Diagnosis of pneumonia helps doctors determine the cause of the disease, so that the pneumonia treatment process will go smoothly and be highly effective.
Pneumonia is a disease that can affect millions of people each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 400,000 people have needed evaluation and treatment in emergency departments, and more than 50,000 have died from the disease. Complications caused by pneumonia are dangerous, but can be completely prevented by early diagnosis and timely treatment.
Please join us to learn how to examine the lungs and the 3 methods of diagnosing pneumonia that doctors most often apply!
1. Physical health check
Diagnosing pneumonia can sometimes be difficult because the symptoms are often similar to those of a cold or flu. To find out if you have bacterial, viral, or fungal pneumonia, your doctor may ask:
- Do you smoke?
- Any medications being taken?
- Do you keep animals in the house?
- History of diseases, has the disease recurred?
- Any recent trips you’ve taken?
- Have you ever had a flu or pneumonia vaccine?
- Have you been in contact with sick people at home, school or work?
Your doctor will examine your lungs by listening to them with a stethoscope and ask you to breathe deeply during the procedure to listen to the front and back of your chest. If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make rustling, cracking or wheezing sounds when you breathe.
2. Based on pneumonia symptoms
This way of diagnosing pneumonia is based on the unusual symptoms you experience. Pneumonia symptoms can vary depending on the severity, the type of germ causing the disease, your age, and your overall health.
Common pneumonia symptoms may include:
- Shortness of breath
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Fever, sweating, shaking
- Loss of appetite, fatigue, weakness
- Nausea and vomiting, especially in young children
- Confusion, especially in older adults
- Abdominal pain, joint pain or back pain
- Cough, which may be accompanied by green, yellow or even bloody phlegm
- Sharp, stabbing pain in the chest that may be worse with deep breathing or coughing
Pneumonia symptoms will also have their own characteristics depending on whether the pneumonia is caused by bacteria or viruses.
Diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia
This is the most common form and is often more serious than other types of pneumonia. Symptoms of bacterial pneumonia can develop gradually or suddenly and include fever rising to 40 degrees Celsius, heavy sweating, and accelerated breathing and heart rate. Lips and nails are bluish due to lack of oxygen in the blood. The patient’s mental state may be confused or delirious.
Viral pneumonia
Symptoms of viral pneumonia usually develop over a period of several days. Initial symptoms are similar to flu symptoms and include fever, dry cough, headache, muscle aches and weakness. Within 1-2 days, symptoms often become more severe, with increased coughing, difficulty breathing, and muscle pain . You may also have a high fever and blue lips.
Pneumonia symptoms can vary by age, often in children under 2 years old, adults over 65 years old, and people with serious medical conditions or compromised immune systems. The initial diagnosis of pneumonia is often based on the clinical symptoms the patient experiences.
3. Tests to diagnose pneumonia
Pneumonia diagnostic tests will be performed after going through the above examination steps. If your doctor suspects you have pneumonia, you may be offered one or more of the following pneumonia tests:
• Chest X-ray: Chest X-ray is the best test to diagnose pneumonia, helping to determine the extent and location of the infection. However, this test will not tell your doctor what type of germ is causing the pneumonia.
• Blood test: A complete blood count (CBC = Complete blood count) test to check whether the immune system is fighting the infection and to try to determine the type of organism causing the infection . However, accurate identification is not always possible.
• Sputum test: Your doctor may collect a sputum sample from spit or mucus from deep in the lungs and send the sample to a lab for testing. This can help your doctor find out if bacteria are causing your pneumonia and plan specific treatment.
• Chest computed tomography (CT): This test shows more detailed images of the lungs or checks for complications such as lung abscess or pleural effusion.
• Pleural fluid culture: For this test, your doctor will take a sample of fluid from the pleural cavity (a thin space between the two layers of tissue lining the lungs and the chest cavity) to test for bacteria that can cause pneumonia.
• Pulse oximetry: This test uses a small sensor attached to a finger or ear to estimate the amount of oxygen in the blood. Pneumonia can prevent the lungs from moving enough oxygen into the blood.
• Bronchoscopy: This is a test to look inside the airways of the lungs. At the same time, collect fluid samples from the site of pneumonia or take a small biopsy of lung tissue to help find the cause of the pneumonia.
After diagnosing pneumonia and identifying the cause of the disease, your doctor may prescribe some of the following treatments for pneumonia :
• Use medication as prescribed: Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, antivirals, and antifungals depending on the condition. Besides, some medications can be used to improve symptoms such as cough suppressants, pain relievers and fever reducers…
• Healthy lifestyle: You need to rest, drink lots of water and have a nutritious diet. Avoid bad habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol, skipping doses on your own or taking medication without a doctor’s prescription.
• Take preventive measures: You should wear a mask, wash your hands regularly, and get vaccinated to prevent pneumonia infection.
Pneumonia, if left untreated or improperly treated, can lead to dangerous pneumonia complications such as acute pulmonary edema, sepsis, meningitis, pleural effusion…
Diagnosing pneumonia is a way to help detect and determine the cause of the disease. This is the premise to help treat pneumonia more effectively and quickly, so see your doctor as soon as you detect symptoms!
