BronchitisWhat are the Symptoms and Treatments

Sometimes, it can be very confusing to distinguish one illness from another. The symptoms are similar and oftentimes, misdiagnosis can occur. This is the reason why medical practitioners must be very careful in their chosen field so that they can give an accurate diagnosis, coupled with the right medication or treatment.

Bronchitis is defined as a condition characterized by the irritation and inflammation of the bronchial tubes and this is divided into different classifications, namely: acute tracheal bronchitis, chronic bronchitis (simple to complicated), and bronchiectasis.

This condition still remains to be a major threat to the health of millions of people. In the US, bronchitis ranks fourth as a leading death cause. Controlling the illness recently got complicated because of the new transformations in the illness’ nature.
A new and nasty bacteria emerged that can resist or tolerate conventional antibiotics. These bacteria are forcing doctors and physicians to re-evaluate and re-examine their practices and methods pertaining to bronchitis and pneumonia.

The researches conducted by disease specialists are not that valuable since the cultured data or bacteria are already dead by the time it is to be tested. Therefore, the specific etiology and preferred treatment course are not determined. That is why doctors and physicians are forced to focus more on their knowledge and skill about the illness. What they usually do is to conduct a physical examination that is largely based on the things that they observe or see, and they would give the proper treatment. The diagnosis made by these doctors and physicians are empiric and intuitive; but a scientific and systematic approach is still important to design an antimicrobial therapy.

Antibiotics must satisfy certain criteria such as efficacy in the treatment of bronchitis, safety, and convenience and cost-effectiveness. The ideal antibiotic for bronchitis and other respiratory disorders are those that:

- offer action against principal respiratory organisms
- pharmacokinetic
- optimal pharmacologic
- pharmacodynamic profiles
- experimental response rates are high
- tissue penetration is good
- profiles of drug-interaction
- side effects are low
- bacterial resistance is developed slowly

Amoxicillin, macrolides and cephalosporins are considered as traditional antibiotics and are greatly used in antimicrobial therapy.  Their usefulness varies, as well as incidence of resistance among bacteria.

Last 1999, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin were released and these medications offered better options for the treatment of respiratory diseases. Since new ones are introduced, some drugs are pulled out from circulation because of their hazardous side effects.

In managing tracheal bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses, the doctors and physicians must have a great understanding of all organisms involved in the infection, and a thorough awareness of potential therapies that are quite effective. In treating tracheal bronchitis, there are various strategies being utilized.

Today, physicians are having a controversy as to what course of medication and treatment is required if the patient has symptoms of tracheal bronchitis. Generally, the patients are treated quickly. The patients are expecting that once they paid for a consultation, they are already entitled to get an antibiotic. The doctor must educate his patients and tell them that if they have a cough for a day or two, they should not rush into the doctor’s clinic. They have to wait about five to seven days. Viral infections disappear, but if your bronchitis is caused by bacteria, the coughing will continue. Then, that is the time that they should go the doctor.

In fact, most specialists recommend non-treatment if the cough doesn’t persist for at least five days. The time allows development and elimination of the viral infection that will disappear even without using antibiotics. If after such time the cough persists, then the doctor can now prescribe an antibiotic. If the patient has tracheal bronchitis and coughs (with sputum) for several days, but with no fever or pneumonia, COPD, or emphysema, it is customary for physicians and doctors to give antibiotics.

With further studies underway, perhaps new antibiotics will be developed to treat tracheal bronchitis and other classifications of bronchitis. Patients can look forward for a much better line of antibiotics to treat their condition. Let’s just hope that before those nasty bacteria settle into the bronchial tubes, new antibiotics are already available to combat them. For the mean time, prevention is the best way to combat the illness.

Bronchitis is defined as a disease with acute inflammation of the respiratory tract. The term is basically coined from the Greek words bronchos, which means windpipe, and itis, meaning inflammation. Bronchitis takes place when the trachea or windpipe and the bronchi (both small and large) become inflamed which is likely caused by an infection or other factors.

Bronchitis has two types, acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is mainly caused by viral or bacterial infections and from the acute word itself, it is only for a short period of time, but that is another story.

Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, is a long term bronchial inflammation consequently followed by a raise in the production of mucus. It is also a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a group of respiratory diseases that hampers with normal breathing.

