Aspiration pneumonia occurs when foreign substances, such as vomit or food, are accidentally inhaled into the lungs, causing inflammation and potential bacterial infections. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and fatigue. Treatment options include oral antibiotics and, in severe cases, hospitalization for intravenous oxygen therapy and antibiotics. Those at risk include individuals with poor gag reflexes, chronic throat problems, and gastrointestinal reflux disease. Prompt treatment is important for recovery.
Aspiration pneumonia is a lung condition that occurs when a liquid or solid substance is accidentally breathed into the airways. Foreign substances such as regurgitated stomach contents, saliva, foods and drinks can irritate and inflame the lungs and can introduce serious bacterial infections. The severity of symptoms depends on the amount of material inhaled, but most people have a chronic cough, wheezing, chest pain, and fatigue. Mild cases can usually be treated with oral antibiotics. Patients who develop severe and persistent symptoms may need to receive intravenous oxygen therapy and antibiotics in the hospital.
Most people suffering from this condition are incapacitated the moment the foreign substance is inhaled. A person might be having a seizure or stroke or be under general anesthesia for a surgical procedure. Individuals who consume too much alcohol or are under the influence of sedative drugs may also choke on fluids from the mouth or vomit and inhale some into the lungs. Occasionally, food or liquid reaches the lungs of people with poor gag reflexes or chronic throat problems. Having gastrointestinal reflux disease increases your chances of getting this type of pneumonia as well.
Inhaling stomach acids in vomit causes a chemical inflammatory response in the lungs. Similarly, saliva and other contents of the mouth harbor bacteria, which can lead to infected abscesses in the lung tissue if inhalation occurs. Both types of aspiration pneumonia can make a person cough painfully and have difficulty breathing normally. An individual may pant, feel very tired, and develop a fever. If bacteria are present, your breath may smell bad and your cough may produce green, bloody phlegm. It’s important to visit a doctor or emergency room at the first possible sign of this condition to learn about treatment options.
A doctor can confirm whether aspiration pneumonia is responsible for the patient’s symptoms by listening to the lungs, checking blood oxygen levels, and taking imaging scans of the chest. He or she looks for signs of bacterial abscesses and inflammation to assess the severity of the disorder. If tests are inconclusive, a fiberoptic camera called a bronchoscope may be inserted through the mouth into the lungs so the doctor can see the tissue inside.
Many people who get this type of pneumonia recover in a few days with rest and adequate fluid intake. Bacterial infections tend to respond well to a two-week course of oral antibiotics. A patient who has severe breathing difficulties may need to be hospitalized and given oxygen therapy. With prompt treatment, even severe cases of pneumonia are usually treatable.
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