Dealing With Bronchitis:
Overcoming Bronchitis And
Its Health Effects
Introduction
Bronchitis is something you are
likely to have in your lifetime at least once.
Since it usually follows a cold or other respiratory condition, most
people will develop it in the course of their lifetime.
Your chest is throbbing in
pain. You are coughing and it hurts to
do so. These are the first symptoms of
bronchitis. Although it is a common
condition that many face, for some it is even worse. That’s because for some people bronchitis is
disabling and more frequent. If you fall
in this category, then you are looking for a way to gain back your strength and
to get your life back on track.
The good news is that you can do
just that. Bronchitis doesn’t have to be
a condition that you can’t shake. What
it can be is a time for you to prove your self worth by pushing yourself to
improve.
In this e-book, we’ll discuss what
bronchitis is, what it can do to your health and how to keep it out of your
life as much as possible. By learning
this now you can protect yourself in the long term from what bronchitis can do
to you.
*** Bronchitis, Cough, Cough
Before you can actually deal with
bronchitis, you need to know what it is and how it affects your body. Having an education in this information puts
you at the forefront of spotting symptoms and taking action before you become
ill further or even lessening the effect that bronchitis can have on your daily
life.
Bronchitis happens in your
lungs. In fact, it is a condition that
affects the inner walls in your air passage ways of your lungs. There, bronchitis causes the lining to become
infected and inflamed, causing you the symptoms of fevers, chills, coughing and
a pain in your chest.
These are the symptoms of acute
bronchitis, something that many people will get after they have had a
respiratory infection. If that is what
you have, then you may have symptoms that last a few days and perhaps a cough
that lasts sometimes as long as three weeks.
In general, though, this type of bronchitis does not last long as is not
something that is severe.
On the other hand, bronchitis that
comes back time and time again is something to be concerned about. Bronchitis can lead to more serious
conditions such as emphysema, asthma or even chronic bronchitis. These need medical attention as soon as
possible.
If you are someone that smokes,
your chances of getting chronic bronchitis are often much more severe than
those that are likely to get acute bronchitis.
Later in this book, we will talk about chronic bronchitis and what it
does to your body as well as your health.
It’s important to realize the difference between these conditions
though.
Symptoms To Look For
The symptoms of bronchitis really
are a tell tale sign of having the condition.
If you have any of these symptoms, you should seek the help of your
family doctor as soon as possible.
The main sign of this condition is
that of a yellow/gray or even green colored mucus that comes up when you are
coughing. This mucus is called
sputum. The mucus should be a sign to
you that something is wrong, especially with this type of coloring.
Your body produces and needs mucus
because it helps to keep your body hydrated.
But, when you notice it, then there is a problem.
That’s because the mucus has built
up which is a sign of an infection.
Normally, this mucus just slides down your throat when you swallow your
saliva. When there is too much of it,
though, it becomes necessary for your body to remove it in another way, in this
case, coughing it up.
With bronchitis, your airways have
become inflamed and when that happens they produce a large amount of discolored
mucus. The coloring of the mucus should
signal to you that you have an infection someplace in your air passage ways.
Although this mucus is a sign that
you are suffering from bronchitis it doesn’t always have to be there. Sometimes it is swallowed (especially by
children who are suffering from bronchitis) and therefore it is not noticed as
often.
In addition, some people don’t have
a large accumulation of the product in their throats and therefore do not cough
it up. For this reason, you should
realize that you can have bronchitis without having any mucus.
There are additional signs that you
should pay attention to in order to tell if you have bronchitis. Remember, if you suffer from them contact
your doctor to talk to him about your condition as soon as possible.
Additional symptoms of bronchitis
can include any or all of these symptoms and signs as well:
·
A pain in your chest that makes you feel
constricted
·
A burning sensation in your chest, soreness
there
·
Congestion
·
A sore throat
·
The feeling of not being able to catch your
breath
·
Wheezing, coughing
·
Fever, which should not be too elevated. If so, contact your doctor as soon as
possible.