Chronic bronchitis can be caused by no specific factor but cigarette smoking is believed to be the major culprit of the illness. Following smoking, other causes may include environmental pollution (especially air pollution) and bacterial or viral infections.

To be considered as chronic bronchitis, the patient must experience cough and expectorations (meaning with phlegm or sputum) for no less than 3 months in a year for two successive years. Furthermore, other factors that may cause symptoms such as TB (tuberculosis) or other respiratory health problems must be excluded.

As a category of COPD, primary symptoms of chronic bronchitis are mucus expectoration, cough, and dyspnea or labored breathing during physical exertion. These symptoms commonly deteriorate over time. Persistent cough and mucus expectoration usually come first years before the development of aberrations in the airflow of the respiratory tract.

Dyspnea or labored breathing, due to its severity, more often than not causes interference in the patient’s day to day activities. Loss of weight is fairly not uncommon since eating needs a certain amount of physical exertion and the sometimes only breathing itself can be energy consuming for the patient.

There will come a time when the patient will find it difficult to even participate in mild exercise because of dyspnea. As bronchitis progresses, labored breathing will be experienced by the patient even at rest. Then the patient will become in danger of acquiring more respiratory infections and respiratory insufficiency, which consequently raises the danger for both chronic and acute respiratory failure.

Other warning signs of chronic bronchitis may include swelling of the feet, abnormal lung signs, heart failure, and bluish discoloration of the lips and skin.
Symptoms may be similar to other respiratory problems; therefore it is advisable that the patient should consult a physician. This is due to the fact that chronic bronchitis is frequently associated with other diseases of the respiratory system such as asthma, tuberculosis, sinusitis, pulmonary emphysema, and other upper respiratory infections.

Moreover, there are numerous examinations that are utilized by the medical professionals to identify chronic bronchitis. These tests or examinations may include the following:

? Pulmonary function tests, which assist in calculating the lungs’ capacity to appropriately exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through use of a spirometry and peak flow monitoring (PFM). Spirometry is an apparatus that is used by the doctor to evaluate the function of the lungs. PFM is a tool that is utilized to determine the greatest speed in which an individual can exhale or blow air out of the lungs. PFM helps in assessing how the malady is being controlled

? Pulse Oximetry. This is a small apparatus that measures the quantity of oxygen in blood.

? Chest X-ray. This fairly common diagnostic test is used to create images of the internal tissues, organs, and bones unto a film.

? Arterial Blood Gas or ABG. This is a blood test that is employed to assess the lungs’ capacity to supply with oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide. This also helps in measuring the acidity of the blood.

? CT Scan or Computed Tomography. This is an amalgamation of x-rays and computer technology to produce sectional imagery of the body. This imaging device illustrates a comprehensive picture of any part of the body.

Although once a person acquires chronic bronchitis, which usually lasts a lifetime, this illness can be controlled. Treatments are utilized mainly to alleviate the symptoms. Nevertheless, the patient can still live a comfortable life if provided with a proper management of the symptoms. It may not be curable but it is manageable.

Inflammation of the respiratory tract that includes the trachea and the bronchus is known as bronchitis. This may be caused by viral or bacterial infection or constant exposure to pollutants (such as smoking and air pollution). There are two kinds, acute and chronic bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis usually takes place right after an infection of the upper respiratory tract has occurred like a sinus infection or the common cold. As for chronic bronchitis, there is no exact microorganism that can be pinpointed as a cause but smoking and environmental pollutants are believed to be the major culprits which then may be followed by bacterial or viral infection as the immune system becomes vulnerable.

Common symptoms of both kinds of bronchitis are nasal congestion, muscle pains, fever and chills, sore throat, poor sleep, and dyspnea (common in chronic bronchitis). Basically, the symptoms of bronchitis are similar to that of the common cold. It starts with an irritation at the back of the throat and as it gets worse, cough will enter the picture which may come with phlegm. If the phlegm is streaked with blood, it is best to consult a physician.

Cough is a universal symptom of bronchitis. This may be accompanied with sputum or not (dry cough). Sputum producing cough is a manifestation of an infection in the lower respiratory tract and the lungs. In acute bronchitis, cough may persist for more than fourteen days. Constant and vigorous coughing may leave the thoracic and abdominal muscles aching. Without proper medication, forceful coughing may even cause injury to the chest wall.

