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Pneumonia: How To Feel Better
You've gone to the doctor for a diagnosis. You've picked up your prescriptions or over-the-counter medications. Is there anything left to do besides wait for the pneumonia to pass?
Absolutely. While your lungs are fighting off infection, there are many ways to feel better. Follow these simple steps to make a big difference.
Home is where healing happens. Though cabin fever may set in after a few days, stay home from school or work until your fever breaks and your cough goes away. This protects your body and lowers your risk of infecting others.
Staying home and resting are two different things. This is not the time to tackle that big outdoor project or clean out your closets. Be still and let your body rest. This helps it fully focus on fighting the infection.
Drink, drink, then drink some more. Fluids hydrate the body, loosen mucus in the lungs, and help bring up phlegm. Take in lots of water. Boil a big mug of warm tea. Sip clear soups.
Though it may not feel like it to you, coughing can be a good thing. It helps your body get rid of infection. Don't suppress it with cough medicine. If your cough is keeping you from resting, check with your doctor.
Stay away from smoke to let your lungs heal. This includes smoking, secondhand smoke, lit fireplaces, and polluted air. Exposure to smoke may increase risk for future lung problems, including another round of pneumonia.
Whether your doctor recommends prescription or over-the-counter medication, follow all directions carefully. If you're taking antibiotics, don't skip a dose or stop taking them when you feel better. This can cause bacteria to stick around and multiply, making your recovery time longer. It can also increase your resistance to antibiotics in the future.
Pneumonia and fevers often go hand in hand. Get those high temps back to normal with over-the-counter medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or acetaminophen. Check with your doctor to see which is best for you. And never give aspirin to a child or teen unless instructed to by their doctor.
Having a hard time breathing? Clear your lungs with a cool-mist humidifier or warm bath
Pneumonia can come back, so take it slow when you start to feel better to ensure a full recovery. Taking on too much too soon can send you straight back to bed.
Keep germs at bay by washing your hands regularly, wearing a mask, coughing into your elbow, and cleaning areas like refrigerator handles that get touched often.
What Are The Stages Of Ovarian Cancer?
Your ovaries are two almond-shaped organs that make female hormones and store eggs. If you have ovarian cancer, abnormal (cancerous) cells have been found inside one or both of them.
After you're diagnosed, your doctor will explain what stage of cancer you have. This data helps doctors treat you. It will also give you a better idea of what's going on inside your body.
"Staging" is the term doctors use to describe the size and location of a tumor. This includes where it started, if it's spread, and where it is now. For ovarian cancer, doctors figure out your stage by testing tissue samples from different parts of your pelvis and belly.
This information helps your doctor better predict the best way to treat your cancer. Staging needs to be very precise. If not, a cancer that's spread outside your ovaries might be missed.
Some medical groups may stage things in a slightly different way. The FIGO system by the International Federation of Gynecological Oncologists is a commonly used staging system.
Stage I is the least advanced stage of ovarian cancer. It means cancer is only in your ovaries or fallopian tubes. Within this group is:
Stage IA: Cancer is confined to inside only one ovary.
Stage IB: Cancer is inside both your ovaries.
Stage IC: Cancer is present in both ovaries. Plus, one of these has happened:
Stage II cancer hasn't spread to your lymph nodes or organs in distant parts of your body, but it has reached organs close to your ovaries.
Stage IIA: Cancer now is also in your uterus, fallopian tubes or both.
Stage IIB: Cancer has spread to organs in your pelvis like your bladder, colon, or rectum.
As well as nearby organs like your uterus and bladder, stage III cancer now is also in your stomach lining, the lymph nodes behind your belly, or both.
Stage IIIA1: Cancer is in your nearby lymph nodes and may be growing in nearby organs.
Stage IIIA2: Tiny cancer deposits are in your stomach lining, but can only be seen with a microscope. Cancer may also be in nearby lymph nodes.
Stage IIIB: Your doctor saw cancer growths in your belly during surgery, but they're less than 2 centimeters (cm) across. They may also be outside your liver and spleen and in your lymph nodes.
Stage IIIC: This is like Stage IIIB except the cancer growths your doctor sees are larger than 2 cm.
The most advanced stage, stage IV signals that your cancer has spread to some distant organs.
Stage IVA: Cancer cells are in the fluid around your lung, but it hasn't spread to any other areas outside your abdomen or pelvis.
Stage IVB: Cancer has been found inside lymph nodes, as well as tissues and organs. This may include your skin, lungs, or brain.
Talk with your doctor about what your stage means for your treatment and outlook. If you feel confused, anxious, or depressed, make sure to share your concerns and ask for support. You may want to talk with a counselor who works with people who have cancer, and you might want to join a support group.
Grading can help your doctor predict certain things about your cancer, such as how it will probably grow or spread. This may affect your treatment plan.
