BronchitisWhat are the Symptoms and Treatments

In 1808, Charles Bedham described and named bronchitis. For many years this condition affected many people. But because of newer developments in the field of medicine, people now have more alternatives to treating the said condition.

Pulmonary disorders are quite common especially in children. But this doesn’t mean that adults can’t have the disorder. In fact, those that live in polluted cities, especially smokers, are prone to it. If your bronchi are inflamed, then you may have bronchitis, which is widely known as an obstructive pulmonary illness or disorder.

Bronchitis is divided into short-term or acute and the long-term or chronic types. How will you know if you have bronchitis? There are symptoms associated with the disorder including expectorating cough, dyspnea, malaise and/or fatigue, mild fever and chest pains, coldness, and vibrating chest.

People of all ages may have bronchitis. Those that have frequent flu and colds tend to have this condition. If your immune system is weak, you are at a greater risk to major complications like asthmatic and chronic bronchitis, and it would be a lot easier for pneumonia to settle in.

As mentioned earlier, bronchitis can be acute or chronic. To diagnose and treat bronchitis properly, the pulmonary specialist must be more detailed with their diagnosis and understanding of various diseases and illnesses.

As a responsible individual, you must be aware of the symptoms so that when you or a family member exhibits such symptom, you can identify them easily and seek the help of medical professionals. It is best to act on the condition at an early stage to avoid any complications.
 
Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis has symptoms similar to flu and lasts for a short term only. People who have viral infections may be susceptible to acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is contagious and usually begins by having dry cough that occurs at night. In a matter of days, the cough will progress and the person can suffer from fatigue, fever, and headache. The cough might take several weeks; but for some it might even take months because the healing process is very slow in the bronchial tubes.

If you’ve been suffering the cough for over a month, your doctor can refer you to an ENT expert to find out if there are other causes of irritation. If your bronchial tubes are always irritated, it can lead to asthmatic conditions.

With acute bronchitis, the passageways constrict because of the infection caused by a virus or bacteria. If it is caused by a bacteria, then giving the right antibiotic regimen can make the person well. You must visit your doctor to get accurate diagnosis because administering any medicine without doctor’s prescription can make the disorder worse.

If you experience persistent wheezing and cough, then you might have acute bronchitis. If you have constricted bronchial tubes, you can hear a wheezing sound every time you breathe. The disorder clears up after a few days but it can also last for over a week. Make sure that you take a rest and drink lots of juices or water.

As a simple home remedy, you can put wet blankets and towels inside the house to increase humidity or you can opt for room humidifiers. Smokers who happen to have acute bronchitis should quit smoking to heal faster and don’t make his condition even worse. 

Chronic Bronchitis

This condition is ongoing. It can take months, or even years, for the condition to last. Due to environmental factors like exposure to smoke, fumes, odors, and dust can lead to chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis has no cure; therefore patients having the condition must avoid the triggers and make considerable changes in their surrounding environment. You must be able to identify the ‘triggers’ and you can do this with the help of your doctor.

When you consult a doctor, several laboratory tests will be performed including chest x-rays, test for pulmonary function and blood gases in the arteries, and the sputum culture. Usually, these tests are also performed for patients with acute bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis can be prevented only if you try to change some of your bad habits including smoking.

Nothing beats a healthy and active lifestyle. If you practice preventive measures, then you can avoid getting bronchitis or any other illness.

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.

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.

There are quite a lot of people living today who are suffering from different kinds of respiratory illnesses. You have to consider that your respiratory health is one of the most important factors that you should consider. Many people have been disabled by chronic respiratory illnesses where the main cause is that they tend to neglect early signs and symptoms of the disease when it develops and becomes severe.

One kind of disease that is commonly neglected by people is called bronchitis. This particular disease is common in infants and children where their immune system is still at the developing stages. Tobacco smokers and people living in areas where there is a high level of air pollution is also commonly affected by bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is a respiratory illness where the bronchial tree is infected by either a virus or bacteria or in rare cases, fungus.  95% of acute bronchitis is caused by viral infection where no special treatment is necessary.

The treatment for acute bronchitis that is caused by viral infection only consists of getting a lot of rest, drinking a lot of water or juices during the duration of the infection. In bacterial infection, antibiotics are usually needed along with the basic treatments. If it is possible, it is recommended that the humidity in the house should be increased by using room humidifiers or by placing wet towels and blankets around the house.

