Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=9355658
Respiratory Illness Sickens Dozens
Updated: Nov 15, 2008 09:40 AM
Doctors at Patient First say they have recently treated a number of people with pneumonia. In the lung x-ray of a person who is infected with pneumonia, there is usually a white, fluffy substance visible in the lungs near the border of the heart.
"Often it starts as an upper respiratory infection, you can get a viral pneumonia where the virus gets into the soft tissue of the lungs," explains Elizabeth Jenkins, a Patient First Physician.
Doctor Elizabeth Jenkins says this is the time of the year that they start to see patients with the infection due to the drop in temperatures and more people being confined indoors.
Doctors say there are several signs and symptoms to look out for.
"The signs of pneumonia, cough, usually productive- that you are coughing something up but not always with fever, chills, shortness of breath."
Pneumonia can easily be treated with antibiotics, but if left alone, it can be fatal.
"Not every patient that has a cough should go to the doctor but if you have a cough with a fever, cough associated with chest pain, those patients, or a cough that lasts more than a week or so those patients really need to get in to be seen by their doctor," says Jenkins.
A pneumonia vaccine is available to those with a chronic illness or to those age 65 and over.
Respiratory Illness Sickens Dozens
Updated: Nov 15, 2008 09:40 AM
Doctors at Patient First say they have recently treated a number of people with pneumonia. In the lung x-ray of a person who is infected with pneumonia, there is usually a white, fluffy substance visible in the lungs near the border of the heart.
"Often it starts as an upper respiratory infection, you can get a viral pneumonia where the virus gets into the soft tissue of the lungs," explains Elizabeth Jenkins, a Patient First Physician.
Doctor Elizabeth Jenkins says this is the time of the year that they start to see patients with the infection due to the drop in temperatures and more people being confined indoors.
Doctors say there are several signs and symptoms to look out for.
"The signs of pneumonia, cough, usually productive- that you are coughing something up but not always with fever, chills, shortness of breath."
Pneumonia can easily be treated with antibiotics, but if left alone, it can be fatal.
"Not every patient that has a cough should go to the doctor but if you have a cough with a fever, cough associated with chest pain, those patients, or a cough that lasts more than a week or so those patients really need to get in to be seen by their doctor," says Jenkins.
A pneumonia vaccine is available to those with a chronic illness or to those age 65 and over.