Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs. People who have bronchitis often cough up thickened mucus, which can be discolored.
In Britain in 1808,
a physician Charles
Badham was
the first person to describe the condition and name the acute form as acute
bronchitis. This was written of in a book entitled Inflammatory
conditions of the bronchia
What is Bronchitis?
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial
tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs. People who have bronchitis often
cough up thickened mucus, which can be discolored.
Types
Mainly
two types
1.
Acute
2.
Chronic
1.) Acute Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis, also known as a chest cold,
is short-term bronchitis – inflammation of
the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) of the lungs.
Signs and Symptoms
- The primary symptom is cough with sputum that may be purulent.
- Production of mucus (sputum), which can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in color — rarely, it may be streaked with blood
- Fatigue
- Shortness of breath
- Slight fever and chills
- Chest discomfort
- a blocked nose and sinuses
Causes
Acute bronchitis can be caused by :
- Contagious pathogens, most commonly viruses. Typical viruses include respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, influenza, and others.
- Bacteria are uncommon pathogens but may include Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Bordetella pertussis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae
2. Chronic Bronchitis
- Chronic bronchitis is defined as a productive cough that lasts for three months or more per year for at least two years.
- When this occurs together with decreased airflow it is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Many people with chronic bronchitis have COPD however, most people with COPD do not have chronic bronchitis
Signs and symptoms
- Chronic bronchitis has similar symptoms to acute bronchitis, but it is an ongoing illness.
- One definition states that a person has chronic bronchitis if they have a daily, productive cough for at least 3 months of the year, 2 or more years in a row.
·
The National Library
of Medicine describe
it as a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in which the
bronchial tubes produce a lot of mucus. It either does not go away, or it goes
away and keeps coming back
Cause
Chronic bronchitis results from repeated
irritation and damage to the lung and airway tissues. The most common cause is
smoking, but not everyone with bronchitis is a smoker.
Other possible causes include:
- long
term exposure to air pollution, dust, and fumes from the environment
- genetic
factors rarely include
- repeated
episodes of acute bronchitis
- a
history of respiratory disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
Bronchitis Risk Factors
You have a higher chance of getting either kind of
bronchitis if:
- You smoke.
- You have asthma and allergies.
- You have a weaker immune system. This is sometimes the case for older adults and people with ongoing diseases, as well as for babies and young children. Even a cold can make it more likely, since your body’s already busy fighting those germs.
Your risk of getting chronic
bronchitis is higher if:
- You’re a female smoker. You may be more at risk than a male smoker.
- You have a family history of lung disease.
Complications
·
Although a single episode of bronchitis usually isn't cause for
concern, it can lead to pneumonia in some people. Repeated bouts of bronchitis,
however, may mean that you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
When to see a Doctor?
Call your doctor if your cough:
- Brings up blood or mucus that thickens or darkens
- Keeps you awake at night
- Lasts more than 3 weeks
- Causes chest pain
- Has a barking sound and makes it hard to speak
- Comes along with unexplained weight loss
You’ll also want to call your
doctor if you have a cough along with:
Diagnosis
A doctor will carry out a physical
examination, using a stethoscope to listen for unusual sounds in the lungs.
They may also ask an individual about:
- their
symptoms, and especially the cough
- their
medical history
- any
recent bouts of cold or flu
- whether
they smoke
- exposure
to second-hand smoke, dust, fumes, or air pollution
The doctor may also:
- take
a sputum swab to test for bacteria or viruses in the lab
- check
the oxygen levels in the person’s blood
recommend a chest X-ray, pulmonary lung
function test, or blood
Treatment
- rest
- drink
fluids
- take
over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as ibuprofen
Taking OTC medication will help relieve a
cough and ease any accompanying pain. In time, acute bronchitis will go away,
often without treatment.
The symptoms of chronic bronchitis may
resolve or improve for a while. However, they will come back or become worse
again, especially if there is exposure to smoke or other triggers.
Options that may help include:
Cough medicine:
Coughing is useful for removing mucus from the bronchial tubes, but medication
can help bring relief, for example, at night.
Taking honey:
Taking 2 spoonfuls of honey may bring relief of cough symptoms.
Using a humidifier:
This can loosen mucus, improve airflow, and relieve wheezing.
Bronchodilators:
These open the bronchial tubes and may help clear out mucus.
Mucolytics:
These loosen or thin mucus in the airways, making it easier to cough up sputum.
Anti-inflammatory and steroid drugs:
These can help reduce inflammation that can cause tissue damage.
Oxygen therapy:
In severe cases, a person may need supplemental oxygen to ease their breathing.
Prevention
To reduce your risk of bronchitis, follow these tips:
- Avoid cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke increases your risk of chronic bronchitis.
- Get vaccinated. Many cases of acute bronchitis result from influenza, a virus. Getting a yearly flu vaccine can help protect you from getting the flu. You may also want to consider vaccination that protects against some types of pneumonia.
- Wash your hands. To reduce your risk of catching a viral infection, wash your hands frequently and get in the habit of using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
- Wear a surgical mask. If you have COPD, you might consider wearing a face mask at work if you're exposed to dust or fumes, and when you're going to be among crowds, such as while traveling.
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Out look
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Symptoms
Causes
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Types
Preventions
Treatment
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Avoiding
air pollution, handwashing
Rest, paracetamol (acetaminophen),
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Frequency
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Acute:
~5% of people a year
Chronic: ~5% of people |