Acute bronchitis, if properly treated, can last up to 10 to 12 days only and are usually followed by flu or cold. Sometimes, coughing can last for two to three weeks or during the duration of the healing process of the bronchioles. However, if the cough still persists, it is recommended that you should consult your physician immediately because there may be other conditions that is affecting your body.

If acute bronchitis is left untreated, it can develop into chronic bronchitis where the disease can remain in long duration that can last up to 3 months to 2 years. Chronic bronchitis has permanent damages into your respiratory system. This is why it is important that you should know all about bronchitis and the signs and symptoms associated with it. If you neglect the signs and symptoms of acute bronchitis, it will develop into chronic bronchitis that can cause permanent damage in your respiratory system and can interfere with your normal movements and activities.

The signs and symptoms associated with acute bronchitis will include shortness of breath, mild pain on chest, mild case of fever, persistent coughing with mucus, chills, tightness in the chest, wheezing, and headache. As you can see, the symptoms associated with acute bronchitis have similar symptoms associated with the common cold disease. This is why it is important that if you experience the mentioned signs and symptoms, you should immediately consult your physician about it.

They will conduct a series of test that will include physical examination by listening to your breathing through a stethoscope and chest X-rays. Laboratory tests will also include examination of your mucus to determine whether you have acute bronchitis caused by virus, bacteria, or fungus infection.

During the recovery phase in acute bronchitis, it is important that you should stop smoking if you are a smoker, or avoid inhaling cigarette or tobacco smoke blown by smokers. It is also recommended that you should install air purifiers inside your home in order to breathe clean air.

Acute bronchitis is also easy to prevent. By constantly washing your hands and by quitting smoking, you will be able to maintain your respiratory health and avoid getting infected by viruses and bacteria that causes acute bronchitis.

Always remember that acute bronchitis is treatable. As soon as the signs and symptoms show up, you should consult your doctor about it. You have to consider that it may not be a simple cold that you are suffering from but acute bronchitis.

By taking the necessary precautions and by knowing about the signs and symptoms of acute bronchitis, you will be able to prevent it from getting worse and let it develop into chronic bronchitis. By effectively managing the illness and with the proper treatment, you can be sure that you will never have to suffer from chronic bronchitis.

My grandma is 65 or so, and she has been diagnosed with emphysema. She’s never smoked, but her relatives did when she was a child. The doctor’s have done lots of testing, and she’s between stages 2 and 3.

What can she do to make it a better, (we know it’s a chronic illness)
And how much would money would it take to get a lung transplant?
What is the life expectancy? The internet has been kind of useless so far…

Thanks!

People live for years and years with emphysema, it’s not nice but if your grandma is looked after, gets the medication she needs, plus tries to keep active and get regular proper exercise then she should enjoy an almost normal life.
A lung transplant is most likely out of the question, first of all you’ve got to be fit enough to survive the operation . . . !
Make sure she gets a nebuliser, home oxygen and that her doctors keep up to date with her treatment and her progress.
Plus a little love from family goes a long, long way in helping people cope and enjoy life.

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The respiratory system is one of the most important systems in the human body. It is the part of the body that distributes oxygen throughout the body in order for it to live. Without it, the body will not be able to survive. This is why it is important for you to always take care of your respiratory system.

However, there are instances where there will be a respiratory disorder. One type of respiratory illness is called bronchitis. Bronchitis is an obstructive pulmonary disorder where the bronchi of the lungs become inflamed. This particular condition is common with tobacco smokers or people living in areas where there is a high level of air pollution.

One type of bronchitis is called acute bronchitis where it is considered to be a short-term bronchitis and can be treated right away. You can tell if you have acute bronchitis if you are suffering from the following signs and symptoms:

• Persistent coughing with mucus
• Shortness of breath (Dyspnea)
• Mild fever
• Fatigue
• Mild chest pains
• Feeling of vibration in the chest when breathing
• Feeling of coldness

If you are suffering from the mentioned signs and symptoms, it is recommended that you should consult your physician immediately in order for them to conduct a diagnosis. The diagnosis will include a physical examination where the physician will listen for your breathing sounds through a stethoscope. They will also have your chest X-rayed for further testing.

