Proper Diagnosis and Treatment for Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a potentially serious illness that includes some common symptoms to watch out for. These include a nagging or severe cough, a fever, and shortness of breath. If you have pneumonia, you may also be suffering from symptoms that commonly accompany a fever, such as chills, a headache, sweating, and confusion as well as tiredness and a loss of appetite. Proper diagnosis and treatment for pneumonia often involves a medical exam, a chest X-ray, or blood tests.
So You Have Pneumonia…
First of all, with different types of pneumonia, you can expect to have different symptoms. With each type of pneumonia, recommendations for treatment and care may vary. Again, this makes it essential for you to see a medical professional if you believe you may have pneumonia.
The two kinds of pneumonia are bacterial and viral. With bacterial, you may be treated with antibiotics. With viral, an antiviral medication may be recommended. Your medical professional may recommend additional home care options to help you feel better faster. These can include:
- Plenty of rest – stay in bed and ask someone to care for you
- Staying very well hydrated and eating healthy meals
- Medications to reduce your fever
- Over-the-counter cough medicine as recommended by a medical professional
Additional medications may be prescribed if you have other health conditions or if you need relief from an intense cough or pain in your chest. Under extreme circumstances, you may need to be hospitalized to properly treat pneumonia, such as if your health is seriously compromised, your symptoms cannot be controlled, or the medication you’ve been subscribed is not working.
A medical professional at FastMed urgent care can diagnose and begin treatment for pneumonia and can arrange an appointment for you with a specialist should you need additional care. FastMed services even include forwarding your digital medical records and all test results and X-rays.
Use our online clinic locator to find a FastMed Urgent Care near you right now.