Every time you breathe in, air travels down the trachea, through
a series of channels called bronchi, and finally reaches little clusters of air
sacs called alveoli. There are some 600 million alveoli in the lungs, adding
up to a surface area of roughly 75 square meters — the size of a tennis
court. These tiny sacs, only one cell thick, facilitate a crucial exchange: allowing
oxygen from the air we breathe into the bloodstream and clearing out carbon
dioxide.
Pneumonia wreaks havoc on this exchange. Pneumonia is an
infection of the alveoli that causes them to fill with fluid. There are many
different kinds of pathogens that can cause pneumonia. The most common ones are
viruses or bacteria.
Causes of Pneumonia:-
These microscopic invaders enter the body via droplets either
in the air we breathe, or when we touch our eyes, noses, or mouths after
touching a contaminated surface. Then, they face the respiratory tract’s defense
system.
Smoking damages the cilia, making them less able to clear even the normal amount
of mucus and secretions, let alone the increased volume associated with
pneumonia.
Genetic and autoimmune disorders can make someone more susceptible to
pathogens that can cause pneumonia. Young children and the elderly also have
impaired clearance and weaker immune systems. And if someone has viral
pneumonia, their risk of bacterial respiratory infection is higher.
Many of the deaths from pneumonia are due to lack of access
to healthcare. But sometimes, even with appropriate care, the body enters a
sustained fight against the infection it can’t maintain, activating
inflammatory pathways throughout the body, not just in the lungs. This is
actually a protective mechanism, but after too long in this state organs start
shutting down, causing shock and sometimes death.
Symptoms:-(
- ·
Cough, which may
produce greenish, yellow or even bloody mucus.
- ·
Fever, sweating
and shaking chills.
- ·
Shortening of
breath.
- ·
Rapid, shallow
breathing.
- ·
Sharp or stabbing
chest pain that gets worse when you breathe deeply or cough.
- ·
Loss of appetite,
low energy, and fatigue.
- · Nausea and vomiting, especially in small children.
The worst symptoms typically fade out in about a week, though
full recovery may take as long as a month. Otherwise healthy adults can often manage
pneumonia at home. But for some groups, pneumonia can be a lot more severe,
requiring hospitalization and oxygen, artificial ventilation, or other
supportive measures while the body fights the infection.
So how can we prevent pneumonia?
Prevention:-)
Eating well and getting enough sleep and exercise helps your
body fight off infections. Vaccines can protect against common
pneumonia-causing pathogens, while washing your hands regularly helps prevent
the spread of these pathogens— and protect those most vulnerable to severe
pneumonia.
Defense System of your Body:-)
The Mucociliary Escalator - The mucociliary escalator consists of mucus that
traps invaders and tiny hairs called cilia that carry the mucus toward the
mouth, where it can be coughed out.
But some of these invaders may get past the mucociliary
escalator into the lungs, where they meet the alveoli. Because alveoli serve as
critical exchange points between the blood and air from the outside world, they
have their own specialized types of white blood cells, or macrophages, which
defend against foreign organisms by enveloping and eating them. When pathogens
enter the lungs, the macrophages work to destroy them.
The immune system releases additional white blood
cells in the alveoli to help. As these immune cells fight the pathogens, they
generate inflammation — and fluid as a by-product of the inflammation. When
this fluid builds up, it makes gas exchange inside the alveoli much more
difficult.
As the level of carbon dioxide in the bloodstream begins to rise,
the body breathes more quickly to try to clear it out and get more oxygen in. This
rapid breathing is one of the most common symptoms of pneumonia. The body also
tries to force the fluid out of the alveoli through coughing. Determining the
cause of pneumonia can be difficult, but once it is established, doctors can
prescribe antibiotics, which may include either antibacterial or antiviral
treatments. Treatment with antibiotics helps the body get the infection under
control. As the pathogen is cleared out, the body gradually expels or absorbs fluid
and dead cells.
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