How to recognize, avoid, treat acute bronchitis
- By:groshan fabiola
Acute bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system, more exactly the inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Bronchitis may be classified in acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis appears after a respiratory infection or due to the infection with a virus or bacteria. Chronic bronchitis is caused by irritants and allergies, appears if the symptoms last for more than 3 months.
If you suffer from the following symptoms: cough, fever, sore throat, mucus production, wheezing you have all the chances to develop acute bronchitis. Some people are more susceptible than others to acute bronchitis: smokers, those who suffer from asthma, those exposed to high levels of air pollutants.
In young children it is very important to visit a doctor as soon as possible not to appear other complications. The most frequent complication is pneumonia, acute bronchitis may aggravate asthma and other breathing disorders. Once you have recognized the symptoms and signs of acute bronchitis you should address your doctor to treat acute bronchitis.
Sometimes it may be mistaken with other respiratory infections, but usually when cough lasts more than 10 days for sure there is acute bronchitis. Home care is also very important in acute bronchitis, and if respected improves your health state and gives good results in any other diseases, especially those that imply the respiratory system.
Treatment
If the bronchitis is caused by a virus antibiotics are not usefully, but if the acute bronchitis is caused by a bacteria a round of antibiotics may help. To ease cough and dryness one can take pain relievers, fever reducing medications, cough suppressants and humid air. It is recommended to take only the cough suppressants prescribed by your doctor, otherwise they may harm you, cough suppressants are good to enable sleep.
In acute bronchitis the most important is to stay calm and relax. Camomille tea and chicken soup are said to be the best remedies. Eating honey is also hopefully because it may soothe the throat. Codeine is the most wanted ingredient when you have acute bronchitis. A cough may continue for several more weeks, but in the end it disappears. Wheezing after coughing is common, but that will also disappear. Hot baths and plenty of fluids are of great help, when you sleep, maintain a half sitting up position so as to cough less.
Acute bronchitis may be avoided only if you avoid to contract other respiratory colds or infections. If you eat and sleep well, wash your hands and avoid contact with people that suffer from respiratory infections you reduce the chances to develop acute bronchitis. Smokers may develop acute and chronic bronchitis. What’s more important is not to breath second hand smoke especially children shouldn’t be exposed to second hand smoke.About the author:
More informations about chronic bronchitis or acute bronchitis can be found by visiting http://www.bronchitis-guide.com/