Pneumonia leads to persistent coughs and difficulty in breathing. [Photo/www.emedicinehealth.com]
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the alveoli. Alveoli are the small air sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged with the blood.
Pneumonia is caused by viruses, bacteria and other micro-organisms that move into your lungs and bronchi, causing infection, inflammation and congestion.
Bacterial and viral cases of pneumonia usually have similar symptoms.
Symptoms of pneumonia are coughs, fever, chills, chest pain and difficulty in breathing.
Germs that often cause pneumonia normally live in your throat and airways, and even dip into your lungs without causing problems.
It's usually when your guard is down (like after years of smoking and drinking or when you've been sick with another illness) that your lungs become vulnerable to these everyday bugs.
When pneumonia is mild, it can be mistaken for a cold and it can cause much trouble when it's serious.
Pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of the lung, is a common complication of pneumonia that makes coughing and breathing difficult.
Factors that can predispose you to pneumonia are smoking, immunodeficiency, alcoholism and liver disease.
When dealing with pneumonia, take lots of fluids, thin your phlegm to make your coughs more productive (you could take expectorants) and get adequate rest.