Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. Bacteria, viruses, and fungi causes it. The infection causes inflammation in the air sacs which may be filled with fluid or pus in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.  
This infection can be life-threatening to anyone, but particularly to infants, children and people over 65.

Stages

Pneumonia has four stages, namely consolidation, red hepatization, grey hepatization and resolution.

1. Consolidation
   • Occurs in the first 24 hours
   • Cellular exudates containing neutrophils, lymphocytes and fibrin replaces the alveolar air
   • Capillaries in the surrounding alveolar walls become congested
   • The infection spreads to the hilum and pleura fairly rapidly
   • Pleurisy occurs
   • Marked by coughing and deep breathing
2. Red Hepatization
   • Occurs in the 2-3 days after consolidation
   • At this point, the consistency of the lungs resembles that of the liver
   • The lungs become hyperaemic
   • Alveolar capillaries are engorged with blood
   • Fibrinous exudates fill the alveoli
   • This stage is “characterized by the presence of many erythrocytes, neutrophils, desquamated epithelial cells, and fibrin within the alveoli”
3. Grey Hepatization
   • Occurs in the 2-3 days after Red Hepatization
   • This is an avascular stage
   • The lung appears “grey-brown to yellow because of fibrinopurulent exudates, disintegration of red cells, and hemosiderin”
   • The pressure of the exudates in the alveoli causes compression of the capillaries
   • “Leukocytes migrate into the congested alveoli”
4. Resolution
   • This stage is characterized by the “resorption and restoration of the pulmonary architecture”
   • A large number of macrophages enter the alveolar spaces
   • Phagocytosis of the bacteria-laden leucocytes occurs
   • “Consolidation tissue re-aerates and the fluid infiltrate causes sputum”
   • “Fibrinous inflammation may extend to and across the pleural space, causing a rub heard by auscultation, and it may lead to resolution or to organization and pleural adhesions.

Types

Pneumonia can also be classified according to where or how it was acquired:

1. Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) – This type of bacterial pneumonia is acquired during a hospital stay. It can be more serious than other types, as the bacteria involved may be more resistant to antibiotics.
2. Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)- Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) refers to pneumonia that’s acquired outside of a medical or institutional setting.
3.  Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) – When people who are using a ventilator get pneumonia, it’s called VAP.
4.  Aspiration pneumonia – Aspiration pneumonia happens when the person inhales bacteria into the lungs from food, drink, or saliva. This type is more likely to occur if the person has a swallowing problem or if he/she is too sedate from the use of medications, alcohol, or other drugs.

Diagnosis

• Medical History
• Physical Examination
• Listening the lungs, with a stethoscope, for a crackling or bubbling sound.
• Chest X-ray
• Blood test to check white blood cell count.
• Sputum Tests – Using a microscope to look at the junk the patient cough up.
• Pulse Oximetry – A pulse oximetry test, which measures the oxygen in the blood.
• CT scan
• Bronchoscopy – This test is done if the patient’s initial symptoms are severe. It looks into the airways in the lungs.

Symptoms

Pneumonia symptoms can be mild to life-threatening. They can include:

• Pneumonia symptoms can be mild to life-threatening. They can include:
  • Coughing that may produce mucus
  • Fever
  • sweating or chills
  • Shortness of breath that happens while doing normal activities or even while resting
  • Chest pain that’s worse when you breathe or cough
  • feelings of tiredness or fatigue
  • loss of appetite
  • nausea or vomiting
  • headaches
• Other symptoms can vary according to your age and general health:
  • Children under 5 years old may have fast breathing or wheezing.
  • Infants may appear to have no symptoms, but sometimes they may vomit, lack energy, or have trouble drinking or eating.
  • Older people may have milder symptoms. They can also exhibit confusion or a lower than normal body temperature.

Causes

• Bacteria, viruses, or fungi can cause pneumonia. Common causes include:
  • Flu viruses
  • Cold viruses
  • RSV virus (the top cause of pneumonia in babies age 1 or younger)
  • Bacteria called Streptococcus pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Naturopathy Treatment

• Mud pack on stomach
• Mud pack on chest
• Enema
• Alternate fomentation of stomach , chest, liver, kidney and upper back.
• Full body Massage with targeting all marma points.
• Massage of feet palm and head with til oil.
• Whole body wet sheet pack
• Chest pack (woollen cotton bandage)
• Wet friction bath before bed.
• Dry friction bath before daily bath.

