The bronchitis is the infection and the inflammation of the mucus glands that line the bronchial tubes. The bronchial tubes carry the air into the inner part of the lungs. There are two types of bronchitis, acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis is caused by high degree exposure to lung irritants like smoke particles, grain dust, mine particles and more. It causes lasting damage to the lungs and the respiratory system. It cannot be cured. The treatment will be oriented towards providing relief for the symptoms and preventing any further damage. The symptoms will last for three months or more for years consecutively.
What is acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is the infection of the bronchial tubes and the mucus glands lining it by infection caused by bacteria or virus. It is often caused by the same virus that causes an upper respiratory infection like common cold or influenza.
It usually lasts for up to two weeks and recedes by itself usually. 90 percent of the cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, the rest by bacteria.
What happens when a person has acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis causes the mucus lining to be inflamed. They produce more mucus which comes out as sputum or phlegm. The excess sputum produced narrows the airways of the bronchial tubes making less space for the air to move in and out.
Repeated occurrences of acute bronchitis could lead to chronic bronchitis.
Is acute bronchitis contagious?
The infection produces phlegm or sputum in which the virus or the bacteria may be present. This will be expelled through cough. When another person comes in contact directly or indirectly they tend to get infected. The cough may last for sometime even after the infection has receded.
Since the infection is caused by bacteria and virus that cause common cold and influenza, then it is also contagious like the diseases.
The person affected has to be very cautious when surrounded by others. Care must be taken to close the mouth when coughing. Things like cups and other things should not be shared with others. Hands should be washed regularly and frequently.
What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis?
Hacking cough accompanied by sputum or phlegm is the major symptom or identification sign of acute bronchitis or bronchitis in general. The person suffering from acute bronchitis will also experience breathlessness or shortness of breath. In some cases the person may experience wheezing.
The person will be experiencing fatigue and a general ill feeling of unease. The person will have a low degree of fever. In rare cases, the person will experience chest pain.
What are the causes of acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis usually occurs when the person has an upper respiratory infection. In people having chronic bronchitis, the person will have a weakened respiratory system which can be prone to infection. This could lead to acute bronchitis.
How is acute bronchitis treated?
In most cases, acute bronchitis usually resolves itself without any need for medication. The treatment usually focuses on providing the person with relief from the symptoms. The person is prescribed lots of rest and plenty of fluids to provide relief from the fatigue.
Suppressant medicines for cough can be taken to provide relief from the hacking cough but should not completely suppress it. The mucus should be brought out from the system. The throat can become sore and inflamed from the coughing.
In case of infections caused by bacteria, the person can be prescribed some antibiotics. They do not work against viral infections. But in some cases they are administered so that bacteria do not cause secondary bout of infections.
One can also be given bronchodilators that can dilate the bronchial tubes to accommodate more air into the lungs.
If bacteria or the virus are found in the blood then treatment is to be administered for the same.
If the person is a smoker or is exposed to lung irritants frequently, then the exposure to the same is to be stopped completely.
One should exercise proper care for the respiratory system and avoid increasing or complicating the exisiting situation. Chronic bronchitis could arise as a complication and that cannot be cured.
Chronic bronchitis is caused by high degree exposure to lung irritants like smoke particles, grain dust, mine particles and more. It causes lasting damage to the lungs and the respiratory system. It cannot be cured. The treatment will be oriented towards providing relief for the symptoms and preventing any further damage. The symptoms will last for three months or more for years consecutively.
What is acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is the infection of the bronchial tubes and the mucus glands lining it by infection caused by bacteria or virus. It is often caused by the same virus that causes an upper respiratory infection like common cold or influenza.
It usually lasts for up to two weeks and recedes by itself usually. 90 percent of the cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, the rest by bacteria.
What happens when a person has acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis causes the mucus lining to be inflamed. They produce more mucus which comes out as sputum or phlegm. The excess sputum produced narrows the airways of the bronchial tubes making less space for the air to move in and out.
Repeated occurrences of acute bronchitis could lead to chronic bronchitis.
Is acute bronchitis contagious?
The infection produces phlegm or sputum in which the virus or the bacteria may be present. This will be expelled through cough. When another person comes in contact directly or indirectly they tend to get infected. The cough may last for sometime even after the infection has receded.
Since the infection is caused by bacteria and virus that cause common cold and influenza, then it is also contagious like the diseases.
The person affected has to be very cautious when surrounded by others. Care must be taken to close the mouth when coughing. Things like cups and other things should not be shared with others. Hands should be washed regularly and frequently.
What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis?
Hacking cough accompanied by sputum or phlegm is the major symptom or identification sign of acute bronchitis or bronchitis in general. The person suffering from acute bronchitis will also experience breathlessness or shortness of breath. In some cases the person may experience wheezing.
The person will be experiencing fatigue and a general ill feeling of unease. The person will have a low degree of fever. In rare cases, the person will experience chest pain.
What are the causes of acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis usually occurs when the person has an upper respiratory infection. In people having chronic bronchitis, the person will have a weakened respiratory system which can be prone to infection. This could lead to acute bronchitis.
How is acute bronchitis treated?
In most cases, acute bronchitis usually resolves itself without any need for medication. The treatment usually focuses on providing the person with relief from the symptoms. The person is prescribed lots of rest and plenty of fluids to provide relief from the fatigue.
Suppressant medicines for cough can be taken to provide relief from the hacking cough but should not completely suppress it. The mucus should be brought out from the system. The throat can become sore and inflamed from the coughing.
In case of infections caused by bacteria, the person can be prescribed some antibiotics. They do not work against viral infections. But in some cases they are administered so that bacteria do not cause secondary bout of infections.
One can also be given bronchodilators that can dilate the bronchial tubes to accommodate more air into the lungs.
If bacteria or the virus are found in the blood then treatment is to be administered for the same.
If the person is a smoker or is exposed to lung irritants frequently, then the exposure to the same is to be stopped completely.
One should exercise proper care for the respiratory system and avoid increasing or complicating the exisiting situation. Chronic bronchitis could arise as a complication and that cannot be cured.
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