What is bronchitis?
Bronchitis is basically the inflammation of mucosal surfaces of the bronchi. It is a very common respiratory condition and often results from an infection. It can be divided into infectious and non-infectious, as well as acute and chronic categories.
Infectious and non-infectious bronchitis
The infectious forms of the condition are as a result of infection from micro-organisms, with bacteria and viruses being the most common, and others including fungi and mycoplasma. The non-infectious forms are usually due irritants or allergens. Irritants are those things that irritate the airways, like cigarette smoke, chemicals and pollution. Allergens are those things that evoke an allergic response, making the airways oversensitive. These include dust, pollen and pet dander. The infectious types generally have more intense symptoms and are responsible for more of the acute forms, while the non-infectious types have milder symptoms that persist for months.
Acute bronchitis
The acute form of the condition has a rapid onset, usually within a few days. It usually lasts for several days but can progress over two or more weeks. The condition is more common in children than in adults, and this is why you will often hear people refer to it as childhood bronchitis. Symptoms include a low productive cough, low-grade fever, chest pain, wheeze, sore throat and difficulty breathing.
While the symptoms are generally very intense, it responds well to treatment. If not treated there is a chance that it could progress to the chronic form. The treatment depends on the cause of the condition. For bacterial causes the treatment includes antibiotics, while treatment for viral causes is for the relief of symptoms. This includes pain medication as well as things like paracetamol to bring down the fever if it is very high.
Chronic bronchitis
To diagnose the condition an individual must have had a productive cough for three months out of the year for two consecutive years. It is known as the smoker’s disease, simply because the biggest predisposing factor to the condition is smoking. Almost all patients will have a history of smoking. People can also suffer from it as a result of repeated chest infections, especially during childhood.
Chronic forms of the condition bring about a set of symptoms that is less intense than the acute form. These symptoms can persist for months and don’t respond to treatment as well as acute bronchitis. So even though people may complete treatment and feel better, they tend to relapse soon after. Symptoms include highly productive cough, wheezing, difficulty breathing and chest pain.
Treatment of the condition will depend on how far it has progressed. If there has not yet been significant lung damage then the patient will be advised to modify risk factor, so they will be asked to stop smoking or try to avoid chemical exposure. People with very advanced conditions may need to be put on medication to help air move in and out of the lungs more effectively, and eventually they may need to be put on an oxygen mask.