Acute bronchitis is commonly caused by viruses infecting the lining of the bronchial tree. The virus can be the same viruses that cause colds. In rare cases, acute bronchitis can be caused by an infection of fungus in the bronchial tree. Bacterial infection is also one of the main causes of acute bronchitis.

Treatment for acute bronchitis can be rather easy to do. If the bronchitis is caused by a virus, it will usually go away after a few days and signs and symptoms of bronchitis will subside. It is only required that you should get plenty of rest until the fever subsides and drink a lot of non-caffeinated and non-alcoholic drink, such as water and juices. It is recommended that you should drink at least 3 to 4 liters a day in order for you to recover faster.

However, if the bronchitis is caused by bacteria, the treatment will include taking antibiotics. It is also recommended that you should increase the humidity in the environment by using room humidifiers or by simply putting wet towels and blankets around the house.

In order to help the bronchial tree recover and heal faster and prevent another attack of bronchitis, it is recommended that you should stay away from polluted areas and if you are a smoker, you should cut down or quit smoking if possible or at least by not smoking inside the house.

The duration of acute bronchitis is usually 10 to 12 days after the first signs and symptoms appear. It will be accompanied by cold or flu or in some cases it can come unaccompanied by other conditions. You have to remember that acute bronchitis is contagious. It is usually transmitted through coughing where the virus or bacteria will be released in the air causing someone who breathes in the virus or bacteria to get infected. It is important that whenever you need to cough, you should cover your mouth with a damp cloth to prevent most of the virus or bacteria particles from getting airborne.

For some people, after the bronchitis has been treated, they will still continue coughing. However, if the coughing lasts longer than a month, it is recommended that you should consult your physician immediately as some other condition aside from the bronchitis may be causing you to cough.

There are ways to prevent bronchitis. To do this, all you need to do is wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, drink lots of fluid, and get lots of rest. You have to remember that bronchitis is caused by viruses or bacteria that can be transferred from an infected area to your hands and from your hands to your lungs.

Always remember that once you see the signs and symptoms associated with bronchitis, you should consult your doctor immediately in order to make a quick diagnosis of your condition and let you treat it at its early stages.

I am going to the doctor because I have been having a difficult time breathing and I think that I might have emphysema because my brother has it and he says it sounds like I may have it also. I would like to know what medical terms my doctor might uses that relates to emphysema and what type of question will he ask me.

Just because you have difficult time breathing, doesn't always mean emphysema. Other conditions besides emphysema that cause difficulty in breathing could be early stage (or any stage) of lung cancer, COPD chronic obstructed pulmonary disease (i think that's the correct name), asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia. The doctor may ask if you smoke, if you used to smoke and quit, or if anyone else around you smokes, or if you are exposed to irritants that could cause you to have difficulty breathing, such as chemical fumes and strong odors. In some cases, difficulty breathing is a result of an allergic reation to an allergen, what are you allergic to?

If it is indeed emphysema, make sure you let your doctor know how often you are having difficulty breathing, and what activities do you do that make you feel short of breath. Sometimes if you have trouble breathing throughout the day, you may be having trouble breathing at night as well. This can cause you to actually stop breathing while you sleep, and you wouldn't even know it. This is called sleep apnea, and very dangerous. ..If this is the case, talk to your doctor about getting a portable oxygen tank, a sleep ap(sp?), or a compressor for your home.

Good luck, and I hope your health gets better.

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My father has been diagnosed with non-small carcinoma in the right lung. The doctors also found a lesion in the back bone L4 which is reported as neoplastic. A biopsy on the lung tumor was performed and confirme malignancy. On that basis they are presuming that the bone lesion is also a malignant cancer tumor. However, what seems to be strange is that the CT scan results for the rest of the right lung, the left lung, abdomin, intestines, bladder, prostate, pancreas are totally clear. His oncology blood markers are also clear. The bone scan apart from the suspected lesion at L4 is totally clean, and his blood test results are acceptable. His general health conditions are good. He was on a diet, stopped it and gained 3KGS within a span of 10 days. He simply does not show any of the symptoms of a stage IV cancer patient. The doctors said they cannot operate because of the bone lesion. Had it been only in the lungs they would. We are concerned that they might be making the wrong connection

definitely get a second or third opinion.. this is too important!

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