Bronchitis - a disease of the lower airways (bronchi) of an inflammatory nature. Accepted provide two basic types of bronchitis - acute and chronic. These two forms of bronchitis differ not only in terms of the causes of the disease, but also from the point of view of clinical manifestations - i.e. symptoms.
Cough: Alarm
The main symptom of bronchitis, bronchial inflammatory diseases - cough, the duration of which is about two to three weeks
. The cough may be different in character - productive (with the emergence of phlegm) or as unproductive (so-called dry cough)
. In the early stages of bronchitis, cough, mostly dry, paroxysmal character, with the development of the disease - a productive (with mucous or muco-purulent sputum)
. If the infection is struck not only the lower respiratory tract, and larynx, there is a characteristic symptom of acute bronchitis as "barking", echoing and hacking cough
. In addition, acute bronchitis and may be accompanied by symptoms such as dyspnea (breathing problems) - usually a symptom characteristic of cases of simultaneous destruction of small bronchi
. Characteristic for acute bronchitis and adverse consequences of such a persistent cough as an unpleasant feeling sore throat, hoarseness, hacking, painful cough and caused them pain in the lower chest
.
Change coughing, a key symptom of bronchitis depends on the stage of the disease. First, a child or an adult, ill with bronchitis, there is a dry, irritating the throat, cough Sore (the so-called non-productive cough or cough without phlegm) - a cough indicates tracheal lesions. With the development of the disease and the continuing defeat bronchi cough becomes softer, more productive, it begins to produce viscous mucous sputum (usually a symptom of bronchitis is observed on the second or third day of the disease).
Other symptoms of bronchitis
Since bronchitis, pathogens which are the viruses or bacteria that usually occurs on the background of the continuing suffering or respiratory disease (most often - common cold), for the early stages of bronchitis characterized by symptoms similar to the symptoms of respiratory diseases. In particular, acute bronchitis may be accompanied by a general feeling of malaise, headache, chills, feeling body aches, rhinitis (runny nose). Quite often, acute bronchitis is accompanied by fever. Generally, such symptoms are short-lived and disappears within a few days. By and large, the only symptom of acute bronchitis, which can be considered as the basis for deriving the appropriate diagnosis is acute caused, prolonged cough.
A significant role in the specificity of the symptoms of acute bronchitis plays the character of the disease - whether caused by bronchitis virus, which happens often, or bacteria. For example, for the so-called mycoplasma bronchitis (bronchitis, the causative agent of which are the bacteria of the genus Mycoplasma pneumoniae), characterized by symptoms such as fever, sweating, sore throat, fatigue, myalgia, and, of course, a long, continuous, ongoing for several weeks cough sputum - a direct consequence of the defeat of the bronchi with any kind of bronchitis. In the absence of proper treatment, the symptoms of acute bronchitis may be disappearing on their own within one to two weeks and persist for a long (more than a month) period of time.
Why start bronchitis
Bronchitis - one of the most common diseases. It is hard to imagine a man who never in his life been ill with bronchitis. Especially bronchitis often occur in children with weakened immune systems: the disease ends almost every cold.
Bronchitis or inflammation of the bronchi caused by ingestion of bronchial infections (viral, bacterial or fungal). Normally, your body is well protected against pathogens: when it is inhaled units include the initial immunity and the infection can not simply pass the barrier as the skin or mucosa. But with lowered immunity infection overcomes this barrier quickly and causes disease. There is a notion "not Sadowski child" - a child who is a slow maturing of immunity and it is not yet ready to ensure that the child is in the team, which constantly circulates some kind of infection. For children with normal immunity is even useful - stimulates the body's defenses.
Immunosuppression is found not only in children but also in adults. This is facilitated by any chronic disease, a sedentary lifestyle, a rare exposure to fresh air, and so on. In this case, the common cold often turns into bronchitis, and frequent acute bronchitis may become chronic.
Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is rarely begin immediately. Usually it occurs on a viral or bacterial infection. Initially, a cough, runny nose, fever, typical of acute respiratory diseases. Cough initially dry, it can be rough, barking (a sign that the inflamed larynx and vocal cords), and then it gradually becomes moist and deeper. Gradually, the infection begins to spread first to the trachea, bronchi and then. When inflammation of the trachea (tracheitis) appears chest pain that increases with coughing. Since the primary inflammatory process moves all lower bronchi, inflammation in the upper airways become smaller, reduced cold, his voice no longer wheezing, no barking cough. Cough becoming deeper.
In acute bronchitis, lung doctor listens to first dry svistyasche (against the background of dry cough obsessive), and then wet variegated wheezing. Variegated wheezing say that are involved are different in size (diameter) of the bronchi and the passage of air through the bronchi to hear the sound from both burst bubbles (air passes through the phlegm).
The main objective in the treatment of acute bronchitis - translate cough
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in the wet, and then cough up the most mucus. To do this, appointed special expectorants and mucus-thinning drugs. Will also hot milk with an alkaline mineral water or soda, honey, teas and herbal infusions, has expectorant properties (marshmallow, anise, thyme, etc.). If necessary, the doctor prescribes antibiotics.
Sometimes acute bronchitis may occur violation of patency of small airways - the so-called obstructive bronchitis. It is dangerous because the inflammatory process can go on the tissue of the lungs. Acute obstructive bronchitis is sometimes difficult to distinguish from pneumonia
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, It is necessary to make a roentgen.
Acute bronchitis is usually a favorable outcome, but with a decrease in immunity, he sometimes becomes chronic.
Symptoms of chronic bronchitis
For chronic bronchitis caused by prolonged irritation of the bronchi, the main symptom is also cough - usually productive, that is, the presence of viscous mucus. In addition, chronic bronchitis due to progressive destruction of the lower respiratory tract and may be accompanied by such a distinct symptom is shortness of breath (difficulty breathing), as well as more general symptoms - sweating, weakness and constant fatigue, occasional fever.
Chronic bronchitis usually occurs without an increase in temperature, its main feature - a cough that is amplified, then disappears altogether. The cough may be paroxysmal, it usually appears in the morning after sleep
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or by changing the temperature of inhaled air. Ends cough department viscous purulent sputum. As with any chronic suppurative inflammatory disease, chronic bronchitis affects the general condition of the patient, he becomes sluggish, reduced efficiency, suffer from headaches and general malaise.
Sometimes chronic bronchitis, as well as in acute occurs blockage of small bronchi (chronic obstructive bronchitis) - shortness of breath on exertion, which means that heart and lungs are forced to work in emergency mode to provide a supply of oxygen to the tissues . Shortness of breath is enhanced by a change in atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity of exhaled air, as well as the accumulation of large amounts of mucus in the bronchi.
Chronic bronchitis usually occurs in the form of exacerbations. If the disease is left untreated, becomes increasingly acute, and remission (disease lucid intervals) less often. Disrupts the function of the bronchi - they become impassable, they often delayed sputum that causes spasms of the bronchi and asthmatic attacks (with labored breath) shortness of breath. The next stage of development of obstructive bronchitis - emphysema
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or persistent expansion of the alveoli (sacs at the ends of the small airways) Violation of respiratory function is a violation of cardiovascular activity, there are signs of the so-called pulmonary heart. In chronic bronchitis need to constantly maintain and prophylactic treatment.
Bronchitis can not be treated independently, it requires medical supervision.
Galina Romanenko
