Get to know the lungs

You may often hear that having a night wind when riding a motorbike can make you catch pneumonia. Moreover, if the habit is then followed by symptoms in the form of a cough or fever. Actually, what are wet lungs? Is it true that a cough that doesn't go away is a symptom of you having pneumonia? Find out more on this page.

What are wet lungs?

Pneumonia is a condition in which your lungs fill up with fluid due to inflammation. In a way, this condition is not a disease, but a manifestation of several lung diseases that may strike you.

This term is usually used by the general public to describe the condition of the buildup of fluid in the lungs. Several conditions in the medical world that are usually interpreted by the public as pneumonia, include pleural effusion and pulmonary edema.

Pleural effusion is a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs. Quoted from the Cleveland Clinic, the pleura is a thin membrane that lines the lungs and the inside of the chest cavity and acts to lubricate. Usually, the pleura does consist of a small amount of fluid.

Meanwhile pulmonary edema refers to the buildup of fluid that occurs in the air sacs in the lungs, aka the alveoli. This condition makes it difficult for you to breathe.

What are the symptoms of pneumonia?

This condition often causes no symptoms, but generally you may feel chest pain. In addition, there are several other symptoms that accompany when you experience pneumonia, namely:

• Dry cough
• Fever
• Difficulty breathing, especially when lying down
• Chest pain
• Hard to breathe

Other symptoms may depend on the disease that caused you to experience this condition. There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor or check your symptoms here.

What are the causes of pneumonia?

The buildup of fluid that occurs in the lungs can be caused by irritation or infection of the lungs. Some of the diseases that cause pneumonia include:.

• Lung infections (pneumonia), tuberculosis, and cancer can cause inflammation of the lungs and pleura
• Congestive heart failure
• Cirrhosis (poor liver function)
• Pulmonary embolism, which is a blockage in the pulmonary artery
• Severe kidney disease can affect how fluid is stored in the body
• Lupus and other autoimmune diseases

How do doctors detect this condition?

After asking about your symptoms, the condition of pneumonia is usually found after doing a chest X-ray. In addition, the doctor may also:

• Computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest: This procedure can check for the cause of the symptoms, such as shortness of breath or chest pain. This examination can also detect several lung problems, including fluid buildup.
• Chest ultrasound: An ultrasound of the chest is done to find out what type of fluid has accumulated, whether there is inflammation, cancer cells, or infection.

If you have pulmonary edema, you need to be treated immediately. Therefore, your doctor will make a diagnosis based on your symptoms and a physical examination, electrocardiogram, and x-rays.

Once your condition is more stable, the new doctor will ask about your medical history, especially whether you have had cardiovascular disease or lung disease.

Your doctor may ask you to do the following tests to determine the cause of pneumonia:

• Pulse oximetry: This procedure is used to determine how much oxygen is in your blood
• Blood test: This examination aims to check the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide contained in the blood
• Electrocardiogram (ECG): This procedure can reveal a variety of information about your heart.
• Echocardiogram: This examination can help doctors detect heart problems.

How to treat and treat pneumonia?

Often times there is no need for a special way to treat pneumonia, because the fluid will disappear on its own when the cause is corrected. If the buildup causes discomfort, the doctor will remove the fluid.

There are several ways that doctors can do to reduce the amount of fluid in the lungs. Here are suggestions your doctor may give.

1. Pulmonary drainage

Pulmonary drainage is one way of treating this condition, which is usually done at the earliest. To drain excess fluid in the pleura, the doctor will insert a small tube into the pleura so that the fluid can drain out of the lungs.

This procedure must be monitored regularly so that the tube that is installed remains safe and does not move. Especially if this tube is installed for a long time and requires repeated drainage.

However, not all sufferers of this condition require repeated drainage. This depends on the cause of pneumonia, the amount of fluid in the lungs, the severity, or the possibility of lung recurrence at any time.

2. Pleurodesis

Pleurodesis is a procedure of treating by inserting certain substances or drugs into the pleural cavity. The drug serves to help glue the pleura so that fluid cannot get into the lining of the lungs.

The type of drug used depends on the cause. To treat pneumonia caused by infection, the doctor will usually put antibiotics. After that, the doctor will use a diuretic drug in the form of furosemide to help drain excess fluid in the pleura.

3. Pulmonary surgery

If you have done various methods but they are not working, lung surgery can be a last resort. This surgical procedure is only performed to treat pneumonia that is already classified as severe or is caused by cancer.

This operation is performed by entering shunt or a small tube into the chest cavity. Its function is to help remove fluid from the chest cavity and drain it into the stomach.

By draining it into the stomach, it will be easier to remove and will not interfere with the function of other organs. Consult your doctor first to get the right treatment advice and in accordance with your health condition.