BronchitisWhat are the Symptoms and Treatments

Bronchitis is a condition wherein air passages into the lungs are inflamed. It can either be chronic or acute. Acute bronchitis is caused by viral infection which begins in the sinuses or nose spreading to the air passages. It can be only considered a chronic bronchitis if the cough progress on the sputum for a minimum of three months within a year. Nevertheless, chronic bronchitis most often affects smokers. In some cases, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is diagnosed.

Both types of bronchitis display different symptoms. In acute bronchitis, wheezing, fever, fatigue, sore throat, cough producing mucus, and chest burning sensation are obvious. In chronic bronchitis, wheezing, chronic cough producing excessive mucus, inability to breath, blue-tinged lips, and swelling of the ankle, leg, and feet.

Virus causes acute bronchitis as well as bacteria. In general, acute bronchitis can be transmitted from one person to another. Chronic bronchitis is caused by cigarette smoking and long-term exposure to irritants including grain and dust and air pollution.

The doctor listens to your back and chest, examines your throat, draws blood, and takes cultures of lung secretions during check ups. If there is a possibility of COPD or pneumonia, the doctor can require you to undergo a chest x-ray.

Preventive care must be incorporated to avoid acute and chronic bronchitis. The simplest way is to keep away from irritants and air pollutants. Yearly flu and pneumococcal vaccination is advised to prevent infection leading to chronic bronchitis exacerbation or acute bronchitis.

The treatment approach also varies. Generally, viruses are cleared within seven to ten days in acute bronchitis. You can take cough medications containing expectorants, use humidifiers, and drink lots of fluids to relieve symptoms. Infections due to bacteria must be consulted first to your doctor. It is not recommended to take medicines without proper prescriptions. Most often, the doctors prescribe antibiotics. Others include bronchodilators, like Albuterol which can help in opening your airways and corticosteroids which is inhaled or taken orally to reduce inflammation and mucus. 

Changing your lifestyle is also a helpful remedy. You need to stop smoking. If possible, utilize a steam or humidifier in your bathroom. Make it a habit to drink lots of water and other fluids. If your infection is active, take your rest. Oxygen therapy at home can be also done if the levels of oxygen in your body are low due to chronic bronchitis.

Dietary and nutrition supplements are also recommended. Food experimentation can be done to see if changing your diet is effective or not in alleviating chronic bronchitis symptoms. Keeping careful records regarding how you feel. Eating dairy products should be lessened to reduce mucus production. Try avoiding milk, eggs, nuts, preservatives, additives, and food coloring. Instead, try adding garlic and onions. 

Scientific studies revealed that NAC or N-Acetyl-Cysteine can help in dissolving mucus as well as improve symptoms of chronic bronchitis. Zinc supplementation can enhance the activity of your immune system. It also protects you from infections including infections of the upper respiratory system and colds. Other supplements include bromalein, quercetin, vitamin c, and lactobacillus which also prevent the person from catching infections and relieve bronchitis symptoms.

Using herbs is proven to strengthen and treat diseases for many years. However, herbs may contain substances that are active. It may produce side effects upon interactions with other medications, supplements, or herbs. Herbs must be taken with proper prescription from a knowledgeable practitioner of herbal medications.

Barberry or berberis vulgaris helps improve immune system functions and fight infections. Eucalyptus or eucalyptus globules is good for treating common colds and coughs. Eucalyptus oil helps in loosening the phlegm. Peppermint or mentha x piperita is effective as decongestants. It contains menthol, thinning the mucus like an expectorant.  It provides calming and soothing effects for dry coughs and sore throats. Slippery elm or ulmus fulva is recognized by the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Authority) as an effective and safe remedy for respiratory symptoms and sore throat. Stinging nettle or urtica dioica also acts as expectorants having anti-viral properties.

Homeopathy is some cases are applicable provided with standard medical attention. It is because physical, psychological, and emotional makeup of a person are taken into consideration before the procedure.

However, recovery chances of the patient are good using these remedies if bronchitis is diagnosed on each early stage.

Bronchitis and pneumonia is not synonymous. However, both are diseases affecting the lower respiratory system. Typically, it affects the airways going to the lungs, so it is imperative that a person should learn the major differences of the diseases to have a better understanding.

A severe lung infection is called pneumonia. The alveoli are filled with other liquid and pus. Thus the normal flow of oxygen is blocked. The blood is then getting less amounts of oxygen. In the absence of oxygen in your body, the cells fail to work properly. Proper treatment should be given, because less supply of oxygen and widespread infection can lead to death.

There are several factors which cause pneumonia, but the major cause of pneumonia is bacteria. The symptoms may include a headache, severe fatigue, loss of appetite, excessive sweating, skin is clammy when touched, and some degree of confusion.

- Streptococcus pneumoniae is a bacterium affecting twenty to sixty percent of adults and thirteen to thirty percent of children. This type of pneumonia is considered as community-acquired. Streptococcus classified as Group A or streptococcus pyogenes also causes pneumonia.  

- Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for acquired pneumonias in hospitals affecting ten to fifteen percent of people. This is often linked with patients having a weak immune system and viral influenza.

- Another bacteria present in cases of community-acquired pneumonias, people having chronic lung diseases, and children having cystic fibrosis is the gram-negative bacteria.

- Viral causes include RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), HPV (human parainfluenza virus), SARS (severe acute respiratory distress syndrome), herpesviruses,   influenza, and adenoviruses.

There are several types of pneumonia which you should also learn.

- Bacterial organisms cause atypical pneumonias including the walking pneumonia. A mild symptom like dry cough is apparent. However, hospital care is not needed.