One type, serous epithelial ovarian cancer, is low-grade or high-grade. Other types have more detailed grades: Grade 1 (well-differentiated) cancers have cells that look a lot like normal cells and are less likely to spread or come back. Grade 2 (moderately differentiated) and grade 3 (poorly differentiated) cancers look more unusual and are more likely to spread or come back.
How Often Should You Get A Pneumonia Shot?
Pneumonia vaccines help prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases. People should get a pneumonia shot at least once in their life. The type of shot will depend on a person's age and health status.
Pneumonia is an infection that causes inflammation in the lung's air sacs. The inflammation can cause the sacs to fill with pus or fluid. Typical symptoms include cough, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing.
There are two types of pneumonia: bacterial and viral. According to the American Lung Association, bacterial pneumonia is more common and results in a more serious illness.
Pneumonia is common among children and older adults, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people over the age of 65 years are most at risk for serious illness or death.
In this article, we look at more information about the pneumonia vaccine and when a person should receive it.
How often a person should get the pneumonia vaccine depends on their age and overall health.
The CDC recommend the following schedules:
A person under the age of 65 years should receive the PPSV23 vaccine if they smoke, are receiving chemotherapy treatment, or have any of the following conditions:
A person can get both vaccines if they have any of the above conditions or any of the following:
However, the CDC recommend that if people need to have both vaccines, they should get them in separate visits.
Who should not get the vaccine?People should not get the vaccine if they have had a life threatening allergic reaction to a previous dose.
Additionally, a person should not undergo vaccination if they have had an allergic reaction to medication containing diphtheria toxoid or an earlier form of the pneumonia vaccination (PCV7).
Lastly, people who are sick or have allergic reactions to any of the ingredients of the vaccine should talk to a doctor before getting the shot.
A pneumonia shot will not reduce pneumonia. However, it helps prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases, such as meningitis, endocarditis, empyema, and bacteremia, which is when bacteria enter the bloodstream.
Noninvasive pneumococcal disease includes sinusitis.
There are two types of pneumonia shots available. Which type a person gets depends on their age, whether or not they smoke, and the presence of any underlying medical conditions.
The two types are:
According to the CDC, PCV13 protects children and others against 13 different strains of bacterial pneumonia. PCSV23 protects older adults and others who need it against 23 different strains of bacterial pneumonia.
Although the pneumonia shots will not prevent a person from ever getting pneumonia, they may help in reducing cases of invasive pneumococcal diseases.
At least one dose of PCV13 protects:
One dose of PCSV23 helps protect about 50–85 out of 100 healthy adults against invasive pneumococcal disease.
If a person receives a second pneumonia shot too soon, they may experience worse side effects than someone receiving the vaccine for the first time. In particular, severe localized, arthritis-like reactions are more frequent.
The general CDC guidelines for people who are 65 years of age or older vary, depending on the type of vaccine.
If a person received one dose of PPSV23 prior to the age of 65 years, they should get one final shot after this age. However, they should wait until it has been at least 5 years since the first shot. For example, if they received their first shot at 62 years of age, they should wait until they are 67 years old for the second and final dose.
If a person wants both PCV13 and PPSV23 after the age of 65 years, they should get the PCV13 first and wait 1 year to get the PPSV23 shot. If they have already received the PPSV23, they should wait at least 1 year before getting the PCV13 shot.
Most people who get the pneumonia vaccine will not experience any side effects. However, as with any medication or vaccine, there is a risk that a person will develop side effects. These side effects typically disappear after a few days.
Some potential mild side effects from PCV13 include:
Some potential mild side effects from PPSV23 include:
With PCV13, there is some risk of seizure in young children if they receive the shot at the same time as a flu vaccine. A parent or caregiver should talk to a doctor about the best times to get each shot.
A person who is over 65 years of age should talk to their doctor about which pneumonia vaccine may be best for them. The doctor can help determine whether they should get the vaccination, which vaccination to get, and when to get it.
Parents and caregivers of young children should talk to a pediatrician about the schedule for the pneumonia vaccination. The pediatrician can also address any questions or concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccination.
A person does not need to see a doctor for mild reactions to the vaccine, such as tenderness at the injection site, fever, or fatigue.
However, if a person experiences any life threatening side effects, they should seek emergency help immediately.
Signs and symptoms of allergic reactions in children may include:
Allergic reactions in adults can lead to:
The pneumonia vaccination is a safe and effective way to help prevent some of the most severe cases of pneumonia.
Healthcare providers recommend the shot for infants, people with weakened immune systems, and those who are over 65 years of age. People who have certain medical conditions or are allergic to the vaccine should not get the shot.
Pneumonia vaccination may cause mild side effects in some people, but these should go away on their own within a few days.

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