{"id":5085,"date":"2018-12-26T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T14:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=5085"},"modified":"2022-04-22T14:35:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-22T19:35:56","slug":"pneumonia-season-protect-yourself","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/pneumonia-season-protect-yourself\/","title":{"rendered":"Every season is pneumonia season – get vaccinated to protect yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"

You often hear the phrase, \u201ccold and flu season,\u201d but when it comes to pneumonia, there is no season.<\/p>\n

Pneumonia is a disease that can strike at any time, and in some cases, it can be deadly.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s estimated about 1 million people in the United States infected with pneumococcal pneumonia<\/a> seek care in a hospital each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC). Of those people hospitalized, about 50,000 die. Most of those affected are adults.<\/p>\n

What is pneumonia?<\/h2>\n

Many people are unclear about what\u2019s meant by a diagnosis of pneumonia. It\u2019s not just a bad cold or bronchitis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Pneumonia is a lung infection caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi that enter the lungs, causing the air sacs to fill with fluid. Inflammation results and produces the symptoms of pneumonia \u2013 cough, fever<\/a>, difficulty breathing. With bronchitis, instead of the air sacs being affected like they are with pneumonia, the bronchial tubes become inflamed, which restricts air flow, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n

Similar to the flu<\/a> or even a cold<\/a>, pneumonia can be spread through coughing, sneezing and touching surfaces that may be infested with germs. And, according to the American Lung Association<\/a>, pneumonia can be a complication of a severe case of flu.<\/p>\n

The risk, diagnosis and treatment<\/h2>\n

Pneumonia is more serious \u2013 and potentially deadly \u2013 in infants, adults over 65 and people with existing health conditions or a weakened immune system.<\/p>\n

In addition to a health care provider taking a thorough history and conducting a physical exam, pneumonia can be diagnosed with tests used to look at the lungs, blood tests and analyzing cough-produced sputum.<\/p>\n

Treatment depends on the type of pneumonia. In general, people improve within one to three weeks. Antibiotics<\/a> can be used for bacterial pneumonia and other treatment includes fluids, rest, oxygen therapy and medicine for cough and fever.<\/p>\n

Preventing pneumonia<\/h2>\n

Getting vaccinated for pneumococcal pneumonia<\/a> is the best defense against becoming ill. And since pneumonia can be a complication of flu, getting an annual flu shot is also a good rule of thumb, according to Dr. David Jones<\/a> of OSF HealthCare Medical Group \u2013 Family Medicine<\/a> in Normal.<\/p>\n

OSF HealthCare<\/a> follows the guidelines of the CDC regarding pneumonia vaccinations.<\/p>\n

Getting vaccinated<\/h2>\n
\"pneumonia

Getting a pneumonia vaccine is considered the best defense against becoming ill.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Jones said there are two types of vaccine<\/a>. The first vaccine is the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). The second vaccine is the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23).<\/p>\n

\u201cHealthy adults under the age of 65 don\u2019t need either one,\u201d he said. \u201cHowever, depending on your health, you might need to get both to protect yourself from pneumonia and any possibly dangerous complications.\u201d<\/p>\n

The PCV13 vaccine is given to infants in a series of shots until the age of 15 months. The U.S. government recommends a person receive one dose between the age of 6 and 18. Between the ages of 19 and 64, anybody with a blood disorder, a damaged or missing spleen, a compromised immune system, kidney disease or cancer, should get this vaccine.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt age 65, everyone should get this vaccine and follow it up with a dose of the other pneumonia vaccine (PPSV23) type at least one year later,\u201d Dr. Jones said.<\/p>\n

Like the other vaccine type, the PPSV23 vaccine should be given to all people age 65 or older.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, anyone age 19 or older who is a smoker, or who has asthma, should get this vaccine,\u201d he said. \u201cPeople between the ages of 2 and 64 should get this vaccine, too, if they have heart disease, lung disease, sickle cell anemia<\/a>, diabetes, alcoholism, a compromised immune system, a damaged or missing spleen or cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Making the push to get vaccinated<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re trying to get as many people who meet the criteria vaccinated to prevent community-acquired pneumonia,\u201d Dr. Jones said. \u201cPneumonia can strike any time of the year, so this is a year-round effort on our part.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe it\u2019s important to be vaccinated,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s for the prevention of a very serious disease. If there\u2019s ever any questions, a person should contact their primary care provider and discuss what options are best for them.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You often hear the phrase, \u201ccold and flu season,\u201d but when it comes to pneumonia, there is no season. Pneumonia is a disease that can strike at any time, and in some cases, it can be deadly. It\u2019s estimated about 1 million people in the United States infected with pneumococcal pneumonia seek care in a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":5205,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[733,735],"tags":[398,74],"coauthors":[688],"class_list":["post-5085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lung-respiratory-health","category-preventive-health","tag-pneumonia","tag-vaccines"],"yoast_head":"\nEvery season is pneumonia season - Get vaccinated to protect yourself | OSF HealthCare<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You often hear the phrase, \u201ccold and flu season,\u201d but when it comes to pneumonia, there is no season.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/pneumonia-season-protect-yourself\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Every season is pneumonia season - 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