Pneumonia and Lung Infection Treatment

More than a bad cold

Pneumonia is an infection in the air sacs of the lungs. The sacs fill with fluid or pus, which makes it harder for oxygen to get into the blood. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or less commonly fungi.

For a healthy young adult, pneumonia often means a rough week or two and then recovery with tablets at home. For an elderly parent, a diabetic, or someone with heart or lung disease, it can turn serious quickly. The trick is recognising it early and judging correctly who can be treated at home and who needs hospital care.

Signs of pneumonia

• Fever, often high, with shivering
• Cough, usually with yellow, green or rust-coloured phlegm
• Breathing faster than normal, or feeling short of breath
• Sharp chest pain that's worse on breathing in or coughing
• Weakness, loss of appetite and body ache

In elderly people the signs can be quite different. There may be no fever at all, only sudden confusion, drowsiness, falls, or simply "not being themselves" and refusing food. Families often notice this before anything else. Trust that instinct and get them checked.

Who is at higher risk

• Adults over 65
• Young children
• People with diabetes, heart disease, kidney or liver disease
• People with asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis or ILD
• Smokers and heavy drinkers
• Those with weak immunity from medicines or illness
• Bedridden patients and people with swallowing difficulty after a stroke

How we diagnose it

• Examination: temperature, breathing rate, oxygen level, and listening to the chest
• Chest X-ray to confirm and see how much of the lung is involved
• Blood tests: blood count, kidney function, and markers of infection
• Sputum tests in some cases, to find the germ
• CT scan or bronchoscopy only if the pneumonia isn't improving as expected, or keeps returning in the same area

Home treatment or hospital?

Doctors use the patient's age, oxygen level, blood pressure, confusion and blood test results to decide. In simple terms:

Usually fine at home if you're otherwise healthy, oxygen is normal, you can eat and drink, and you have someone to keep an eye on you.

Hospital care is usually advised if:

• Oxygen saturation is low
• Breathing is very fast or laboured
• There is confusion or drowsiness
• Blood pressure is low
• The patient is elderly with other illnesses
• Vomiting prevents taking tablets
• There is no improvement after 48 to 72 hours of treatment at home

When admission is needed, Dr. Manan Bedi manages patients at Paras Health, Panchkula.

Treatment

• Antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia, chosen according to the likely germ, your age, other illnesses and local resistance patterns. Taking the full course matters.
• Antiviral medicines for certain viral pneumonias like influenza, when started early.
• Fluids and rest.
• Paracetamol for fever and pain.
• Oxygen if levels are low.
• Chest physiotherapy to help clear phlegm, particularly in elderly or bedridden patients.

Most people start feeling better within three to five days of the right treatment. Cough and tiredness can take a few weeks to fully settle, which is normal.

Recovery

• Rest for the first week, then build up activity gradually
• Drink enough fluids
• Eat well, even if appetite is low, with small frequent meals
• Avoid smoking completely
• Expect tiredness for two to four weeks; older adults may need longer
• A follow-up chest X-ray is advised in some patients, especially smokers and those over 50, to make sure the shadow has cleared

Pneumonia that keeps coming back

If pneumonia returns more than once, especially in the same part of the lung, there's usually a reason worth finding: bronchiectasis, a blockage in the airway, swallowing problems leading to aspiration, or weakened immunity. A pulmonologist's evaluation is important here, sometimes with a CT scan or bronchoscopy.

Prevention

• Flu vaccine every year, ideally before winter
• Pneumococcal vaccine for adults over 65 and those with diabetes, heart, lung, kidney or liver disease
• Stop smoking
• Good diabetes control
• Hand hygiene and staying away from sick contacts when possible
• For bedridden patients: keep the head raised during and after feeds, and maintain good oral hygiene

Consultation in Panchkula

Dr. Manan Bedi treats pneumonia and recurring chest infections in patients from Panchkula, Chandigarh, Mohali and Zirakpur at Booth 194, Sector 20, Panchkula. OPD: Monday to Saturday 5–7 PM, Sunday 11 AM–2 PM. Call +91-99280 14284 or book online. For severe breathlessness or confusion, go directly to the nearest emergency.