BronchitisWhat are the Symptoms and Treatments

Bronchitis is a lower respiratory tract problem that is manifested by an inflammation and/or infection of airways which includes the trachea and larger air tubes that carry oxygen into the lungs. There are two kinds of bronchitis: acute (short-term) bronchitis and chronic (long-term) bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is usually followed by a viral infection, primarily upsetting the nasal cavity, sinuses, and the throat and then extending to the larger bronchial airway passages. Other times, the patient may acquire a bacterial infection. This goes to show that the inflamed respiratory tract will be infested by bacteria.

Very young children, infants, children who are constantly exposed to smoke (such as parents who are smokers), and children afflicted with a pre-existing lung or heart disease are at risk of getting acute bronchitis.

On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is manifested by overproduction of bronchial mucus causing a productive cough. As the disease progresses from constant inflammation (which may exclude infection) can obstruct the flow of air into the lungs eventually causing difficulty in breathing and severe damage in the respiratory tract.

Chronic bronchitis is a category of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). COPD is a respiratory problem that develops for a long time which will eventually hinder the patient from breathing normally causing difficulty in physical exertion and may require a supply of oxygen regularly.

Long-term contact and exposure with smokers is the main culprit of chronic bronchitis among children. Other predicaments that may cause the illness are allergies and air pollution.

To prevent children from acquiring this unfortunate disease, parents and/or guardians must teach proper hand washing to keep away from the spread of bacteria and viruses that causes bronchitis; reduce the incidence of exposure to air pollutants; and it is also recommended to get a flu vaccine. Quitting from cigarette smoking will very much help you and your loved ones from being afflicted with respiratory problems.

Both types of bronchitis have the same set of symptoms:

? easily tired
? wheezing
? difficulty in breathing which is worsened even by mild physical exertion
? chest aches
? cough with mucus ( if the mucus is blood streaked, then it is advisable to consult your paediatrician)
? rales (abnormal sounds heard in the lungs through the use of a stethoscope)

Tests to diagnose bronchitis may include the use of pulse oxymetry, arterial blood gas, pulmonary lung function tests, chest x-ray, and sputum or mucus analysis and evaluation.

If left untreated or under treated, bronchitis may progress into other forms of respiratory ailments such as pneumonia, emphysema, right sided heart failure, and pulmonary hypertension.

In any case, when there are no other infections present in acute bronchitis, it is treated just like the common cold. Treatment may include intake of lots of fluids, complete rest, use of humidifiers, and medications like Tylenol for fever and pain. Bear in mind that aspirin is contraindicated with children due to its association with Reye’s syndrome.

If the child is experiencing dry cough, then it is advisable to give cough suppressants for comfort’s sake. But if the cough is productive (with mucus or sputum) then it is best if the sputum be expectorated naturally. This is because the cough helps to bring out the mucus and other irritants from the lungs. When coughing is restrained, the sputum or mucus build ups in the already obstructed airways and can become a hotbed for bacterial pneumonia.

To induce coughing, expectorants may be used. These medications assist the child afflicted with bronchitis by thinning out the mucus in the lungs. To make sure of what type of medication is best for your child, it is best to consult your pediatrician.

Antibiotics on the other hand are prescribed to battle bacteria-caused bronchitis. It is imperative that the patient take the medication regularly as prescribed to avoid relapses. Children below eight years old are generally prescribed with amoxicillin instead of tetracycline. Tetracycline is contraindicated because it tends to create a discoloration in the teeth that has yet to come out in children.

As for chronic bronchitis, treatment will depend on the stage of the disease. In a child’s case, a change into a healthy environment is best indicated in addition to supervised exercise. Medications may include bronchodilators, which relaxes the bronchial tubes allowing easy flow of air into the lungs. Anti-inflammatory medications are also utilized which reduces swelling in the respiratory tract. If, unfortunately, the disease advances the child may require supplemental oxygen.

In all cases of diseases, prevention is still better than the cure. Parents who are health conscious should quit smoking to both protect their own health as well as their children. Also avoid places that are heavily polluted and eat a lot of nutritious food. The flu vaccine may also help in preventing such illnesses that causes disruptions to day to day living. Just remember to stay healthy!

