Which lung is affected by aspiration pneumonia

Home remedies can't treat pneumonia, but they can be used to effectively manage its symptoms. Here's what you can do for coughing, fever, and more. Pneumonia is a serious complication of COPD. Find out how pneumonia differs from other lung infections, and how this condition is treated. Asthma and pneumonia share some important symptoms, such as shortness of breath and coughing. However, they are distinct diseases. Learn more about…. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses.

General symptoms include chest pain, fever, cough, and trouble breathing. Double pneumonia is a lung infection that affects both of your lungs. Learn more about the symptoms and prognosis for double pneumonia. Walking pneumonia is a mild form of pneumonia. In some cases, your child may not even act like they are sick. Learn more.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Aspiration Pneumonia: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment. Medically reviewed by Carissa Stephens, R. What are the symptoms of aspiration pneumonia? What causes aspiration pneumonia? Anecdotal reports suggest systemic corticosteroids may be beneficial in patients with oil or petroleum jelly aspiration.

Chemical pneumonitis, bacterial pneumonia, or airway obstruction Duration of treatment is usually 1 to 2 weeks. Treatment of lung abscess Treatment Lung abscess is a necrotizing lung infection characterized by a pus-filled cavitary lesion.

Many practitioners continue antibiotic treatment until the chest radiograph shows complete resolution or only a small, stable, residual abnormality. Strategies to prevent aspiration are important to care and overall clinical outcome.

Sedating drugs should be stopped. Patients with dysphagia due to stroke or other neurologic conditions have long been recommended to follow diets with specialized textures to attempt to reduce the risk of aspiration however there is little firm evidence that this is effective. A speech pathologist may be able to train patients in specific strategies chin tuck, etc.

For patients with severe dysphagia, a percutaneous gastrostomy or jejunostomy tube is often used, although it is not clear whether this strategy truly reduces the risk of aspiration because patients can still aspirate oral secretions and may have reflux of gastrostomy tube feedings. Optimization of oral hygiene and regular care by a dentist may help prevent development of pneumonia or abscess in patients who repeatedly aspirate.

Patients with aspiration pneumonitis and aspiration pneumonia should be tested for an underlying swallowing disorder. Aspiration pneumonia should be treated with antibiotics; treatment of aspiration pneumonitis is primarily supportive. Secondary prevention of aspiration using various measures is a key component of care for affected patients. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and well-being around the world.

The Manual was first published in as a service to the community. Learn more about our commitment to Global Medical Knowledge. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Common Health Topics. Videos Figures Images Quizzes Symptoms. Chemical pneumonitis Aspiration pneumonia. Radiographics full text - Pubmed citation. Promoted articles advertising. Case 1: acute aspiration pneumonitis Case 1: acute aspiration pneumonitis.

Case 2 Case 2. Case 3 Case 3. Case 4 Case 4. Loading more images Close Please Note: You can also scroll through stacks with your mouse wheel or the keyboard arrow keys. Loading Stack - 0 images remaining. By System:. The health care provider will listen for crackles or abnormal breath sounds when listening to your chest with a stethoscope.

Tapping on your chest wall percussion helps the provider listen and feel for abnormal sounds in your chest. Some people may need to be hospitalized. Treatment depends on how severe the pneumonia is and how ill the person is before the aspiration chronic illness. Sometimes a ventilator breathing machine is needed to support breathing. You may need to have your swallowing function tested. People who have trouble swallowing may need to use other feeding methods to reduce the risk of aspiration.

Call your provider, go to the emergency room, or call the local emergency number such as if you have:. Musher DM. Overview of pneumonia.