·
Chills
When you experience any of these,
especially a combination of them with mucus, you could be suffering from a
bronchitis infection.
Is It Chronic Sinusitis?
Sometimes people mistakenly believe
that they are suffering from bronchitis when in fact it is chronic sinusitis
that they are suffering from. During
this type of infection, the lining of one or more of your cavities, which are
in the bones that are around your nose, are infected.
The confusion of this condition
with that of bronchitis is easy to make that is because chronic sinusitis has
the same type of mucus discharge. Here,
it is usually a yellow or green postnasal discharge that is significantly
thick.
In addition, there is a cough that
happens when you try to drain the mucus from your throat. That mucus is actually coming from your
sinuses which are draining into your throat.
Although the two conditions sound
like they have the same symptoms, its important to notice where the mucus is
coming from as well as your secondary symptoms, which most do not find in
chronic sinusitis. Consult your doctor
to insure you are treating the right condition.
Is It Chronic Bronchitis?
As we mentioned, acute and chronic
bronchitis are two different things.
Throughout this book, we’ll show you the differences between each. As for symptoms, there is a difference
between chronic bronchitis and acute bronchitis and you should know about them.
Some of the symptoms that are signs
of chronic bronchitis include these symptoms:
·
a cough that doesn’t go away and is accompanied
with sputum
·
A cough that won’t go away during the winter
months but does go away during the summer
·
You may feel breathless with or without exerting
yourself.
·
Mild chest pain is also common
·
Other symptoms that are similar to that of
bronchitis in its acute form include a mild fever, excessive mucus, and
coughing.
·
Clubbed fingers can also be a sign of chronic
bronchitis
·
You may experience episodes of acute bronchitis
By working with your doctor, you
can determine if what you have is that of chronic bronchitis or another
condition. If in fact it is determined
that you have a chronic condition, which means that your condition will
continue to happen, over and over, it is essential that you find the help that
you need in getting the relief that’s necessary.
**** The Causes Of
Bronchitis
Bronchitis is a condition in which
you can have an illness that is both infectious and one that is
noninfectious. In most cases, it is a
virus that causes bronchitis to happen.
This virus is generally the same type that causes a common cold to
happen in most people.
On the other hand, bronchitis can
also be a condition that is caused by the pollutants in the air that you
breathe including from cigarette smoke.
Smog and chemicals that are used to clean with are additional causes for
bronchitis.
Another cause of bronchitis happens
because of the acids that are normally found in your stomach backing up,
literally, up into your gastroesophageal track.
This is sometimes called GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Some people that work in conditions
that are not favorable for good, clean breathing also develop bronchitis. This type of bronchitis is known as an
occupational bronchitis in which case the pollutants including dusts and/or
fumes get into the breathing airways and cause illness.
Usually, when the person stops
working there, or improves the breathing circumstances, their bronchitis
symptoms also improve and often the irritation will stop.
Causes Of Chronic
Bronchitis
The causes of chronic bronchitis
are often a bit more drastic. If you
have this condition, the walls of your bronchial tubes have become thickened
and they are inflamed to such a degree that it is considered nearly permanent. When this happens, chronic bronchitis is
evident.
Most with this condition must cough
at least some time during each day to clear their throat. This is especially true of those that have
chronic bronchitis due to their smoking habits.
If you have to cough at least one time every day for at least three
months of the year, you are considered to have chronic bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis is often caused
by smoking, but its not the only time that you can get it. You can also get chronic bronchitis from air
pollution that is severe or toxic gasses that are in the area in which you work.
Those that suffer from chronic
symptoms of bronchitis often develop asthma because of it. This is caused by the long term inflammation
of your air passageways. In any case, it
is essential that you get help from your doctor in dealing with your condition.
Those that are suffering from
chronic bronchitis have a very serious illness to consider. As you’ll see in later chapters, it is this
condition that often needs the most attention by you and your doctors.
