By: DR. AZIZUR RAHMAN
The mood of winter is enjoyable and exciting. But for many, it is also a source of pain. Because winter brings with it many cold-related diseases. Especially children and elderly people have more diseases during this time. Cold increases children’s risk of life-threatening pneumonia. Like every other time, hospitals see a rush of pneumonia-affected children. Pneumonia is one of the country’s leading causes of death in children under five years of age. 361 children per thousand are affected by this disease. And 24 thousand children die every year. Pneumonia accounts for 45 percent of hospital deaths. Oxygen deficiency (hypoxemia) is seen in the blood of 42 percent of the patients with this disease.
Pneumonia symptoms
* Fever
* People with the weak immune systems may not have a fever.
* Cough
* Shortness of breath
* Trembling
* Chest pain that rises and falls with breathing.
* Abnormal fever, cough, shortness of breath, sweating, and chest pain should go to the doctor immediately.
Who is at risk?
* old man
* Smoker
* Those whose diabetes is uncontrolled
* Those who have suffered any lung injury
* Those with weakened immune systems due to chemotherapy (cancer treatment) or other medications.
What needs to be done
* Must rest.
* Drink plenty of water.
* Antibiotics should be taken according to the doctor’s prescription.
* Wash hands thoroughly.
* Take care of yourself.
* Eat a balanced diet.
* No smoking.
* Avoid sneezing or coughing in front of others. Cover your mouth with your hands or use a handkerchief when sneezing or coughing.
* Must be vaccinated. For example, the influenza vaccine is very effective against influenza.
* Diabetes, AIDS, malnutrition etc., should be treated.
Conscious during illness
* Affected patients should be kept away from smoking. The patient should also be kept away from passive smoking.
* Keep away from any contamination. Smoke, dust, and mosquito coils should be removed from the patient’s room.
* Dehydration is bad for pneumonia patients. So the patient should eat a lot of water and fluids.
* Do not try to bring down the fever by taking fever-reducing medicine frequently but take medicine according to the doctor’s advice.
* The patient should also be kept away from cold weather.
* Keep an inhaler if you have asthma. Follow the usage restrictions as prescribed by the doctor.
* Patients suffering from heart and liver disease and diabetics can take the pneumonia vaccine with a doctor’s advice.
Usually, the patient copes with the shock of this disease in two weeks. However, if it is later, you must contact the hospital.