Bronchitis is an ailment of the airways manifested by the existence of sputum production and cough for at least three months in each of two successive years. From the name itself, bronchitis is the inflammation and infection of the bronchial tree. The bronchial tree is composed of tubes that bring air to the lungs. When these get inflamed and infected, the tubes swell and produce thick mucus inside of them which makes it difficult to breathe.

There are basically two kinds of bronchitis: acute (meaning short term) bronchitis and chronic (meaning long term) bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is mainly caused by viruses and bacteria. Chronic bronchitis on the other hand is caused by smoking or environmental pollutants that causes an irritation on the airways.

During pregnancy the woman’s body undergoes a lot of changes. Her body now consumes oxygen and nutrients not just for her own well-being but for the baby inside her as well. The health of a pregnant woman with respiratory problems can be quite a predicament for physicians. There are major factors that are involved when dealing with the health of pregnant women such as their anatomical and physiological alterations to pregnancy, balancing both fetal and maternal needs, and the pregnant woman’s vulnerability to diseases. Although there may be modifications in the care of pregnant women with respiratory health problems, such as, bronchitis, management and treatment of the said health predicament is similar to those of nonpregnant individuals.

Respiratory health problems have the possibility to get worse in pregnancy because of the rising uterus tends to squeeze the diaphragm, decreasing the dimension of available space in the lungs and the size of thoracic cavity just when lung function is essential to supply sufficient oxygen exchange for the mother and the fetus.

Moreover, histologic evaluations of the upper respiratory tract during pregnancy expose hyperemia (increase amount of blood), glandular hyperactivity (increase workload of the glands), increased mucopolysaccharide content, and increased phagocytic activity. These alterations seem to be caused by the increase in estrogen levels. As a result, pregnant women experience nose bleeding and nasal stuffiness.

Being knowledgeable enough about the changes in respiratory physiology among pregnant women is crucial to their care and management when they become affected by a respiratory disease. As you may well know, these changes permit the mother-to-be to meet the metabolic needs of the unborn child.

The following are signs and symptoms of bronchitis:

? Fatigue
? Low grade fever
? Chest aches
? Wheezing
? Labored breathing or dyspnea which is worsened by physical exertion
? Cough with sputum or mucus
? Rales, these are abnormal lung sounds that can be heard in the lungs through the stethoscope

To diagnose the disease, tests are utilized by the doctors in addition to the obvious signs and symptoms in the confirmation of the disease such as pulmonary lung function tests, pulse oxymetry, arterial blood gas, chest x-ray, and sputum examinations

Treatment for bronchitis in pregnant women is similar to those individuals who are not pregnant. In any case, if the disease is caused by a virus then an antibiotic is useless (which is prescribed for bacteria-caused bronchitis). Acute bronchitis is usually self-limiting and may clear out within a week. General treatment is comprised of complete rest, lots of fluid intake, use of humidifiers to clear out the lung congestions, and avoiding air pollutants such as smoking. Although aspirin is prescribed to common individuals, pregnant women are not allowed to take this since it can cause bleeding and may induce complications.

Furthermore, prevention is still better than the cure. And being in a vulnerable state, pregnant women should always be careful with their bodies like always wash their hands (to avoid bacterial or viral bronchitis) and stop smoking or avoid smokers. It is also recommended that pregnant women obtain a flu vaccine especially if they are going to be pregnant during the influenza season.  Although the vaccine will not wholly prevent the woman from getting afflicted with bronchitis, it will at least shield her from certain strains of virus caused respiratory illnesses.

Any respiratory predicament can create serious damage to the unborn child if allowed to progress until the mother’s oxygen- carbon dioxide exchange is altered and heavily compromised.

Every time I eat I start coughing AFTER I have finished my meal. You know the feeling when you are starting to get sick and there is stuff in your throat and it makes you cough?

This is how it feels after eating. I can actually feel something in my throat and I cough and have to clear my throat for about an hour after every meal. It is VERY annoying!

What is this? How do I make it go away?

