Millions of people in the United States alone are affected with pneumonia every year. With pneumonia season here, there is no better time than now to clear up any misconceptions about the treatment and prevention of pneumonia.
Myth 1: You can catch pneumonia from not dressing properly when it is cold or rainy outside.
Fact:Despite old wives tales that not wearing a warm enough coat during cold or wet weather causes pneumonia, this statement is false. Cold air itself does nothing to promote or bring on a case of pneumonia. The cause for pneumonia is normally bacteria although fungi, viruses and chemicals can also cause pneumonia. The most common way that people come in contact with pneumonia is through droplets from an infected person. If a person that has pneumonia coughs or sneezes into the air, a healthy person that comes into contact with these droplets may develop pneumonia. This is why in the winter more people tend to break out with pneumonia, people are indoors in tighter quarters together, increasing the likelihood of passing on pneumonia.
Myth 2: Pneumonia requires a person to be on bed rest for days, even weeks.
Fact:Although rest may be required by a doctor for a few days after diagnosing pneumonia, physical activity can actually be beneficial in speeding up recovery time. As long as there are no signs of the heart beating too quickly (tachycardia) or lack of oxygen flow through the body to the brain (hypoxia) physical activity can help prevent thrombi (blood clots) in the arms and legs preventing medical complications of pneumonia often accompanied with bed rest. Taking short walks several times a day, or for those unable to walk, sitting up in a chair, can improve a patient’s ability to cough up mucus from the lungs all while working muscles to prevent weakness from inactivity.
Myth 3: All cases of pneumonia require hospitalization.
Fact: Not all cases of pneumonia are severe and require a hospitalization. Many cases of pneumonia referred to as “walking pneumonia” are minor and usually only require an increase in the amount of liquids consumed, rest, and in some cases of bacterial pneumonia, antibiotics.
Myth 4: Double pneumonia is worse than single pneumonia.
Fact:Many people have the misconception when they are diagnosed with double pneumonia that their case is double as bad as the normal case of pneumonia. This is not true. Double pneumonia simply means that both lobes of the lungs are affected with pneumonia versus just one. This doesn’t mean that the double pneumonia is worse, as a person with single pneumonia may be more severely affected than someone with double pneumonia.
Myth 5: Antibiotics always cure pneumonia.
Fact:Pneumonia is not always treatable by antibiotics. Only bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, and in some cases it doesn’t respond. The bacteria may grow to resist the antibiotic making it ineffective. Many doctors argue that over prescribing of antibiotics is making them work less efficiently, especially in Europe and the United States where prescribing is more prominent. Also, if a patient is given a prescription for antibiotics and doesn’t finish the whole prescription, the bacteria may be more likely to resist the antibiotics.
Myth 6: Only older people should get vaccinated against pneumonia.
Fact: Although a large majority of people that get pneumonia are over the age of 65, there are other factors that make people at risk. Certain groups of people at risk are those that:
- have chronic respiratory problems such as COPD or asthma
- live in care facilities
- have a weak immune system
- are men
- have HIV or AIDS
- have chronic health problems such as diabetes
- have difficulty swallowing
- are alcoholics
References
- Web MD
- Mayo Clinic
- Centers for Disease Control
Stephanie Adamson - You could say that I have always had a passion, a desire even, to write. In second grade my favorite class was "writer's workshop" and ...
