to rest for the first few days after you’ve been diagnosed, although you may feel tired for several weeks after the diagnosis. Health care providers schedule a follow-up appointment to take place one month after someone has been diagnosed with pneumonia, to make sure symptoms have gone away. at that time, the provider will take another chest X-ray to make sure all the pneumonia is gone. Risks although anyone can develop pneumonia, children under age 2 and people over age 65 have the highest risk of developing a severe case of it. This is because these age groups tend to have immune systems least capable of fighting off infection. other risk factors for developing pneumonia are smoking, alcohol abuse, and having certain medical conditions, including diabetes, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (coPD), or autoimmune disease. Taking immunosuppressive medication, such as chemotherapy or long-term steroid therapy, also increases a person’s risk of developing this condition.
categories. This vaccine protects against one specific bacteria, streptococcus pneumoniae, one of the deadliest bacteria known to cause pneumonia. It is recommended that everyone over the age of 65 get the pneumococcal vaccine. 3. Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. cigarette smoke makes the lungs more susceptible to pneumonia. 4. Practice excellent hand hygiene. Frequently washing your hands or using hand sanitizer is an excellent way to prevent the spread of germs that can cause pneumonia. Seek treatment promptly Pneumonia is contagious and can be fatal; according to the Mayo clinic, pneumonia kills more than 60,000 people in the United states annually. ask your doctor if you or your child should receive the pneumonia vaccine; maintain excellent hygiene practices to limit the spread of disease, including covering your sneezes and coughs and cleaning hands frequently; and see your health care provider without delay if you develop a cough, cough up yellow or green mucus, and have fever, chills, shortness of breath, and chest discomfort.
Pneumonia can kill people quickly.
Prevention The best ways to prevent pneumonia are to: 1. Get a flu shot every fall. Bacterial pneumonia that develops in someone weakened by the flu can be very severe. 2. Get the pneumonia vaccine, called a pneumococcal vaccination. This is especially important for people in high-risk
A diagnosis of
Cancer
is overwhelming news.
Sara Erickson, mD, is a board-certified pulmonologist and practices with Lakeview Hospital, Stillwater.
It raises many questions few of us are prepared to answer, such as: • How can I take time off from work? • Can I get help paying bills? • What is the difference between a health care directive and a power of attorney? • Can I keep my health insurance even if I lose my job? • And many others. If you or a loved one is facing cancer, we are here to help.
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We provide free cancer related legal information on a wide range of topics.
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educate.inform.empower December 2013 MInnesoTa HealTH care news
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