Bronchitis is quite a known chronic disease. Here are some interesting & basic facts about this ailment.
1. This disease was quite common even in those days yet the developments in the medicinal field have seen now seen many alternatives to treat the said condition.
2. The pulmonary disorders are rather common among the children. This does not imply that the adults are untouched with the same. As a matter of fact, living in the modern age polluted cities, amidst smokers, industries and racing cars all of us are ahead to the disease.
3. In case your bronchi are inflamed, there are chances for you to have bronchitis that is a known obstructive pulmonary disorder or illness.
4. Bronchitis can be divided in to the acute or short term and the chronic or long term category.
5. Bronchitis can occur in any age.
6. It is quite closely associated with the flues and colds.
7. In case the bronchitis is left uncured, it can lead to severe pneumonia.
8. Bronchitis is indeed common among the smokers.
Acute Bronchitis
1. Acute bronchitis' symptoms are quite similar to flu.
2. It lasts only for a short term.
3. Individuals suffering with the viral infections are often susceptible to the acute bronchitis.
4. This ailment is contagious & generally begins with dry cough that often happens at night. Within a few days, the cough would progress. Quite soon the person would suffer with other symptoms like fever, fatigue, and headache. Curing this cough may take many weeks or many months. This is because healing process in such cases is very slow, especially in your bronchial tubes.
5. In case you are suffering with cough for a month or more, your doctor could refer you to check with an ENT expert so as to ensure if there are some other causes of the irritation. Yet, if your bronchial tubes remain irritated, this can lead to the asthmatic conditions.
6. In acute bronchitis, your passage ways constrict due to infection caused by some virus or bacteria. In case the ailment is due to bacteria, the apt antibiotic regimen can do the trick to cure the ailment. It is always advised to visit the doctor to get a medical diagnosis. Remember taking any medicine with out the doctor's prescription could make the disorder rather worse.
7. Persistent cough & wheezing also implying that you may be suffering with acute bronchitis. The constricted bronchial tubes create the wheezing sound every time we breathe. While this disorder can be cleared up in a few days, in some cases it may take several months or weeks as well. Remember in such a situation, you must take lots of rest and drink lots & lots of water or juices.
8. A simple home remedy to fight back this disease is placing wet blankets & towels in different places in the house to increase the humidity there. Room humidifiers are also a good option for such patients.
9. Smoking is anyways injurious to health but in case of the bronchial patients, it can be disastrous. So, the smokers suffering with acute bronchitis must quit the habit of smoking before the condition gets worst.
Chronic Bronchitis
1. This is an ongoing condition.
2. Curing this may take several months, or even years.
3. The environmental factors that lead to this ailment are exposure to fumes, smoke, dust, odors, etc.
4. Chronic bronchitis is incurable, so the patients must consult their doctor well enough to identify the triggers. They should then remove as many triggers as possible form their environment in order to keep healthy.
5. Remember, in this ailment prevention is equivalent to cure so you must work on removing the triggers else, it could be dangerous for you.
6. Consulting the doctor, they would suggest you several laboratory tests like test for pulmonary function & blood gases in arms, chest x-rays, and sputum culture. Generally the test is also done for the patients of acute bronchitis.
7. Just like acute bronchitis, smoking can make the situation worse for the patients of chronic bronchitis as well. So you must quit this bad habit in order to keep healthy and get rid of this ailment.
8. A healthy & active lifestyle is unbeatable at the end of the day. Practicing all preventive measures can avoid bronchitis and many other ailments for all individuals.
The primer symptoms of bronchitis are:
i. coughing
ii. excessive mucus
iii. fever
iv. pain in the chest
v. infection
vi. discomfort
vii. wheezing
These symptoms can further lead to the other respiratory problems like:
i. sinusitis
ii. asthma
iii. complicated pneumonia
Diagnose & Treatments
1. While bronchitis is a very common respiratory disorder, it is often misdiagnosed in the absence of proper para clinical & physical examinations. To get an accurate diagnosis, laboratory analysis & pulmonary tests are a must.
2. Bronchitis calls for special attention before the damage is enhanced further. When the infection is bacterial, fever is the chief indication. In around 80% cases, the treatment as completed in just 5-10 days with the right anti-biotics. Remember, the anti-biotic or any medication must have taken with the doctor's advise else it could be devastating.
3. Antibiotics have several side effects like abdominal pain, diarrhea, rashes, etc. that can not be neglected. These cause a lot of discomfort for the patient. Yet they are acceptable only if they are absolutely necessary.
4. In case the infection is caused due to virus, or other agents, antibiotics are not effective. In such days the only treatment is to rest for long time period, use room humidifiers, and hydrate the patients' body with lots of water and juices. In case the things do not get fine with in a few days, you must consult a doctor. It may be pneumonia and / or asthma bronchitis.
5. When the cause of bronchitis is obstructions in your bronchial tubes owing to inflammation in your respiratory tract, tissues, organs and the mucous membranes, it causes irritation and increased secretion of the mucus. Such gathering of mucus in your bronchial tubes causes difficulty in breathing, wheezing sound and coughing.
6. Bronchodilators are the medications administrated to the patients who have a difficulty in breathing. These help in re-establishing the process of respiration. These are commonly prescribed to the patients suffering with chronic bronchitis & asthma.
7. Bronchitis could be dangerous and it is advisable to get treated as soon as possible to avoid all complications!