It sounds like you have acid reflux. The digestive fluids in your stomach go back thru the cardiac [ valve from esophagus to stomach ] sphincter to your esophagus, causing that gagging, coughing feeling.
Try:
1] smaller, more frequent meals
2] don't lie down after eating - wait 4 hrs before going to bed
3] wear looseclothes [ waistbands, belts ]
4] loose weight if you are too heavy
5] elevate the head ofyour bed
6] a spoonul of vinegar works
IF this doesn't help, see your doctor, before it progresses to cause damage to your esophagus.

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I recently quit smoking and I'm very proud of myself because it was the hardest thing I have ever done. Now that I think I'm in the clear from going back to it, I'm wondering if my lungs will undue the damage I have done to them and how long it will take. I smoked for about 19 years.

Congratulations!

There are three general areas of damage caused by cigarettes:

- Functional problems. Things like no taste, no smell, hacking cough, energy level will return within a few days after quitting smoking.

- Cancer and heart disease. The risk of cancer drops gradually after quitting, and levels out after about 5 years at only slightly more than the average person. In other words, if you quit for at least 5 years and don't get cancer in that time, your chances of getting it are then only a little more than the average person. Similar arguments hold for your risk of heart disease.

- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) - Emphysema, which is destruction of the walls of the alveoli, will never recover, but it will get worse with continued smoking. Chronic bronchitis, which is damage to the walls of the bronchioles, will sometimes get better, but again, it will get worse with continued smoking.

If that's not reason enough to quit smoking I don't know what else is. Good luck and congratulations again!

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Every year, you may suffer from a disease that can render you sick and disabled. Diseases that you cross paths with can immobilize you and can stop you from going to work to earn money, or will not allow you to go to school and catch up with the latest lessons. You have to consider that in order to get back to work or to school as soon as possible, you have to cure the disease in order to become a productive member of society again.

This is why you should be aware of the common diseases today and know about their symptoms so you can take the necessary action to prevent it from becoming worse. As soon as you notice the signs and symptoms, you can consult with your doctor immediately and will provide you with the medications and advice that you need in order to get cured as soon as possible.

First of all, one of the most common diseases affecting humans today is called bronchitis. You have to consider that there are two kinds of bronchitis where one is acute bronchitis, and the other is chronic bronchitis. In acute bronchitis, treatment is usually quick and will not require any special medications for it. This is because acute bronchitis is commonly caused by virus infection which can go away in a matter of 12 to 14 days.

However, it is still recommended that you should consult your doctor once the signs and symptoms of bronchitis. This is because bronchitis can also be caused by bacterial and fungal infection that will need medications, such as antibiotics and antifungal drugs. You have to consider that there is no way of knowing if the bronchitis is caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungus unless proper laboratory examination is done.

So, before your bronchitis becomes worse and do more damage to your lungs, you have to know what the signs and symptoms is associated with bronchitis in order to detect it early on. First of all, bronchitis is mainly the swelling of the bronchial tubes. Because of the swelling, the bronchial mucosa cannot get rid of mucus anymore. This will cause you to cough, and have difficulty in breathing.

Here are the other signs and symptoms of bronchitis and what you can do to relieve it:

• Coughing with thick phlegm
• Breathlessness
• Pain on the throat
• Tightness feeling around the chest
• Pain and swelling around the eyes
• Slight fever
• Difficulty in breathing

These are the signs and symptoms you should watch out for with bronchitis. Here are more signs and symptoms usually associated with bronchitis in order for you to identify if you have one and know when to consult a doctor:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Excessive sweating
• Chest pain

It is very important that you should pay close attention to the signs and symptoms associated with bronchitis in order for you to know when to visit the doctor immediately. You should also know that there are also other signs and symptoms associated with the chronic form of bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis can include all the symptoms associated with acute bronchitis but in a more severe form. There are cases where chronic bronchitis sufferers will suffer from coughing excessive mucus with blood due to the laceration of the bronchial tube.

Chronic bronchitis will require a long term treatment in order to completely cure it. This is because chronic bronchitis means that there is already a permanent damage to your respiratory system that can heal quite slowly. It will require inhaled medications, such as bronchodilators to open up the airways and let you breath properly, it will also require you to keep yourself away from dusty places.