- Aspiration pneumonia is a condition wherein the bacteria are present in the mouth. It is harmless if it stays there. But if gag reflex weakens, bacteria can penetrate your lungs causing the infection.

- Opportunistic pneumonia is harmless as long as the immune system is healthy. It can be harmful for people with vulnerable immune systems especially to illness and infection.

- Regional and occupational pneumonias are caused by exposure to chemicals. People who are exposed to cattle are at high risk of getting pneumonia due to anthrax.

Bronchitis is a disease affecting the bronchi. It is responsible for carrying the air from your trachea into your lungs. Inflammation due to irritation and infection can damage the cells on the bronchi areas. Normally, these cells contain cilia which remove and trap foreign particles that you breathe every day.

Blockage of the cilia causes obstruction on the airways increasing the irritation since the debris cannot easily flow. Mucus is then produced resembling to that of a cough. It makes the airways more vulnerable to infection and damages the tissue if irritation continues. Bronchitis has two types.

- Acute bronchitis can last for ten days. This is often accompanied by a severe flu or cold. Take note, bronchitis can start without any infection.

- Chronic bronchitis can last for three months or above. The symptoms are recurrent. So it must be always checked because it can threaten your life. This condition may also occur from a series attacks of acute bronchitis. It may also gradually develop because of inhaling dirty air or heavy smoking.

Viruses affect approximately ninety percent of people with acute bronchitis. Other cases are caused by repetitive exposures to irritants including smoke. This may develop chronic bronchitis. Using antibiotic is not effective because it cannot eradicate irritants or viral illnesses. It can only be effective with bacterial diseases. Moreover, you should never be confused of an asthma which produces significant amounts of cough and little wheezing. Often it is misdiagnosed as acute bronchitis.

The therapies that are most effective in treating bronchitis is being patient, avoid irritants, and maintain good nutrition. Some cases of viral bronchitis can last from eight to twelve weeks. Chronic bronchitis which is considered severe causes bronchi dilation. This makes the condition more susceptible to bacterial and severe infections caused by drugs.

It is very important to determine the differences between pneumonia and bronchitis. Health is very important thus proper diagnosis is essential for acquiring proper treatment.

after having a cold leave me with an inner ear infection, i ended up with a perforated ear drum. Now on antibiotics the leaking of fluid from my ear has stopped. however I now have Bright yellow phlegm coming from my eustaction tubes into my throat, is this just part of the natural process. doeas anyone know?

Infection is the problem. Go to the Dr. It probably has nothing to do with ear problems. Go and make sure.

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I have to describe the plain xray appearance of subcutaneous emphysema for a university presentation.

Does anyone know of any good websites that contain xrays of this pathology?

There are a handful of Xrays which came up on google images but any further leads would be appreciated.

I looked for some images of some sub-Q for ya, but couldn't find a whole lot either. I did find this site which had an xray pic.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/342/18/1333?query=prevarrow

Sorry-I have some textbooks with some pics, but that doesn't help you any!

Hope this helps some!

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I've tried drinking water but it didn't help I'm coming out of cold. I keep having coughing spasms Anyways please help me.

There is no medical study that shows that "cough" medicine reduces coughing. (I know this from my kids pedi and the ER). The only medicine they can give that seems to have any effect is codeine. Codeine "may" reduce your cough, but also the cough may be protecting your lungs, so it also can be bad.
Home remedies are really your only hope, and probably the best thing for it (FOR A CHANGE!!)
It depends what is causing the cough. Since you're coming out of a cold, I'm guessing you have that nasty residual cough where you don't really feel sick but keep coughing anyway. An allergy cough or asthma cough might be helped by treating the underlying condition. An uncomplicated (no pnumonia for example) from a cold is REALLY tough. In a healthy person, a cough can last a month after the actual cold has gone. Drinking water will only soothe a tickle in the throat for a minute or two.
Here is my cough regimen:
1. Lots of fluids (water, soup, tea, etc)
2. reduced dairy, no milk
3. Steamy showers, humidfier in the bedroom at night.
3. Nice cool bedroom, 60 would be great if it was humid.
4.. Vicks in any form if you have it. (gel, cream,plug ins, for the vaporizer, it really does soothe)
5. During the day, try lollipops or lozenges.
6. BLOW THAT NOSE…REALLY GOOD.

Otherwise you just have to suffer through and try not to cough till you puke. Write it down on the calendar so you can remember if it happens again next year at the same time. This might help a spring allergy.

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just wondering how long it will take for the lungs to repair. I smoke a cigarillo for the first time a while a two days ago. it was swisher sweets. i think i smoked it wrong because my lungs feel raspy and i heard that your lungs begin to instantly repair after you stop smoking. I was just wondering how long it would take as an estimate from the time you smoke the cigarillo. thanks!

it's hard to imagine that you can cause lung damage on the first use… You should be fine in about 3 days.

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I am seeing conflicting informtion on the web about the age at which a healthy adult should consider getting the pneumonia vaccine. Some web sites indicate that it's age 50, while others say it's age 65. Does anyone have any information about the age at which a healthy adult should get his pneumonia shot?

I had mine when I was 18 but I have bad ashma and that doctor said it would be a good idea to have it done along with my flu shot. I think I have to have it every five years.

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My baby is almost 6 months old. She's on a neb every 4-6 hours because of bronchitis, but her doctor said it could be an early sign of asthma. Now she went to the doctor today for fever and a cough and they said it was her air ways and "asthma like symptoms". But they told me they can't diagnose her yet.

Many doctors wait until they are 2. No reason just a habit. We had a doctor that called it reactive airway diesease. They treat the symptoms anyway.

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For every 30 seconds of breath holding, Duldrum & Sons will donate $50,000.00 to charity.

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Horror video set to the Soul Coughing song “Sleepless”

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