Amongst many lung infections, there exists a common infection called pneumonia. Pneumonia causes the air sacs within the lungs to swell. This is because the air sacs can possibly fill up with pus or liquid. This results in cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, lack of appetite, sweating, etc. Pneumonia may or may not be contagious, depending on how it was caused. However, at times pneumonia can be life-threatening, and therefore it is vital to get it checked by a doctor as soon as possible in order to begin treatment!
Here are 6 ways you can avoid getting pneumonia:
- Keep yourself clean! A crucial way to try to avoid getting not just pneumonia but flu and other illnesses is by keeping your hands clean. This can be done by washing them consistently using lukewarm water and soap. After washing your hands, rinse and dry them. Taking care of your oral hygiene is also extremely important in order to avoid pneumonia. This can be done by regularly brushing your teeth as well as by using a medicated mouthwash.
- Exercise! In order to be able to curb an illness like pneumonia, it is vital to be vigilant of the way you take care of your immune system. By regularly exercising, studies show that impact is positive and boosts your immune system, which helps avoid infections like pneumonia. This includes physical as well as breathing exercises. Breathing exercises help the lungs function more efficiently and with ease hence reduce the risk of pneumonia.
- Stay healthy! A fundamental way to avoid illnesses such as pneumonia is by eating fruits and vegetables as well as food rich in fiber so that your immune system remains stronger. Fruits such as those that are rich in vitamin C help curb the chances of pneumonia. Examples of these include oranges, apples, and kiwis. Additionally, taking a sufficient amount of rest is also very important for your body. This means getting at least 8 hours of sleep.
- Avoiding smoking and drinking alcohol! Smoking impacts the lungs negatively, causing harm to the tissues present in the lungs. Even passive smoking harms the lungs and increases the chances of pneumonia. If alcohol is taken in large quantities, then it causes the immune system to become fragile. This makes it harder for your body to fight off infections and diseases.
- Booster shot! People over 65 years of age and kids under two are advised to get vaccinated with PCV13 or PPSV23. Vaccination is crucial for those individuals within this age range who smoke, have frail immune systems, and have persistent health concerns. Both these vaccines help guard individuals from the different types of bacteria that end up causing pneumonia. Additionally, getting the flu vaccine can also help curb chances of pneumonia since, more often than not, flu paves the path of you eventually getting pneumonia!
- Protection against germs! When visiting the hospital or a health care specialist, they need to have scrubbed their hands properly, wear gloves and face masks when performing any procedure. Taking care of personal hygiene especially as a health care worker allows germs not to be transmitted from one person to another.
Hence, if you would like to get a check-up done for pneumonia or any other respiratory-related diseases, then we have the best health care specialists for you! We have the best Pulmonologist in Lahore and the best Pulmonologist in Islamabad, which you can go to according to your city! And epistaxis is the nose bleeding disease.
