Tips For Aspiration Pneumonia Prevention

By Ann Wagner


When the lungs get filed with bacteria through pulmonary aspiration, aspiration pneumonia tends to occur. Aspiration Pneumonia Prevention is one of the best ways to keep people from having this condition through simple steps that can be done at home and others with the help of a specialist.

Aspiration pneumonia is in itself a very dangerous condition which requires immediate medical attention. This condition can display symptoms such as throat clearing or having wet coughs immediately after eating, chest pain, poor oral hygiene, fatigue, difficulty in swallowing among others. It is common amongst babies and the elderly especially those above 60 years who suffer from dementia, stroke or swallowing dysfunctions.

The food, saliva and liquids can get to the lungs when they come back up from the stomach or when food goes the wrong way when chewing. These two can be caused by some medical conditions such as throat cancer and dysphagia which make it impossible for one to swallow food properly. Having gag reflexes when eating could also be a cause that can be controlled with coughing but may not be a solution to people having conditions like Parkinsons disease.

As part of preventing aspiration pneumonia, some of the symptoms can be controlled through diet modification. For instance, if you are experiencing dysphagia, a specialist can take you through a diet which contains wholesome foods but in smooth textures that will allow you to swallow properly without gagging or coughing when eating. This prevents food from reaching the lungs.

Getting to work with a swallow therapist will help you to learn proper swallowing techniques. You will be involved in carrying out some exercises which will help you relax your oesophagus muscles and allow you to swallow food without a problem. This is advisable for people who have difficulties in swallowing like dysphagia.

Having a good practice on dental hygiene also helps a great deal. Keeping your teeth clean at all times through regular brushing and use of mouth wash reduces the percentage of bacteria in your saliva. Intake of a lot of water also helps out in your oral hygiene. This is preventative such that when saliva finds its way to the lungs. It will have less bacteria that may cause an infection to the lungs.

Improving on lifestyle behavior such as reducing on alcohol intake prevents aspiration. Excessive alcohol intake is one of the key reasons that lead to aspiration such that food particles find their way to the lungs when they move back up from the stomach as you vomit. Keeping sober or simply having some little amount of alcohol will keep you from excessive vomiting.

In rare cases where preventive measures do not succeed, it is important to pay a visit to the doctor. Here you will be questioned about your general health and have some tests run to ascertain the level of infection. The specialist will then provide a set of medication which may include antibiotics to take away the bacteria in your lungs. It is important to finish your dose of drugs and, taking care if they make you drowsy and practice proper swallowing habits.




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