It is recommended that you should humidify your room by installing a room humidifier or just have wet towels or blankets placed all over the room.

Always make sure that you are well-aware of the signs and symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis. This is because if either acute or chronic bronchitis is caused by bacteria or fungus and is left untreated, it can lead to severe complication, which will include pneumonia.

Always remember that early detection of bronchitis will mean early diagnosis and early proper treatment and management which will prevent you from suffering from severe complications.

I smoked a pack a day for 26 years (1.5 packs for about 6 months prior to quitting) and am still coughing. Am I just being impatient or does it take this long for the lungs to clear up?

It takes about 2-3 weeks for the lungs to clear up. The good news is that if you haven't caused any permanent damage, your lungs will return to great shape. During this recouperative period, take 10 very deep breathes every hour or every two hours and try to expand your lungs and fill them with air with each breathe. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is the inability to EXHALE all of your inspired air. Inhalation should equal exhalation. So, in your pulmonary exercise (every hour or two hours) also try to exhale as much air as possible. Don't be surprised if this activity results in the urge to cough. God gave us the cough reflex to get junk out of the lungs. Cough up all the junk and spit it out. This exercise will speed your recovery, but you may feel it is unpleasant. Also, aerobic exercise will help your lungs. Aerobic means "with air" as opposed to anaerobic "without air." I can roller skate for 24 hours straight, which is an anaerobic exercise. But the minute I wave my arms up and down while skating, I become winded. This is an aerobic exercise. I confess here, that I am also a smoker. The lungs and heart are dependent upon each other. In COPD, if you're already at the point that you cannot climb a set of stairs, like 15 steps up without gasping, you're in deep, deep trouble. However, if you have spent your life smoking and exercising and you are not tons overweight, you have a great chance. I'm here to say that COPD is not a pretty sight. There are degrees, of course. The true diagnosis of COPD results in AIR HUNGER. Since this patient cannot expell their inspired air, they also have no room in their lungs for fresh air. This is probably all too technical for some…. The inhaled oxygen is attracked to red blood cells and help to deliver oxygen and nutrients to every one of your cells. The issue is compounded if you can't feed your cells properly. I think this is easy enough to understand: ALL LIVING THINGS NEED AIR AND WATER. This includes every one of the millions of cells in your body. My patients with COPD are easily identified. They are very anxious and they don't know why. They do not understand the disease process. All they know is that while they are AT REST they feel very anxious. Nurses I've worked with don't even get this. How would you feel if you had a plastic bag over your head, tied tightly around your neck and you can't get air? Commonly prescribed in this rather "late stage" is a benzodiazapine class of drug. This would be Ativan. Ativan is very good and it is very bad. Let me speak from personal experience on the subject of the class of benzodiazapines. This class is extremely addictive. EXTREMELY. My own mother received a 30 day supply from her Provider and insurance company. Well, because of the addictive qualities, she took all the doses in the first week or two and then she was in withdrawal for the last 3-4 weeks waiting to get the next prescription. The withdrawal was truly an ugly sight. Finally, there is no cure for COPD once it gets in later stages. Only to keep the patient as comfortable as possible by increasing amounts of benzodiazapines. Incidentally, this class of drug on the street is called a BENNIE. Your question was only about the coughing. There is so much more to it than that. If you have medical insurance (don't get me started on that subject), ask to be referred to a pulmonologist for a correct diagnosis and find out how far your disease has progressed. The pulmonologist will do a thorough work-up and determine your lung function. (Called Pulmonary Function Testing). Depending on the condition of your lungs, you may be prescribed hand-held inhaler/s, nebulizer treatments, oral medications, oxygen by nasal cannula (the tube in the nose). Hey, you just have a cough. Not to worry. Exercise, lose weight, continue cessation of smoking and you'll probably be just fine. …a registered nurse, happy to share with you. I don't mean to scare you to death! 26 years of smoking. COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) encompasses Emphysema and Asthma.
If you don't have medical insurance or you don't have the funds to pay for diagnosis and treatment out-of-pocket, I am sorry to say that the state of healthcare in this United States of America is deplorable. The rich keep getting richer. Don't get me started. How old are you? Have I alarmed you? Message me if you can't climb steps. I am currently unemployed and looking for a purpose in life. I don't know what I could do, but listen. I would try to help.
judyreardon@sbcglobal.net

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I'm considering stopping smoking weed after heavy smoking (all day every day) for about a year and a half. Is there any tar buildup in my lungs? And is there any permanent damage to my lungs?

its possible that there is some damage that may not be detected later in life. Unlike the kidneys which heal themselves in a way if you just automatically stop drinking. I think its a good decision to stop smoking. May God see you through this journey as you put away the smoking addiction.

