How Bronchitis is Diagnosed and Treated?

Bronchitis is the inflammation caused in the airways connecting the wind pipe with the inner part of the lungs. The inflammation causes swelling of the mucus glands that line the airways. The inflammation causes sputum or phlegm production and causes coughing. The coughing brings out the sputum or the phlegm from the inside.

The swelling and the mucus produced narrow the airways making it constricted for air flow. The person affected may experience breathlessness and wheezing. There are two kinds of bronchitis. One is the acute bronchitis which lasts for a short period of time, 1 -2 weeks. The other is chronic bronchitis which is more severe and lasts for three months in a row and tends to repeat in the next year.

Diagnosing Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is caused by Virus and Bacteria. Most of the cases, up to 90 percent of the cases are due to viral infections. Sometimes when the infection is caused by the Bacteria, there are chances of secondary infections being caused by the virus and vice versa.

Acute bronchitis can last for a short period of time, say, 2 weeks and does not tend to recur. If it does, it could lead to chronic bronchitis. One experiences persistent cough that produces sputum or phlegm, breathlessness and wheezing.

The current health along with a review of the medical history would be performed by the doctor. The persistent cough which may be dry or with phlegm is taken as the major symptom. A chest examination and x ray are prescribed to rule out pneumonia and other infections.

Treating  Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is treated by its symptoms. Plenty of fluids with copious rest can ease the fatigue. Suppressants for cough are administered but not completely suppressed as it serves as a mean to expel the sputum produced.

Bronchodilators are administered to dilate the bronchioles. This is prescribed in case the person affected has wheezing. This treatment opens up tight air passages to help accommodate air to breathe normally.

When the infection has been caused by bacteria, antibiotics are prescribed. For people with the infection caused by the virus are administered antibiotics to prevent secondary infections from the Bacteria. The antibiotics are prescribed only when the number of bacteria is very large in number in the sputum thrown up during cough.

The viral infections would resolve themselves in a few weeks as it is.

Diagnosing Chronic Bronchitis

The chronic bronchitis is caused by excessive smoking or prolonged exposure to lung irritants. Exposure to second hand smoke can also cause chronic bronchitis. The cough and other symptoms should have lasted for at least three months or more and should have occurred in the consecutive year too. The symptoms should not have occurred due to any other disease.

During the diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, the x-ray of the chest is taken to rule out any other lung disease. It also helps check the extent of damage done to the lungs.

The sputum is examined for the cause of the bronchitis. A pulmonary function test is undertaken to test how the lungs function. The amount of air in took is measured against the amount of air present in the lungs.

Treating Chronic Bronchitis

The treatments are oriented towards providing relief for the symptoms, preventing complications from arising, and curb the progress of the disease.

Steroids are prescribed to relieve the symptoms. But they tend to cause side effects like high level of blood pressure, cataracts, diabetes, and weakening of bones. They are taken either orally or by inhaling them as an aerosol spray.

Supplemental oxygen is provided as therapy as the oxygen breathed in may not be sufficient for the patient. There are devices available that can be used at home too.

 Bronchodilators

Bronchodilators are used to dilate the airways by being taken as oral medication or aerosol spray.  They tend to open up and relax the tight air passages of the respiratory system.

Some patients may be recommended taking regular vaccines for flu on yearly basis and for pneumonia for every five years or so.

If the lung has been damaged, dead tissues are removed through surgery methodology called lung volume reduction surgery.

In some cases, antibiotics are prescribed so that the person does not acquire acute bronchitis or other respiratory infections.

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