Pneumonia is a lung infection in which the basic respiratory unit where air exchange happens- the alveoli get filled with pus and fluid, leading to difficulty breathing and poor oxygen intake
What Are The Causes Of Pneumonia?
Bacteria, Viruses, and Fungi are the microbes responsible for causing pneumonia.
Stages of Pneumonia
Four stages of pneumonia are congestion, red hepatization, gray hepatization, and resolution, respectively
The first stage of pneumonia falls mainly into the first 24 hours after the infection. It is often characterized by cough with clear or green/yellow sputum, high fever and chills, chest heaviness, and chest pain with breathing.
In second stage shortness of breath can appear here, and the lips and fingers may turn blue due to low blood oxygen levels.
The third stage are either signs of improvement or a worsening condition. Sometimes it may come with worse complications (such as a lung abscess and bleeding into the lungs).
At the last stage of pneumonia, the infection is resolved with proper treatment. The microbes are killed off, and the immune cells work to clear up all signs of the infection.