Recovering from Pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of the serious illnesses that can have fatal effects on the body if neglected or unattended. Hence, seeking medical health immediately is the first thing a patient or his loved ones should do.

However, only starting with the treatment does not mean that the patient will regain his or her health again since recovery from pneumonia takes a lot of time and any inadequate care can lead to relapse.

So, in order to make your treatment a success, you have to supplement it with proper personal care. You have to adhere to certain health-related rules till you have recovered thoroughly and are out of danger.

Pneumonia is essentially an infection of one or both the lungs, which can be caused by various bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Due to the infection, the air sacs of lungs are inflamed, and they get filled with contaminated fluid or pus known as phlegm.

This results in various symptoms such as cough, fever, chest pain, chills, breathing problems, etc. Even though these symptoms are relieved with medication and immediate treatment, a patient is not completely healed unless and until the phlegm is completely eliminated from the lung sacs.

The recovery time for pneumonia largely depends on your overall health, type of infection, and the severity of the infection. So, you must have to take some strict precautions to avoid the relapse as your body tends to weaken and carries the risk until the phlegm, which houses deadly bacteria, is thrown out from your body.

These are some tips to help you heal faster:

• It is important to take rest even after symptoms have been relieved. Many people start stressful activities if they feel a little better. But, remember that your body is weak and vulnerable to other diseases due to weak immune system. So, proper rest, sleep, and relaxing would help regain immune system.

• Always go for frequent checkups that your doctor have asked you for. Some people stop visiting their doctor thinking they have recovered, but remember that the bacteria is just suppressed for some time with the medication and will get activated again if you neglect your health. So, you must consult your doctor for proper checkup to know your health status.

• Apart from checkups, you must also take your medication on time as told by your doctor. Make sure you are taking the right medicine in the right quantity at the right time. You must also ask the doctor about what you should and should not eat during the course of the medication. It will help you attain the maximum health benefits from the medicines.

• Try to expel the phlegm naturally out of your body. Hence, avoid using cough suppressants as they prevent the bacteria which may come out through coughing. Instead, using expectorants may help you in productive coughing which will throw out more bacteria from the body. 

Also, try to take long hot water showers or steam baths that can aid you in the process of pneumonia recovery. It is also advisable to use humidifier in the room at night as it can soothe your chest.

• One crucial step to recovery is to prevent relapse and other diseases. Therefore, avoiding polluted places where you may inhale additional bacteria may help. Try to wear a mask while heading to crowded or public places. Another important thing you must remember is to avoid visiting sick people as both would be vulnerable to catch each others illnesses.

• A good healthy diet would help you keep fit and strong. But, avoid foods that would add on to your coughing fits and/or thicken the phlegm. Try to perform various breathing exercises, at least, two to three times a day so that more and more pure oxygen reaches to your lungs.

You must strictly avoid smoking during recovery as smoking will never allow you to recover completely and may make the situation even worse.

The tips are sure to help you recover faster from pneumonia after which you can lead a normal healthy life and enjoy it too. So, follow the aforementioned tips and precautionary measures, and get well soon.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.