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Whenever I go in for my breathing test I always test badly. My doctor says that my lungs are just damaged and the good news is that they have not gotten any worse. What does she mean by damaged? Will it get worse?

your doctor probably just means that there is some scar tissue. i know someone that had it cuz of asthma and she chose to get it removed with a lazer, but its not necessary. your fine

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As a person age, his body system starts to get frail. Because of this, he is exposed to certain ailments. However, with proper life management, these diseases can be prevented or alleviated. The following are some ways to deal with the particular health conditions:

Arthritis

Aging and climate are the two culprits pointed to cause arthritis. However, the basic cause of the pain is the lack of lubricating fluids in the joints. Because of this, the joints, cartilage and linings are in friction when in motion. They become stiff and will begin to irritate. Continuous movement causes the joints to inflame and thus, ache.

There is a diverse forms of arthritis depending upon how the person reacts to the disease. The lack of lubricant can cause friction to the cartilage or the joint lining. When the wear occurs in the cartilage, it is called osteoarthritis. While when the wear occurs in the joint lining, it is termed rheumatoid arthritis.

Knowing the root of the disease, one can point out the cure. The body needs oil rich in omega 3. And since the body cannot manufacture this, it has to be supplemented through proper diet. Omega 3 is found in nuts, vegetables and fish. Polyunsaturated oils from vegetables and fishes are helpful to cure arthritis.

Asthma

Asthma is another disease that affects the natural breathing process. Because it hinders breathing, the method of treatment involves inhalation and exhalation technique. Correcting the breathing habits with the integration of proper diet and exercise can help cure asthma.

The breathing technique is done by lying flat or sitting erectly. The ratio of inhaling to exhaling should be 1:2 for a minimum inhalation period of 4 seconds. Gradually, the time to perform each set of this exercise should increase until proper breathing is established as a habit. The next stage is to include retention. This involves holding of breath before exhaling. The desired ratio of inhalation, retention, and exhalation should be 1:4:2 for a minimum of 4 seconds. This technique shall be powered with eating leafy vegetables, root crops and fruits. It should also be noted that products from animal flesh, processed foods and grains can aggravate asthma and therefore must be avoided.

Chronic bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is a known respiratory disorder common to smokers and people with poor immune system. This can be caused by viruses or bacteria and can lead to pneumonia. The persistent character of this disease requires continuous treatment until completely resolved, otherwise the disease can reoccur and aggravate. Decongestants are the common medications to treat chronic bronchitis.

Diabetes

Diabetes is a medical condition characterized by an abnormally high sugar level. It is generally affected by the failure in producing insulin or defect in insulin action or, in some cases, both. Indeed, diabetes is a serious disease that needs proper attention. The first step to detect diabetes is to test the blood sugar level. This refers to the amount of glucose present in the blood. When the doctor has confirmed the occurrence of the disease, a dietitian is the next person to call for. The dietitian shall design a good meal plan. There are numerous medications to control the blood sugar and they must be taken properly.

Heart disease

Heart disease is considered as the number one killer. About 1.2 million Americans die every year because of heart disease. And unfortunately, roughly one quarter of the population of United States suffer in some form of heart disease without them knowing it. To prevent or to alleviate heart diseases, lifestyle should be modified. There are basically simple things that need to be integrated in the daily routines. Such things as regular exercise, proper diet, and taking the nutritional supplements designed for the heart should make up the habit. In addition, there are also habits that must be taken away from the system such as smoking, aggressive drinking and fondness to fatty foods. 