Yoga

1. Mudras
   • Gyana Mudra
   • Vayu Mudra
   • Apana Mudra
   • Prana Mudra
   • Mukul Mudra ( keeping fingers on the chest region)
   • Asthma Mudra.
2. Pranayam
   • Nadishodhan
   • Anulom vilom
   • Bhastrika
   • Kapalbhati
   • Ujyayi
   • Bhramari
3. Sukshma vyayam of legs, hands griva chalan and eye movement.
4. Vajrasana samooh
   • Thunderpose(vajrasana)
   • Cat pose (marjari asana)
   • Tiger pose (vyaghra asana)
   • Frog pose (Mandookasana)
   • Camel pose (Ushtrasana)
   • Rabbit pose(shashank asana)
5. Yogasanas laying down on back
   • Suptaudrakarshanasan
   • Setubandha asana
   • Suptatadasana
6. Asanas laying down to stomach
   • Makrasana
   • Bhujangasana
   • Tiryakbhujangasana
   • Dhanurasana
7. Sitting pose
   • Nauka chalan
   • Chakki chalan
   •  Pashchimottanasan
   • Meru vakrasana
   • Padmasana
8. Standing pose
   • Tadasana
   •  Triyaktadasana
   • Katichakrasana
   • Vrikshasana
9. Suryanamskar completing with Shithalikaran

Key Notes

1. Patient should always take care of its own capacity. Capacity of movement, holding the posture and capacity of repetition
2. Always take care of heart beat while doing yoga it should be normal not so fast.
3. Yoga should be done with full consciousness on inner body and breathing, to get faster and positive results.
4. Yoga doesn’t have any negative effect but it is  necessary to make a proper yoga chart for a speedy recovery.
5. Sukshma vyayam, mudra and shithalikaran is equally necessary and beneficial so it shouldn’t  skipped.
6. Concentrate more on pranayama and avoid all kind of fast yoga and exercises.

Diet

First three weeks

The patient should take food which is easily digestible. The patient should be on liquids for at least 3 weeks if the condition is very serious.

After three weeks

• In morning: 6am to7am
  • 10 pieces- Raisins, 2 pieces- Dates, Anjeer (soaked in water and grinded to make a solution).
• At 9am
  • One bowl of Daliya ( liquid)
  • One bowl of mix vegetables soup.
  • One Pulpy fruit
• 12 pm
  • One tablespoon of curd mixed with a glass of water
• 1.30 pm to 2 pm
  • Boiled Vegetable, soupy brown rice and one bowl of salad chopped minutely into pieces.
• 4pm
  • A glass of citrus juice. Sweet lime juice is always the best .
• 7pm to 8pm
  • Fox nuts (taal makhana), Daliya/ porridge, soup.
  • One Pulpy fruit ( mango is best in other season, chikoo or papaya or other pulpy fruit can be taken).
  • Before bed take a cup of warm water and a one inch piece of jaggery.

Myths and Truths

Myth – Pneumonia is incurable.
Truth – Pneumonia is curable, when Yoga and Naturopathy treatment is taken.
2. Myth – Eating Fruits or fruit juice makes the condition worse.
Truth -Sweet pulpy fruit and Citrus juice improves immunity and helps in fighting Pneumonia.
3. Myth – Dry ginger, ginger, black pepper, are good for patient.
Truth – It makes the pneumonia worse. Consuming bitter things damages Mucus Membrane.
4. Myth – Hot compress is good and cold is bad.
Truth – Hot compress dilates the vein that improve the blood flow and remove toxins whereas after giving cold compression vein comes in its own shape, otherwise dilated vein will accumulate more toxin.

Do’s and Don’ts

Say YES to:

• Wake up before sunrise.
• Take proper rest.
• Pray and have positive and generous thoughts.
• Take pure natural satwik food.
• Milk, butter milk, sprouts, fox nuts dates, raisins, fig, honey, jaggery, and sweet pulpy fruits.
• Fruit juice and vegetable’s soup.

Strictly Prohibited

• Dairy products
• Bakery items
• Processed Food.
• Food that contains excessive of roughage, white rice, tea, coffee, pickles and watermelon.
• Ginger, Black pepper and Red chilly.
• Avoid to eat without hunger and over eating.

All the information available on this website is for education and awareness purposes only. Follow these practices only under the guidance of a trained Yoga and Naturopathy practitioner. Punam Agarwal and her Yoga and Naturopathy initiatives are not liable for any injuries caused during the process.