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Which Antibiotics Treat Pneumonia and What to Expect
Jennifer Welsh is a Connecticut-based science writer and editor with over ten years of experience under her belt. She’s previously worked and written for WIRED Science, The Scientist, Discover Magazine, LiveScience, and Business Insider.
Anju Goel, MD, MPH, is a board-certified physician who specializes in public health, communicable disease, diabetes, and health policy.
If you’ve been diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia, you’ll likely be prescribed antibiotics to treat it. Antibiotics kill bacteria or render them unable to replicate.
Your doctor may prescribe one of many antibiotics for pneumonia. Review what pneumonia is, what treatment for pneumonia may entail, and why your doctor may pick one pneumonia medication over the other.
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Pneumonia is a lower respiratory infection. where to buy augmentin These are infections of the lungs or lung structures, like the bronchi. Pneumonia may make it harder to breathe because the air sacs in the lungs that exchange oxygen with carbon dioxide fill up with fluid.
Viruses or bacteria can cause different types of pneumonia. Less commonly, a fungus can be the culprit.
Viral pneumonia, caused by the viruses that also cause the common cold or flu, typically goes away on its own with enough time and rest. This type of pneumonia tends to be more seasonal in the fall and winter when cold and flu viruses spread.
Recovering from viral pneumonia could take up to three weeks. You can treat pneumonia's fever and pains with over-the-counter medicines. Antibiotics won't help you get better quicker if a virus causes your pneumonia.
Bacterial pneumonia is more common and needs to be treated with antibiotics to resolve fully, which may take a month or more. Bacterial pneumonia may be caused by the same pathogen that caused the original illness. Or it can be a secondary bacterial infection after a viral illness.
Children are now routinely given the PCV13 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. This helps prevent infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, including pneumonia and ear infections. Adults 65 and older can get the PPSV23 vaccine to help prevent bacterial pneumonia.
Regular use of these vaccines has lowered bacterial pneumonia rates, even in nonvaccinated adults, due to herd immunity.
Is a Staph Infection Contagious?
A staph infection is caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. Staph can cause boils, food poisoning, cellulitis, toxic shock syndrome, MRSA, and various other illnesses and infections. Most staph infections are transmitted from person to person.
Levofloxacin
Commonly sold under the brand name ‘Levaquin’ levofloxacin is a member of the quinolone family of antibiotics. Levofloxacin inhibits the multiplication of bacteria by interfering with the bacteria’s ability to repair its cells.
What we like: Levofloxacin is typically given for more stubborn UTIs, or those that have displayed a resistance to other antibiotics. As such, it is a very valuable weapon in the antibacterial arsenal.
Flaws: Side effects such as lightheadedness and nausea are more common with this antibiotic than with others such as amoxicillin.
Top Side Effects From Augmentin
Thanks for all your comments and advice, everyone. Ashley is getting better. She still has a slight fever, coughing, and a stuffy nose. Her appetite is still quite bad and takes forever to eat her food.
Yesterday while I was reading the gmac insurance review, she told me that her tummy was aching.
I believe it was due to Augmentin antibiotics. It is one of the side effects of Augmentin. She experienced the same thing when she was a toddler. When I told her pain that she gets tummy ache after taking Augmentin, she said some children may be able to tolerate Augmentin when they are older, hence she prescribed her with it this time. I guess my kid is different. I have been giving her probiotics to ease the ache.