Emphysema

Emphysema is one of the most destructive lung disease, yet least understood. Because of the poor studies in counteracting this disease, it is considered as a silent killer. It can frantically destroy a person, yet remain unknown. Emphysema can only be detected when it is at its worst already, when the lungs have considerably been damaged. Cigarette smoking is one of the key causes that lead to emphysema. When the symptoms are starting to occur, it is advised to consult a physician and quit smoking. This is the only way to save you from such ailment.

Today, there are a lot of studies about different approaches to heal different illnesses. Some are more inclined in the traditional way where it has been proven effective for a lot of years and some use new alternatives that was recently invented to treat certain illnesses.

There are millions of Americans affected by different kinds of respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, allergy, bronchitis, cold, and sinus. You have to consider that a simple cold can affect the way you do your daily activity. It will cause symptoms, such as runny nose, cough, feeling of weakness, and even mild to moderate fever. As you can see, having respiratory illness can significantly affect your performance at work or at school. In most cases, you can’t even go to school or work because of the illness.

If a cold virus can affect the way you function, it is obvious that other worse kind of respiratory illness can affect your daily activities and tasks. For example, respiratory allergy can be very irritating where you can’t go near objects that contain any allergens. You have to consider that your can be allergic to anything. Usually, people with respiratory allergies are allergic to pollen, and dog and cat hair containing dander. People with respiratory allergies will need to take a lot of precaution as allergy attacks may come any time they are exposed to certain allergens.

Asthma is also a form of chronic respiratory disease where it affects millions of Americans. This particular disease is characterized by occasionally constricting the airway, inflamed and it is also lined with a excessive amounts of mucus.  Usually, emotional stress and overexertion can trigger asthma. However, there are some cases where allergies are also linked to asthma where it triggers it because of the allergens entering the system. Asthma sufferers feel shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing, persistent sneezing and persistent coughing.

Bronchitis is also one of the growing respiratory diseases today. Affecting people living in areas where there are high levels of air pollution, and also commonly affecting smokers, bronchitis is a disease that can affect your daily task. There are mainly two types of bronchitis and these are the acute bronchitis and the chronic bronchitis. The acute bronchitis is usually a short term illness where it can easily be treated and managed. However in the chronic bronchitis, it may have permanent damage on the respiratory system and treatment can last up to 2 consecutive years. Sometimes, bronchitis can also be linked to allergy where acute episodes of bronchitis can be triggered by allergens entering the lungs.

Your sinuses can be affected if you have one of the mentioned illnesses. Sinusitis is usually closely associated with different kinds of respiratory illness where it can make it difficult for you to live your daily life. If you have sinusitis you will experience pain in the cheek, headache, toothache, and a feeling of squeezing around the eyes.

As you can see, respiratory illnesses can cause discomfort to your body. This is why you should get it treated and know how to manage it with care in order for you to live a productive and normal life.

As mentioned before, there are different approaches in treating different respiratory illness. Some people prefer the tested and proven method of conventional medicine, while others prefer different approaches, such as holistic therapy.

Conventional medicine is where your respiratory illness will be diagnosed by basing on the symptoms. What conventional medicine do is help relieve the symptoms you experience and identify what causes the illness and treat it. Medical practitioners are usually the people who perform conventional medical treatment of respiratory illnesses.

However, another kind of treatment is called holistic therapy where it greatly differs from the medical approach. Although this kind of treatment approach is greatly debated, many people claims that this type of treatment is very effective in curing them from different kinds of respiratory illness. Rather than focusing on the signs and symptoms of the patient, holistic treatment focuses on the whole body of the patient.

Holistic therapy practitioners believe that the human body is surrounded by a vital force that protects the body from diseases. Theories have suggested that any irregularities in this force can trigger illnesses that include the respiratory illness. What they do is balance the flow of the vital force or life energy to cure the patient. However, medical professional have suggested that holistic therapy offers no more than just a placebo effect.

Whatever kind of treatment you prefer, you should consider consulting with the professionals first in order to make sure that the disease you have can be properly diagnosed. Holistic therapy are now being accepted by quite a number of hospitals and is integrated with conventional medicine to treat different kinds of diseases.