptly, the infection can cause coughing fits and fever, leading to chest pain.

In other terms, it is a bacterial infection of the lungs. It’s a potentially fatal infection in which pus, blood cells, and other liquids fill the air sacs in your lungs (alveoli). Pneumonia is usually often caused by a viral or bacterial infection.

Rest, plenty of fluids, and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to alleviate discomfort and fever are usually enough to treat mild pneumonia at home. If the mild pneumonia is not treated, it could worsen and require antibiotics and hospitalization.

Early Signs of Pneumonia

The early signs might be similar to influenza, and some people might not be easier to detect. You need to be careful about the different symptoms of viral Pneumonia and bacterial Pneumonia. The general symptoms of pneumonia are as follows:

• Frequent coughs
• Feeling of heaviness in the chest
• Abnormal breathing
• Sudden loss of appetite
• Muscle aches
• Frequent chills
• Sweating
• Blue lips
• Extreme weakness
• During the third stage, the red blood cells may disintegrate, your lungs can develop a greyish color.

Symptoms of viral Pneumonia are as follows:

• Constant headache
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Constant cough

Different Stages of Pneumonia

There are various stages of pneumonia, and you should be aware of all of them if you want to ensure that you feel better soon and go for pneumonia treatment.

Although germs are present in the lungs during stage 1, which is the stage of congestion, there are few white blood cells accessible in the body to combat the infection. This, however, increases blood flow and swelling in the lung tissue, making the lungs seem red and swollen. This is the earliest stage of pneumonia, and you should be careful regarding the reactions of your body if you want to ensure that you are healthy.

The second stage is red hepatization, which happens 48 to 72 hours after the first stage and lasts 2 to 4 days.

In this stage, the lungs become increasingly dry, granular, and airless at this point, with a consistency comparable to the liver.

As a result, red cells, white cells, bacteria, and cellular debris can clog the lungs’ airways.

If this stage is not treated after 4 to 6 days, stage 3 (grey hepatization) will begin, lasting for four to eight days. In this stage, the lung turns grey/yellow in appearance during this stage, but its substance is identical to that of liver. A more fluid-like discharge arises from the breakdown of fibrin, hemosiderin, and red blood cells. Furthermore, macrophages, a large white blood cell type, begin to form.

Stage 4 is known as resolution, and it is the final stage. This is the final stage in which your pneumonia can heal if you get good therapy, and it occurs between the eighth and tenth day. During this stage, cell destruction fluids and breakdown products are reabsorbed. Later on, macrophages (large white blood cells) appear to help with the clearance of white blood cells.

Treatment of Pneumonia

If you suspect that you or a loved one is suffering from pneumonia, make an appointment with your healthcare provider very once. The doctor will conduct a physical examination of the patient or order tests to monitor the patient’s status and look for any issues.

If you have an adult at your home above sixty-five years of age, make sure you take them to the doctor right away. Moreover, babies younger than three years should also be carefully examined if they show any of the above symptoms.

However, keep in mind that recovering from pneumonia might take several days and even longer if you have multiple ailments. Additionally, ensure that you correctly prepare your meals and take your meds on time.

Consequently, if you are a patient who is on chemotherapy, then you should take extra precautions because the chemo treatment is harsh and makes your body statement.

Diagnosis of Pneumonia

Pneumonia is usually diagnosed when the doctor carries out some examination and checks the duration of the symptoms. Depending on your condition, your healthcare provider might ask you to go for the following tests:

• Chest X-ray: Through this chest x-ray, your health care provider will take pictures of your tissues, bones, and several other organs, including the lungs.
• Blood Tests: With the help of blood tests, the doctors might check whether or not infection is present in your blood or has spread to your lungs. Arterial blood gas testing is the way to check the amount of oxygen present in your bloodstream.
• Pulse Oximetry: An oximeter is a small machine used to measure the amount of oxygen present in your lungs. When the machine is turned on, a small sensor is said to be taped on a finger.
  Do not worry the test is painless but easily shows the measurement of oxygen.
• Chest CT Scan: The imaging procedure uses the combination of x-rays along with computer technology to produce sharp images of the body.
  With the help of CT scan, detailed images of any part of the body, including
  the bones, muscles, or fat, are seen. Thus, it will be easier for the doctor to detect the virus present in your lungs.
• Pleural Fluid Culture: This is another method of detecting the virus as the simple fluid is taken from the pleural space of the person. If the person’s condition deteriorates, then the doctors might prescribe this test to understand the patient’s condition.
• Bronchoscopy: This is one of the most common methods of detecting infection. The doctors can diagnose the lung problems and assess the blockages that are in your lungs. Fluid is taken for the examination, which may help evaluate the presence of pneumonia.

Conclusion

We hope you understand the early signs and symptoms of pneumonia. Moreover, make sure you visit your general physician immediately because pneumonia can put your life at stake if you do not treat it on time. The reason is that pneumonia occurs in stages and slowly affects different organs of your body. So, make sure that you do not put your health at stake and visit your doctor.