Pneumonia, also known as pneumonia, is a pathology that affects the respiratory system. This disorder causes significant inflammation in the lung tissue caused by viruses or bacteria that manage to enter the body. This disease also causes the pulmonary alveoli to be filled with pus, which makes it difficult to breathe and it is difficult to inhale deeply.
Although there are numerous drugs to help cure this disorder and alleviate its symptoms, you must consult with your doctor so that he can find the exact cause of pneumonia and medicate in time without complications, in addition to ruling out any other pathology that could be more serious and put other organs of the body at risk.
If you suffer from this inflammation in the lungs or you know someone who has it, and you wonder how long does it take to cure pneumonia? You can read below the valuable information that FastlyHealwants to offer you to answer this question.
Table of Contents
How long does it take to cure pneumonia?
The time that indicates how long it takes to cure pneumonia depends on many factors, mainly if it is pneumonia in children or the elderly, who are usually those who are most severely affected by this inflammation in the lung tissue that causes respiratory distress. In addition, you have to consider if you have any other previous disease or if it is a person who is a smoker.
On the other hand, it is necessary to identify the exact cause that caused pneumonia to know the indicated treatment and its duration. This is why you must go to the doctor so that he can examine you, find out the cause, and offer you the drugs you should use to calm the symptoms.
Virus pneumonia
If it is pneumonia caused by a virus, not being able to eliminate these microorganisms, the specialist will likely recommend anti-inflammatories and antipyretics to reduce fever and calm the discomfort that you may have due to pneumonia.
However, the symptoms go away with time, although you should rest and drink plenty of fluids. This type of pneumonia is usually milder than that caused by bacteria, but a recovery time of three to six weeks is recommended.
Bacterial pneumonia
When pneumonia is of bacterial origin, it can be cured by administering antibiotics, which must be prescribed by a specialist and, depending on the intensity of the disorder and the type of alteration, it will require between two and three weeks if the treatment indicated by the doctor it is carried out correctly.
Causes of inflammation of lung tissue
Pneumonia is usually caused by a virus, although sometimes it can be caused by bacteria and in rare cases by other microorganisms such as fungi or parasites.
It is a highly contagious pathology, so you can get sick very easily and quickly if you contact an infectious agent and your immune system is low. This is how the agent can travel throughout the body to reach the lungs and cause inflammation in them.
That the disorder is contagious means that the microorganisms that cause it spread rapidly through the air and become present in the environment through:
- A simple sneeze.
- Cough of a pneumonia patient.
- Contact with mucus.
This is why you should exercise caution and follow hygiene measures if you have someone close to you who is suffering from pneumonia. For more information, see: Is Pneumonia Contagious?
Main symptoms of pneumonia
When suffering from pneumonia, the symptoms that may be noticed generally include:
- Fever.
- General discomfort.
- Tos.
- Shaking chills.
- Tremors
- Respiratory problems.
- Coughing up mucus.
- The expectorations can also present with pieces of blood.
Another symptom that accompanies pneumonia is excessive sweating. Severe headaches are also part of the symptoms of pneumonia, although they are not usually that common. On the other hand, older adults can go through episodes of confusion during this pathology.
Pneumonia: When to go to the doctor?
Although it is a fairly common disease, you must consult with your doctor if you have one or more symptoms. This is because severe pneumonia can develop in children and the elderly, leading to death in some cases.
For this reason, it is essential to go on time and be advised by the experts who will help you in your recovery and tell you how long it takes to cure pneumonia in your specific situation. If you want to know more about pneumonia, we recommend reading the article Pneumonia: symptoms, causes, and treatment.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to How long it takes to cure pneumonia? We recommend that you enter our category of Lung and respiratory tract.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.