Broncho Pneumonia

A Pneumonia is quite often found as a cause of death, specially in the infants and elderly aged people. Pneumonia is the term which can be described as inflammation of the lung. Though many a different type of Pneumonia are known, among which some are common and some are rare.

Causes Symptoms Manage Approaches Investigation Testimonials

Aetiologically Pneumonia can be divided into two groups :

The Specific Pneumonia : In which the disease is caused by a definite or specific pathogenic organism.
The Aspiration Pneumonia : In these some abnormality in the respiratory system predisposes to the invasion of the lung by organisms of relatively low virulence such as - H.Influenzae, some Streptococcal Pneumonae and certain of the bacteria forming the normal flora of the upper respiratory tract and mouth. In this group of pneumonia as term implies, infection generally reaches the alveoli by aspiration from other parts of the respiratory tract.

By and large pneumonia is defined as inflammation in the lung parenchyma, the portion distal to the terminal bronchioles and comprising the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs and alveoli. While the inflammation may have many different causes and varying durations, the term pneumonia commonly refers to acute infection. The causative organisms reach the lung by any of these roots which are :

Inhalation of microbes present in the air.
Aspiration of organisms from the naso-oropharynx, interestingly is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia.
Haematogenous spread from a distant focus of infection,or rarely
Direct spread from a contagious site of infection.

The group of Specific pneumonia may further be subdivided into Bacterial and Viral Pneumonias. Generally Streptococcus Pneumonae, Staphylococcus Pyogens, Klebsiella Pneumonae and Mycobacterium Tuberculae are the bacterias known to cause bacterial pneumonias

Clinically the patient is usually an infant, young child or an elderly person.
The onset is comparatively sudden, with the symptoms of feverish cold.
For first two or three days the patient shows the clinical features of the Acute Bronchitis and then, as Lobular Pneumonia develops the temperature rises to higher level ( 103 o - 105 o F) the Pulse and Respiratory Rates increase which may be 120 or more and 40 to 60 per minute respectively.
Then the temperature becomes remittent type following by crisis in about 7 to 10 days.
A further rise in temperature may indicate a fresh spread of the infection, with these the Dyspnoea and Cyanosis may appear.
There is generally a severe cough with purulent sputum which may be blood - stained or occasionally rusty in colour.
Infants normally have no sputum, any pulmonary secretions which is brought up on coughing being either swallowed or vomited.
In severe cases the child is very drowsy, being overwhelmed with the Toxemia.

Patients with chronic Bronchictesis and Emphysema who contract Broncho pneumonia are liable to develop Ventricular Failure, so that must be avoided. The mortality rate is higher at the extremes of life, specially if the disease is associated with Malnutrition or if it supervenes on chronic Bronchiactesis, Emphysema, chronic Nephritis or Heart disease, so it becomes important to manage the complications. We must know the more widespread the involvement of the lungs and the greater the systemic upset, the worse is the Prognosis.

For Homeopathic management 'Prevention is better than cure' suits the most as it can be done in many a number of cases of different diseases. Here cases of Bronchopneumonia can be minimized by careful attention to apparently benign upper respiratory infections such as Coryza and Acute Bronchitis, specially when they occur at the extremes of life in patients with chronic Bronchitis. Similarly prophylactic measures should be taken to prevent Whooping Cough and Measles or if at all they occur these should be treated adequately.

Blood, X-Ray Chest, Sputum Culture.

Not Available