Acute bronchitis – Bronchi Inflammation

Acute bronchitis is the short-lived inflammation in the bronchi, the main air passages to the lungs. The swelling or irritation may be acute or short lived and it implies that it is recurring and lasts for a long time.

Generally, viral respiratory infection is succeeded by bronchitis, affecting the throat, noise and sinuses and then the lungs. One may also get the bacterial infection. Generally, people having heart or lung disease, smokers and elderly and infants are prone to suffer with acute bronchitis.

While acute bronchitis is only short-lived, chronic bronchitis is a long-term condition wherein one suffers from cough that produces excessive mucus. May it be short term or long term, bronchitis can be worsen by allergies, infections, air pollution or certain occupations like grain handling or coal mining.

The acute bronchitis symptoms may be fatigue, wheezing, low fever, and discomfort in chest, shortness of breath or cough that produces mucus. Other symptoms may also be frequent respiratory infections like cold and flu, leg, feet and ankle swelling and blue colored lips with low oxygen. Bacterial infection causes yellow-green cough while dry, hacking, nagging cough may remain even after bronchitis may have cleared.

Tests for bronchitis may include sputum samples and lung function tests. Doctors normally check for heavy breathing sounds or abnormal sounds in lungs called rales. The amount of oxygen in blood can be tested by pulse oximetry or in a painful needle stick way of arterial blood gas.

It is a myth that one needs antibiotics for acute bronchitis. One should avoid smoking, increase fluid intake, take rest and use a humidifier or steam for improving acute bronchitis symptoms. Inhalers may also be used to open airways. Damage to lungs can be prevented if bronchitis is diagnosed early. Advanced chronic bronchitis has poor chance of recovery but the chances can be significantly improved with early recognition and treatment.

Bronchitis may cause pneumonia and likely developments of recurrent respiratory infections. The complications may also result in right sided heart failure, pulmonary hypertension or emphysema. One should take coughing blood seriously, mostly with thick greenish, pungent mucus. Doctor should be called if high fever or shaking chills continue for 3 or more days, chest pain or shortness of breath occurs or one has an underlying chronic illness like heart or lung disease.

As it is said that ‘Prevention is better than cure’, one can prevent acute bronchitis by quitting smoking, reducing exposure to air pollution, avoiding spreading of virus and other infections through proper hygiene and taking yearly flu vaccine and a pneumococcal vaccine according to doctor’s instructions. One can also read more about its prevention and safety with the help of online medical services.

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