Pneumonia is not a trivial problem and can be fatal if not treated well. Whenever possible, you need to prevent yourself from getting infected particularly if you’re considered a high risk to get this disease.
Vaccines
One of the best ways to prevent the flu and pneumococcal pneumonia is to get anti-flu shots. There are vaccines for pneumococcal pneumonia as well as for the flu. People who are vaccinated with anti-flu vaccines doesn’t guaranty them immunity from vaccines though; they, however, tend to experience:
- Less likelihood of complications
- Shorter duration of the symptoms
- Less severity of the symptoms
Pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine – One shot of the pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine can last for about five years or more. This type of vaccine is more important for people who:
- Are 5 to 18 years old suffering from health issues like cancer, lung diseases or heart diseases.
- Are 5 years old and younger
- Smoke
- Have weak immune systems, prolonged and serious medical conditions or chronic diseases
- Are 65 years old and above
Influenza vaccine – This is the typical flu shot that enables some people to less likely get a flu or make its symptoms a lot more tolerable. Its efficacy is good for a year and is often administered in October or November prior to the peak flu season. An added advantage of this vaccine is that it also prevents pneumonia which often comes to people who have just ended their flu.
Hib Vaccine – Hib is short for haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). This is bacteria that can cause meningitis and pneumonia. Children are administered with the Hib to make them more resilient to this bacterium. It is usually administered on infants who are around 2 months old.
Other Steps in Preventing Pneumonia
Listed below are healthy advises in helping you not be infected with pneumonia pathogens:
Always maintain the health of your immune system – To do this always perform healthy exercises everyday like daily walking, get adequate rest and eat a healthy diet.
Stop smoking – Smoking tobacco can do harm to your body in so many ways. One harm it can wreak is that it impairs the lungs’ ability to defend against pathogens and filter out germs.
Always clean your hands with water and soap; if no soap and water is available, rubbing alcohol or alcohol-based sanitizers will do to kill germs.
One thing you should do if you are suffering from pneumonia is to limit your exposure with people especially with friends and family to prevent infecting others with your illness. Cover your mouth and nose while sneezing or coughing and dispose of the used tissues as soon as possible.
Eva Paglialonga is a licensed acupuncturist and massage therapist in Miami, FL and the medical director of Needles and Moxa Wellness Center.