Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be caused by bacteria, fungus, viruses, and other infections. It can also be caused by health conditions that lead to a lung infection by enabling pathogens to attack your lungs. It is widely believed that those under the age of five or over the age of sixty are the most vulnerable to it and if they happen to have a weakened immune system, then they are more at risk of contracting a severe case of pneumonia. For example, Influenza can wreak havoc to your lungs and cause it to fill up with fluids. Under normal conditions and with a strong immune system in place, you should be able to get the same treated effectively. However, if you do currently have a weakened immune system as a result of recent surgery or other underlying health conditions, then there are chances that you will contract a more severe case of the same. Currently, over 50,000 people die from pneumonia each year, in the US mainland alone.

Prevention of pneumonia
While it is not possible to inoculate your body against pneumonia, there are a few things that you can do to prevent affecting you in the first place.

• Quit smoking: If you are a frequent smoker, then you should know that each time you smoke, you are impairing your lungs and its ability to stave off any lung-related infections. Just try holding your breath and if you cannot hold for more than a minute, then your lungs are impaired and not working as effectively as they could. So, if you plan to prevent pneumonia, then you need to quit smoking as soon as possible.
• Practice good hygiene and habits: It is essential that you reside in a clean environment as this can help prevent infections which may result in pneumonia. Make sure that you cover your mouth each time you sneeze and avoid sharing cutlery etc. with someone who has a cold.
• Proper nutrition: Make sure that you eat well and that your body gets the required minerals, proteins and vitamins. This can help prevent pneumonia and what’s more, it should help give your immune system a boost as well.

Treatment methods that can be used:
Once your doctor diagnoses your condition correctly, he will start you on a course of treatment, depending on the causative factors. Your pneumonia could be caused by bacteria or virus and even fungus. Depending on the main cause, the treatment methodology may differ.

Bacterial pneumonia is treated immediately with antibiotics. However, in the case of a viral infection, you are given antiviral drugs, to help treat the current condition. You may also be given medications to prevent any secondary infections as well. At the moment, no complete cure exists for pneumonia and what makes pneumonia so dangerous is that it tends to cause fatalities, especially when the patient in question is either too young or too old.

These are some of the ways by which you can prevent pneumonia and in the process; help safeguard your health as well. It is essential that you keep an eye on symptoms of this disease and seek immediate treatment the moment you are diagnosed.