Pneumonia can be fatal if not diagnosed properly

On Behalf of | Nov 16, 2018 | Failure To Diagnose

This is the season when conditions like pneumonia run rampant. For this reason, doctors should be on the lookout for the classic signs of this illness. Unfortunately, it is possible that your condition could go undiagnosed if the doctor is rushing or not paying close enough attention. A failure to diagnose pneumonia could lead to serious medical issues for the patient. In some cases, it might result in death.

It is imperative that anyone with pneumonia receives treatment for it. When a healthy person contracts this illness, they can recover in one to three weeks. Other people, including infants, the elderly and those with compromised immune systems, might experience complications and need intensive care.

In order for the patient to get the proper treatment, the doctor needs to provide the correct diagnosis. This usually comes after a physical exam that includes listening to your lung sounds, a chest X-ray, CT scan, lab work and other specialized testing. When doctors put all this information together, they should be able to come up with the right diagnosis.

The treatment for pneumonia includes plenty of rest to avoid undue stress on the lungs. You should also drink sufficient fluids and take all the medications prescribed by your doctor. This might include antibiotics and steroids, but your doctor might not want you to take cough suppressants. Being able to cough is one way that the body can remove infection from your lungs. It is also possible that you will need to be hospitalized for special treatments like intravenous fluids and medicine, oxygen therapy and breathing treatments.

If you suffered from pneumonia and your doctor didn’t properly diagnose your illness, you might decide to seek compensation for the damages you suffered.

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