Symptoms and Treatment of Bronchitis :: Health Medicine

Symptoms and Treatment of BronchitisBronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi. It may develop suddenly,following a head cold ( sharp-worded bronchitis), or it may persist or returnregularly for many years, causing progressive degeneration of the bronchiand lungs (chronic bronchitis). Certain people are much susceptible thanothers hands are more of a target to bronchitis than women, out numberingthem 10 to 1 cc the reasons are unclear. Of course smokers are 50 timesmore likely to get chronic bronchitis than nonsmokers. Acute bronchitisis a bacteria or virus infection, often following a cold smoking. Peoplewho have acute bronchitis usually have a mild fever, soreness under breastbone, irritated by coughing. First they have a dry cough and so the coughlater brings up green and yellow mucus. The cough may persist to 4 to 6weeks. Chronic bronchitis is produced by other chronic problemssinusitis, smoking, TB, and so on The Bronchi becomes thick, inelastic, andaccumulate mucus and pus in lower part of lungs instead of bringingdischarges up and out. The result is chronic cough, shortness of breath,sometimes spasm, and frequent infection.In acute bronchitis, the basic symptoms are a head cold, fever and chills,running nose, aching muscles and possibly back pains. This is soonfollowed by the obvious persistent cough. At first the cough is dry andracking and eventually becomes phlegmy. The persistent cough is worse atnight than during the day, and when the person breathes in smoke and fumes.The main symptoms some recognized in chronic bronchitis is, again, a cough,with sputum, often occurring in paroxysms. Other symptoms in chronicbronchitis are dependant on how much, or how little, emphysema is present. This put out causes the lungs to become overstretched, making thebreathing process difficult. The chronic bronchitic with no emphysema tendsto be overweight and often has a bluish tinge to his or her lips due tolack of oxygen. Shortness of breath onl y occurs during exercise andother strenuous activity. The bronchitic with a great deal of emphysema,who has lost a stripe of his or her oxygen cc exchanging ability, due to thecondition, is short of breath at all times. The bronchitic with emphysemavery often are underweight and, as the disease comes worse, develops abarrel chest. The Chronic bronchitic also wheezes because of theobstruction.NOTE Emphysema is a state of overdistention of the tiny air-containingsacs of the lung.The cause of bronchitis are from viral or bacterial infections whichspreads to the chest.