Asthma and pneumonia are two leading respiratory diseases that many people encounter. What do you know about the differences between them?
Asthma and pneumonia both affect the lungs. Although they have many similar symptoms, asthma and pneumonia are two different conditions and require separate treatments.
Highlights
- Some symptoms of asthma and pneumonia are similar, such as difficulty breathing, coughing, and increased breathing and pulse;
- Asthma is a chronic disease. You can cope with the symptoms, but you cannot completely cure them;
- Infections that cause pneumonia can be cured completely.
People with chronic diseases such as asthma are at higher risk of pneumonia than the general population. If you have asthma and flu your symptoms may be worse.
Symptoms of the disease?
Asthma and pneumonia both cause:
- Shortness of breath;
- Cough;
- Increased pulse rate;
- Increase breathing rate.
However, they also have many differences.
Symptoms of asthma
Asthma often includes symptoms such as coughing, chest tightness, and wheezing. If the disease progresses, they will increase breathing and heart rate.
In addition, decreased lung function also causes difficulty breathing. When breathing, it can make a hissing or whistling sound. Symptoms range from mild to severe. Asthma symptoms can last a few minutes to a few hours.
Asthma is difficult to control if you also have other chronic diseases. Patients are more likely to have asthma attacks when they have flu or respiratory infections.
Symptoms of pneumonia
Symptoms will start off mild and you may think you just have a cold . When infection forms, a cough will appear along with green, yellow mucus and even blood.
Other symptoms include:
- Fever;
- Headache;
- Cold sweat;
- Anorexia;
- Tired;
- Shortness of breath;
- Chest pain that gets worse when coughing or breathing.
What causes pneumonia and asthma?
Researchers have not determined the cause of asthma. Asthma can be genetic or caused by environmental factors.
Pneumonia can be caused by many factors such as:
- Viruses include flu viruses;
- Bacteria;
- Microorganisms that cause respiratory diseases;
- Mushroom;
- Other infectious agents;
- Types of chemicals.
What is the cure for asthma and pneumonia?
Asthma requires a combination of both long-term and short-term treatments. In many cases, doctors can treat pneumonia in a short time.
Treat asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease that requires long-term control. You should treat symptoms quickly. Asthma attacks can threaten the patient’s life.
If you are aware of the pathogens, stay away from them. In addition, allergy medications are also very helpful.
If your asthma is severe, you will need to take medicine every day to prevent asthma attacks. These include corticosteroids or tablets, lozenges, etc.
In addition, another tool that also effectively supports asthma patients is a nasopharyngeal nebulizer. This device delivers medication directly to the area that needs treatment, thus helping to quickly and effectively reduce asthma attacks.
Treat pneumonia
If you are in good health, home treatment is also necessary. Home care includes getting enough rest, drinking enough fluids, and taking medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen to control fever. However, you should not give aspirin to young children.
Consult your doctor about using cough medicine. Your doctor may prescribe pneumonia medications or antibacterial and anti-inflammatory medications for the lungs. Treatment can be complicated if your general health condition is not good, especially if the patient is a child under 5 years old or an elderly person over 65 years old.
