Left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia: symptoms and treatment

Often after visiting a doctor, patients hear a diagnosis - left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia. The disease is quite common and with proper treatment does not entail dangerous consequences. Nevertheless, it is important to diagnose it in time and draw up a correct treatment regimen. So what are the causes of pneumonia? What symptoms are worth paying attention to a sick person? Is it possible to somehow prevent the development of the disease?

What is an ailment?

To begin with it is necessary to understand the meaning of the term "left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia". As is known, the left lung consists of two parts, and the right one consists of three parts. And each lung is divided into ten segments.

Pneumonia is a disease accompanied by pneumonia. The inflammatory process can be one-sided (left- or right-handed) or bilateral. Depending on the location, pneumonia can be total (all lungs are affected), focal (there is only one or several small foci of inflammation), lobar (a certain proportion of the lung is affected) and segmental (the inflammatory process is limited to one or several segments). Sometimes you can hear the term "extrapulmonary left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia" - as a rule, this means that the primary source of infection is located in other organs, for example, in the pleural cavity.

It is worth saying that the mortality rate among patients is about 5%. The fact is that the left-sided lower - lobe / focal pneumonia at the first stages can be hidden - patients turn to the help too late. And the likelihood of spreading the inflammatory process to the heart is high.

It is worth saying that inflammation can have varying degrees of severity. There is another classification scheme - there is an out-of-hospital left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia (the patient is infected by airborne droplets outside the hospital) and nosocomial or nosocomial inflammation, in which the ailment developed in the patient while in hospital.

The main causes of pneumonia

Inflammatory process develops as a result of ingress of pathogenic microorganisms into the body. In the role of pathogens can act bacteria, viruses, fungal organisms. They can get out of the environment, as infections are transmitted by airborne droplets.

Naturally, the penetration of the pathogen into the respiratory system does not always lead to inflammation. The risk factors include smoking, weakening of the immune system, the presence of chronic diseases in the patient - all this increases the likelihood of developing pneumonia. In some cases, the infection enters the lungs along with the blood flow from another inflammatory focus in the body.

Case history: left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia and its signs

At the initial stages, this form of inflammation may even be asymptomatic. Patients only note a constant weakness and fatigue, drowsiness, decreased efficiency. In the future, the situation is aggravated. There is a cough. Sometimes it is dry, but often accompanied by a sputum discharge. As the disease develops, sputum becomes abundant, sometimes it can be seen streaks of blood.

Patients complain of chest pain, especially on the left side (in the heart area). Soreness increases with coughing and deep inspiration. Owing to the lack of oxygen, patients often have cyanotic lips and general pallor.

The temperature is constantly increasing, often rising to 40 degrees. Patients also have general symptoms of intoxication, including body aches, severe chills, nausea and lack of appetite, vomiting, severe headaches, often even loss of consciousness. Of course, each patient has a different set of symptoms, and in varying degrees of severity. Often the symptoms of left-sided low-grade pneumonia are confused with usual pharyngitis or cold, especially when it comes to young children. This is the danger of pneumonia.

Features of the symptomatology depending on the pathogen

As already mentioned, the left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia can develop against the background of the activity of viruses or bacteria. The above symptoms are present in almost any form of pneumonia, but each pathogen has some characteristics.

For example, viral pneumonia is accompanied by a dry cough and constant shortness of breath. Patients complain of rapid fatigue, fever and severe weakness in the muscles. But with bacterial form the body temperature is not so high, although the heat, of course, is present. A person can notice a strong wet cough accompanied by a sputum discharge.

Modern diagnostic methods

Correct and timely diagnosis is very important. When the first symptoms appear, it is worthwhile to see a doctor, in fact, despite the existence of powerful antibacterial drugs, pneumonia can still be fatal:

• The patient must necessarily give blood for analysis - during the study you can see an increase in the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation, as well as an increase in the number of leukocytes, which indicates an inflammatory process.
• Biochemical analysis of blood samples is carried out, as well as sputum examination for the detection of the pathogen.
• Important for diagnosis and chest radiography, which makes it possible to identify foci of inflammation.
• In some cases, a fibrobronchoscopy is performed, which allows to examine the patient's bronchi from the inside.

Left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia: treatment with drugs

Immediately it is necessary to say that self-medication in this case is dangerous. Only a doctor can make an effective therapy regimen. When suspected of bacterial pneumonia, the patient is first prescribed antibiotics of a wide range of effects, in particular, fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins of the third or fourth generation.

During this time, specific tests are conducted, the purpose of which is to accurately determine the pathogen. If pneumonia develops against the backdrop of invasion with legionella, pneumococcus, chlamydia, hemophilic rod and mycoplasmas, the doctor can prescribe more effective antibacterial preparations of a narrow spectrum. But the tests need at least 3-4 days, and with pneumonia it is necessary to act quickly.

In viral pneumonia, doctors prescribe antiviral drugs, in particular, Zanamivir, Remantadin, Acyclovir. Unfortunately, drugs are effective only if they are taken within 48 hours after infection. In other cases, the patient is hospitalized and symptomatically treated. Antibiotics for viral infection are useless, but they are still prescribed for the prevention of secondary bacterial complications.

As an aid, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used that help to eliminate fever and soreness. Therapy lasts about 2-4 weeks, depending on the severity of the ailment.

Proper care of the patient

Pneumonia is a serious disease in which a patient needs a thorough care. Patients are shown bed rest, minimum physical activity and lack of stress. It is better for a person to stay in a well-ventilated area where they regularly hold a wet cleaning. If the treatment is done at home, the patient should provide a separate set of dishes to prevent the spread of infection.

A plentiful warm drink with inflammation is necessary, as it helps to accelerate the removal of toxins from the body and prevent the development of dehydration. There are patients who need light but high-calorie food.

When does the patient need hospitalization?

Quite often, the left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia is treated out-patiently, at home. In what cases is therapy necessary in a hospital setting?

• All children under the age of three must necessarily be hospitalized.
• The patient should be sent to the hospital in the presence of severe shortness of breath, heat (up to 39.9 degrees) or, conversely, a decrease in temperature to 35.5.
• If during the analyzes a significant decrease in the level of hemoglobin was detected, as well as an increase in the level of urea and creatinine, treatment should be better performed in a hospital setting.
• Indications for hospitalization are a violation of consciousness, a sharp drop in blood pressure.
• If complications occur (including pleurisy, myocarditis, arthritis), the patient should be immediately taken to the hospital.

Preventive actions

Acute left-sided lower-lobe pneumonia is a dangerous ailment that, in the absence of therapy, leads to dangerous complications, including pulmonary edema, shock, sepsis, meningitis and pericarditis, acute heart failure.

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for pneumonia. Therefore, the only prevention is a healthy lifestyle. Proper nutrition, gradual hardening of the body, walking outdoors, refusal from smoking and drinking alcohol, regular physical activity - all this strengthens the body, making it more resistant to pathogenic microorganisms.

All infectious and inflammatory diseases must be amenable to adequate treatment, and the therapy must last until complete recovery. To strengthen immunity, it is recommended to take a course of vitamin therapy twice a year. And, of course, with the first worsening of well-being it is worth turning to a specialist, because you can have community-acquired left-side lower-lobe pneumonia.