Can CBD Treat Bacterial Pneumonia?

What Are the Types of Pneumonia?

In terms of what causes bacterial pneumonia, there are four main categories. They are as follows:

1.       Hospital-acquired pneumonia is contracted in a non-intubated patient within a hospital, who has been in the hospital at least 48 hours.

2.       Community-acquired pneumonia is acquired outside of a hospital setting, or in the first 48 hours of admission to a hospital.

3.       Healthcare-associated pneumonia is generally acquired in long-term care centers, like nursing homes.

4.       Ventilator-associated pneumonia develops in intubated patients, typically after at least 48 hours of intubation.

How Is Bacterial Pneumonia Diagnosed and Treated?

Various tests are frequently used to correctly diagnose bacterial pneumonia. These include the following:

•         Taking a chest X-ray of a patient

•         Conducting a blood test to determine a specific bacterial pathogen

•         A sputum test may be administered to fluid that a patient coughs up

•         A pulse oximetry reading will measure oxygen flow in the blood

•         In some cases, a CT scan, or pleural fluid culture may be administered. 

If bacterial pneumonia is determined to be the case, an antibiotic will usually be prescribed. In some cases, more than one type of antibiotic will need to be prescribed, to find the best match for a particular bacterium.

Other medications, like cough medicine and pain medications, may help alleviate some symptoms.

Can CBD Help Treat Bacterial Pneumonia?

While CBD has shown efficacy as an anti-inflammatory substance, and in theory CBD for lung diseases and inflammation could have some effect on inflammation associated with pneumonia, CBD itself is not an effective treatment for pneumonia. CBD also demonstrates immuno-suppressive qualities, making its use potentially dangerous in individuals with pneumonia. 

Bacterial pneumonia should be treated by a medical professional, and almost certainly is best treated by antibiotics.