The symptoms of pneumonia are often atypical, especially in the case of some low-pathogenic pneumonia, which is mainly characterized by cough and chest pain in terms of symptoms, with some patients experiencing low fever or high fever. After suffering from pneumonia, what should one do after going to the hospital? What kind of examination should be done?

1. Blood routine examination

Blood routine examination is the most common and basic blood test. Blood is composed of two main components: fluid and formed elements. Blood routine examination detects the formed elements of blood. By observing changes in the total count and shape distribution, diseases can be distinguished. It is one of the common auxiliary examination methods for doctors to diagnose the condition.

This includes total white blood cell count and monocytes, reticulocytes, eosinophils, etc. White blood cells are the key defensive weapons in the human body. When pathogens invade the body, white blood cells can perform the function of engulfing and resolving pathogens. Therefore, changes in the total white blood cell count, classification, and shape can provide an approximate estimate of the characteristics of infection, the body’s response, and the prognosis. The white blood cell count of patients with bacterial pneumonia is usually elevated, generally reaching (15-30) x 10^9/L, with monocytes accounting for 60%～90%; during viral pneumonia, the white blood cell count is often normal or not elevated.

2. X-ray examination

In medicine, X-ray examination is commonly used as one of the auxiliary examination methods. Common X-ray examination methods in clinical medicine include透视 and radiography.透视 is more economical and convenient, and can be arbitrarily changed to observe the examined area from various angles, but it cannot leave an objective record and is not easy to identify key points.

Radiographs can clearly display the structure of the examined area on the X-ray film, and can be used as an objective record for long-term storage, facilitating comprehensive research at any time when needed or for comparison during follow-up visits. Necessary X-ray special examinations can also be performed, such as block photography, wave photography, and contrast examinations. The selection of which X-ray examination method must be determined according to the specific situation of the examination, from the requirements of disease treatment and clinical needs. X-ray examination is only one of the auxiliary diagnostic methods in clinical medicine.

X-ray chest CT can directly reflect the condition of the patient’s lung lesions, which is an important step in the diagnosis of pneumonia, and can also differentiate the type of pneumonia based on the X-ray findings. For example, bronchopneumonia often presents as nonspecific small spot-like lung parenchymal infiltration shadows; lobar pneumonia is characterized by large, uniform, and high-density shadows, occupying the entire lung or a certain stage.

3. Sputum examination and drug sensitivity test

Based on sputum examination, the type of pathogen can be identified, and then appropriate drugs can be selected for treatment.

The drug sensitivity test is conducted to measure drug sensitivity, which facilitates the precise and reasonable use of drugs for treatment.

In addition, during the peak period of mycoplasma pneumonia, a cold agglutination test should be performed to confirm whether there is a chlamydial infection. The cold agglutination test is primarily used for the auxiliary diagnosis of primary atypical pneumonia caused by mycoplasma pneumonia.