Pulmonary aspiration which occurs when you inhale things such as stomach acid, food or saliva into your lungs later on leads to aspiration pneumonia. This condition occurs due to the lungs getting filled up with bacteria that may come with the food or saliva you have inhaled. It is therefore important to be aware of Aspiration Pneumonia Prevention steps that you can follow to keep yourself healthier.
It has some specific symptoms when it occurs. Poor oral hygiene and a lot of coughing when one is eating is a leading sign of this condition. Others include fatigue, chest pain, and shortness in breath. Whizzing, difficulty in swallowing among others. It is common among elderly citizens who suffer from conditions such as GERD, dysphagia, Parkinsons disease, dementia and other neurological illnesses.
Bacteria in food, saliva and liquids can find its way to the lungs through two ways, if you chew on food and it goes the wrong way and not through the oesophagus or if the food comes back up from the stomach. Some medical conditions may cause food to reach the lungs such as throat cancer, esophagitis, GERD and Dysphagia. Coughing a lot when eating can also lead to the same.
Aspiration pneumonia can be prevented with the help of advice and guidance from a specialist. For instance, people suffering from dysphagia can be taken through diet modification. Since this condition causes a person not to swallow food properly, providing a diet that has good viscosity can allow you to swallow food properly without feeling the need to cough or any pain.
Proper swallowing therapy and exercises for the elderly is also a method used. Changing the posture of patients who are susceptible to this condition allows them to swallow food with less difficulty. This is done with the presence of a licensed speech pathologist or a swallow therapist who can take you through correct exercise to relax your gut muscles when eating.
One of the simplest preventative method is keeping a proper oral hygiene. This begins by brushing your teeth after every meal, using mouth washes to keep your saliva free from bacteria and also taking a lot of water. Doing this on a daily basis will prevent bacteria reaching the lungs through the saliva. Making regular visits to the dentist to have your teeth checked ensures that you are on track with your oral hygiene.
Having a change in your lifestyle, what you eat and drink also helps out. For instance, quitting negative habits such as excessive drinking of alcohol will serve as a prevention method. When you have too much alcohol in your system, you are susceptible to a lot of vomiting. Since vomiting brings a mixture of food and liquid back up, they may reach the lungs easily. Therefore, spend less on alcohol and instead take more water.
In addition to prevention of this condition, treatment is also mandatory. Make sure you get to the most immediate health center and speak to a licensed doctor. The doctor should take you through some tests and inquire on your overall health and if you were recently hospitalized. Make sure that you are careful when taking medications, swallowing them correctly and practice a lot of care if they make you drowsy.
It has some specific symptoms when it occurs. Poor oral hygiene and a lot of coughing when one is eating is a leading sign of this condition. Others include fatigue, chest pain, and shortness in breath. Whizzing, difficulty in swallowing among others. It is common among elderly citizens who suffer from conditions such as GERD, dysphagia, Parkinsons disease, dementia and other neurological illnesses.
Bacteria in food, saliva and liquids can find its way to the lungs through two ways, if you chew on food and it goes the wrong way and not through the oesophagus or if the food comes back up from the stomach. Some medical conditions may cause food to reach the lungs such as throat cancer, esophagitis, GERD and Dysphagia. Coughing a lot when eating can also lead to the same.
Aspiration pneumonia can be prevented with the help of advice and guidance from a specialist. For instance, people suffering from dysphagia can be taken through diet modification. Since this condition causes a person not to swallow food properly, providing a diet that has good viscosity can allow you to swallow food properly without feeling the need to cough or any pain.
Proper swallowing therapy and exercises for the elderly is also a method used. Changing the posture of patients who are susceptible to this condition allows them to swallow food with less difficulty. This is done with the presence of a licensed speech pathologist or a swallow therapist who can take you through correct exercise to relax your gut muscles when eating.
One of the simplest preventative method is keeping a proper oral hygiene. This begins by brushing your teeth after every meal, using mouth washes to keep your saliva free from bacteria and also taking a lot of water. Doing this on a daily basis will prevent bacteria reaching the lungs through the saliva. Making regular visits to the dentist to have your teeth checked ensures that you are on track with your oral hygiene.
Having a change in your lifestyle, what you eat and drink also helps out. For instance, quitting negative habits such as excessive drinking of alcohol will serve as a prevention method. When you have too much alcohol in your system, you are susceptible to a lot of vomiting. Since vomiting brings a mixture of food and liquid back up, they may reach the lungs easily. Therefore, spend less on alcohol and instead take more water.
In addition to prevention of this condition, treatment is also mandatory. Make sure you get to the most immediate health center and speak to a licensed doctor. The doctor should take you through some tests and inquire on your overall health and if you were recently hospitalized. Make sure that you are careful when taking medications, swallowing them correctly and practice a lot of care if they make you drowsy.
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