MEDICAL INSIDER-DR BRYAN
WALKING PNEUMONIA
(Part 4)
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Dr. Bryan, we are still in our discusson on Walking Pneumonia. I asked you last week, if it is good to take hot showers when you have pneumonia.
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: And my answer was: It is said that moisture in the air you inhale helps loosen the mucus in your lungs. Take warm baths or showers, so you can breathe in the steam. Since you can’t stay in the bathroom all the time, you could also set up a humidifier in your house to give the air more moisture.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): That’s helpful!
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: By the way, you can also help open your airways by drinking plenty of warm fluids, using a humidifier or like what I said, taking a hot bath or shower. If you have a fever, it’s a good idea to drink more fluids and rest.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Dr. Bryan, is heat or cold compress good for pneumonia? Which is better?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: I would suggest that you use warm compresses or a heating pad on the lowest setting to relieve chest discomfort. You can do this several times a day for short periods of time. So your skin will not get injured, you may set the temperature to warm, not hot. Don’t put the compress or pad directly on your skin.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Does steam inhalation help alleviate a patient who is sick of walking pneumonia?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Placing a humidifier in the room will help, but doing actual steam inhalation with essential oils like lavender, or tea tree can also ease the discomfort of the throat. Use medicine for controlling fever. The fever is usually low grade, but can drain the body.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): What is the sleeping position of someone who has walking pneumonia?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: I would suggest that you sleep with your head elevated. This way you can reduce coughing and improve breathing. Use an extra pillow or a wedge pillow to elevate your head and chest while sleeping. Dehydration can make pneumonia symptoms worse and make it harder to sleep. Be sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Does walking pneumonia require bed rest?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: If you want to rest, that will be good. But, with walking pneumonia, you may feel like you have colds. Remember, symptoms are usually mild, so you likely won’t need bed rest or a hospital stay. You may not feel the need to stay home from work or school. So you may be out walking around.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): Is walking pneumonia worse at night?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Walking pneumonia symptoms include: Dry cough that’s persistent and typically gets worse at night.Usually, walking pneumonia indicates a more mild pneumonia which I said is caused by a bacteria called mycoplasma pneumoniae. If you have walking pneumonia, your symptoms will be mild and you’ll probably function normally.
The Bohol Tribune (TBT): What are the signs that a patient who has walking pneumonia is improving?
Dr. Bryan Cepedoza: Some of the signs that would indicate that a patient is improving from walking pneumonia may include the following: less mucus production, reduced coughing, no fever or chills, improved energy levels, less chest pain especially when breathing or coughing, improved oxygen levels in the blood when a person measures them with a pulse oximeter, and less shortness of breath. (To be continued)