Uncomplicated bronchitis can be easily treated at home. Commonly, bronchitis (especially acute bronchitis) is caused by a viral infection. Virus-caused bronchitis is self-limiting and may require no major treatment except to alleviate symptoms and ease discomfort.

But if it is caused by bacterial infections, then antibiotics are prescribed. However, antibiotics should not be taken if bronchitis is caused by a virus. Doing so, will only be a waste of time and money. An over usage of antibiotics will only make certain types of bacteria to build resistance from the medication.

Since muscle aches can be experienced through the course of the disease, anti-pain medications may be taken such as acetaminophen and aspirin. But bear in mind that an over dosage of these type of medications may cause gastric bleeding. These should be taken with a full stomach. Furthermore, aspirin is contraindicated for children and pregnant women. Aspirin is thought to be highly associated with Reye’s syndrome in children, and it may cause severe bleeding in pregnant women.

To ease irritation in the respiratory tract, a cool mist humidifier may be employed. Taking large amounts of liquid helps out to ease fever because it tends to cool down the body temperature. Liquid intake also thins out or liquefies the phlegm, making it easier to cough it out. Another way to loosen up the phlegm is by taking an expectorant such as quaifenesin.

Further medical treatment will depend on the causative factor of bronchitis. If the patient is experiencing severe uncontrollable coughing, cough suppressants may be prescribed by the physician. But the before prescribing it, the physician will most likely test the individual to rule out other diseases.

Another kind of medication is the bronchodilator. This causes the respiratory tract tissues to dilate or open up which then promotes easy passage of air to the lungs. It consequently reduces wheezing.

Again, antibiotics may be used. Other than the reason of bacterial-caused infection in uncomplicated bronchitis is because individuals suffering from long term lung problems are more prone to bacteria infections because of their weakened immune systems.

In later stages of chronic bronchitis, the patient may call for supplemental oxygen to assist him or her in breathing. This oxygen therapy may be given during exercise to avoid dyspnea. And the patient may as well be hospitalized if the disease has become very severe and has developed complications.

To avoid further complications, patients may be required to receive an annual flu vaccine, as well as pneumococcal vaccine every five to seven years. Other medical treatments may also include mucolytic agents, antitussive medications, and alpha1 antitrypsin therapy.

Other treatments that can ease the symptoms of bronchitis are the use of herbal medicines. These can be formulated as inhalants and tea. Still, consult your physician if these additional herbal medicines won’t interfere with the primary treatment.

At first it is a little, with yello, and sometimes green. But just a tiny bit is green. Then I spit out white saliva the rest of the time because my throat isn't clear. I have had repeated physicals and everything comes out normal. But why do I always have phlegm every morning?
Thanks for the responses, i don't smoke, and I stay far away from smokers. I am going to try sleeping differently and change the temperature in my room.

sounds like you have post nasal drip. the phlem pools in the back of your throat when you sleep. try sleeping on your stomach. also salt water irrigation of your sinuses can help. boil1 quart of water with 1tbsp. of table salt in it .LET IT GO TO ROOM TEMP. BEFORE USING. using an eye dropper lay on your back across the width o your bed . let your head and neck dangle off. slowly fill each nostril with the COOLED salt water solution. BREATH HROUGH YOUR MOUTH. LET WATER REMAIN IN NOSE FOR APPROX. 5 MINUTES. THEN QUICKLY ROLL ONTO YOUR STOMACH AND BLOW EVERY THEIN OUT OF YOUR NOSE. do this twice a day if you can for 2 weeks. the go to onec a day. this is an old fashioned remedy but its cheap ,safe , and it works

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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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Also, did your vet prescribe Vibramycin (doxycycline monohydrate). And did your rats pneumonia get worse before it got better?
The vet i went to didn't have baytril cause they are retards. it was kind of small so that's prolly why.

My rat didn't have pneumonia, but he was sounding quite wheezy and was prescribed both Baytril with doxy and Vibramycin, both of which to be given every 12 hours for 30 days. It seems a little odd that your vet didn't prescribe any Baytril, that's usually what they go to first. Call up your vet and ask them why they didn't prescribe any.

As for getting worse before getting better, that does happen sometimes when it comes to antibiotics. It's a sort of detox of the body, and flu-like symptoms appear for a few days to a week. At least, that's in humans, I'm just making the assumption about rats so that may not be entirely accurate. Again, I'd call the vet and just ask about it to be sure.

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Johnny Rivers - Rockin’ Pneumonia - Boogie Woogie Flu

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In the beginning, very few illnesses and diseases were known, people would suffer from different ailments mysterious to them. As time passed, the number of diseases cropping up continued to increase. Millions of people acquire illnesses at some point in their lives; from common colds, coughs, to cancers and heart ailments. Though these illnesses or diseases have medications, it’s still best to stay healthy. Prevention is still better than cure, as many people always say.

Perhaps you’ve heard about bronchitis. This is the irritation and inflammation of a human’s bronchial tubes and adjacent tissues and organs involved in the breathing process. Bronchial tubes filter the air before it reaches the lungs, and are covered with hair-like things called cilia. Prolonged exposure to irritants can break the defenses thereby causing infection and inflammation.

Asthmatic bronchitis is similar to bronchitis. This is a disease associated with the airways. If you have chronic bronchitis, it can develop into asthmatic bronchitis. This type of disease is quite difficult to identify and diagnose. The generated symptoms exhibited by an individual having asthmatic bronchitis are similar to other respiratory tract illnesses such as asthma, bronchitis, sinusitis, and emphysema.

Bronchial hyperactivity, immunologic abnormalities, and severe childhood infections can cause asthmatic bronchitis. Individuals suffering from serious chronic bronchitis and persistent asthma are susceptible to asthmatic bronchitis.

Bacterial infections lead to chronic bronchitis; but with asthmatic bronchitis, small particles that passes though the cilia in the bronchial tubes triggers this disease; the airways and bronchial tubes become obstructed. Mucus is produced by the bronchial tubes to cover the trachea, lungs, and soft tissues involved in the breathing process. Due to irritants, the bronchial tubes produce an excessive amount of mucus thereby blocking air access. Constant blocking of the tract is a common occurrence among patients having asthmatic bronchitis.

Prolonged smoking and exposure to irritants, pollutants, and toxins can lead to asthmatic bronchitis especially if the person already has chronic bronchitis. The reason behind this is still unknown according to experts; but they claim that some environmental factors influence such condition.

Symptoms

- wheezing
- cough
- difficulty breathing
- chest discomfort
- pain and soreness
- increased infection vulnerability

Individuals suffering from asthma exhibit the same symptoms, but those that have asthmatic bronchitis experience them in higher intensities.

Treatment includes bronchodilators, antibiotics, and steroids. You must be warned that these treatments are not that effective in treating the causes of the disease. Inhaled medicines and bronchodilators provide only temporary amelioration to symptoms because the airways are cleared. Improvement can be seen after an ongoing treatment.

Treatments

- Oral corticosteroids like prednisolone tablets
- Symptom controller like salmeterol
- Oral antibiotics
- Preventer-medication or anti-inflammatory like fluticasone
- Reliever medications or bronchodilation like salbutamol

Doctors will advice patients with asthmatic bronchitis to avoid irritants like dust, pollen, smoke, alcohol vapors, and chemicals. Some patients are even required to have flu vaccines and the necessary precaution should be undertaken against bacterial or viral infections.

Any disease when not treated at an early stage has a great chance of developing into other forms of illnesses. Clinical examinations, pulmonary testing, and laboratory analyses can establish the asthmatic bronchitis diagnosis. Although bronchitis is a common condition, misdiagnosis can occur since respiratory illnesses are somewhat similar with each other. Other doctors might require supplementary respiration tests and chest x-ray to prescribe a treatment or medication.

People of all ages may suffer from asthmatic bronchitis. This is already a major complication that needs professional medial attention. Now, you’re already susceptible to developing pneumonia.

If you want to heal permanently, you must first get an accurate diagnosis. Only then can you be given the appropriate medication and treatment. If you don’t want further complications to develop, then you’d better see your doctor. If you haven’t been diagnosed yet and you think you have the symptoms mentioned above, then try to seek medical help.

Addressing any disease immediately can prevent complications, and not only that, you get to save money on medical costs. If you let your condition worsen, then you’re bound to spend a huge amount of money in the future for medications alone.

So why wait before things get complicated? Act now and look for a doctor that can diagnose your condition. He or she is the best person to assess your condition and determine the right medication suited for you.