Are You At Risk, Then?
Since anyone can get acute
bronchitis from a cold that they have, it is not difficult to imagine that
virtually everyone is at risk for developing this condition. Yet, there are some additional reasons why
this condition can effect you more often or even just more severely than it
will effect other people.
For example, those that are living
in a home where they or someone else smokes are at an increased risk for
bronchitis. In addition, children in
these types of living arrangements are even more susceptible to bronchitis.
Those that are living in conditions
where bronchitis is likely, such as a smoking home, will also have increased
risks of developing pneumonia, colds, respiratory infections, asthma and ear
infections.
Even still, there are additional
conditions in which you can find yourself suffering from bronchitis. Those include the following risk factors:
·
For some people, the risk may come from a low
resistance level that is due to another health condition that they are
facing. For example, those that are
suffering from a cold have a weakened immune system, making them more likely to
suffer from it. In addition, those that
are elderly and children are more likely to face bronchitis than those that are
middle age because they have a weaker immune system.
·
GERD is another reason that you may experience
bronchitis. You are more at risk if you
suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease.
The cough that this back up of acids causes in your gastroesophageal
track can be a cause of your cough and your bronchitis. Therefore, those that suffer from this
condition are more likely to have these symptoms.
·
The other large risk factor to getting
bronchitis has to do with that of chronic bronchitis. Those that are exposed to irritants while
working or doing other things on a regular basis are more likely to experience
bronchitis than those that are not.
Occupational bronchitis is a large part of this. Lung irritants include a wide range of things
including cotton dust, hemp, flax, chemicals like ammonia, hydrogen sulfide,
strong acids, bromine and sulfur dioxide.
This condition is one in which the cough that you have is dry, or
without as much or any mucus discharge.
If you have any of these risk
factors, it pays to do what you can to avoid getting bronchitis. If you are exposed and already have
bronchitis, it’s important to look for ways to relieve your suffering.
In some cases, such as those that
revolve around occupational bronchitis, just removing the irritants from your
lifestyle will ultimately improve your quality of life and reduce the
occurrences and health risks associated with bronchitis. In other cases, the damage that is done is
permanent. The best way to stop this
damage is to seek the help you need as soon as possible.
Do You Need A Doctor?
Do you need a doctor for your
bronchitis? This question is one that
you’ll have to answer yourself, depending on the type and severity of the
condition you are in. For most people,
the need for a doctor is not there, because they are suffering from acute
bronchitis, which will likely go away on its own within just a few days to a
week.
In order to help this to happen,
get as much rest as you can and get lots of fluids. Keep your home’s air moist as well. Treat bronchitis in the same basic way you
would treat a cold to see improvement.
If your condition is serious in
that you can’t sleep, then contact your doctor.
There are medications that can be given to you to lessen the pain and to
help you to improve your overall health faster.
He or she will probably provide you with a prescription strength cough
suppressant.
Those that have a fever, which is
to be expected in most cases, should contact their doctor if there temperature
reaches higher than 101 degrees F. If
you are coughing up blood, yellow mucus, green mucus or you can’t catch your
breath, call on a doctor as soon as possible because your condition may have
progressed.
When bronchitis progresses, it ends
up being that of pneumonia, a very serious condition that can be fatal if not
treated properly.
In addition to this, you should
seek the help of your doctor if you find that your bronchitis has not gone away
within six weeks. Those that face
chronic bronchitis can develop additional conditions like asthma when their air
passageways remain inflamed.
Certain people should seek the help
of their doctor sooner. If you have
chronic health problems such as chronic lung problems, congestive heart
failure, emphysema, or asthma, then you need to see your doctor as soon as you
feel an episode of bronchitis coming on.
Those that suffer from these conditions are at an increased risk for
additional health complications from the bronchitis and therefore should seek
attention as soon as possible.
If you have had bronchitis within
the last few weeks or months and feel it coming on again, seek the help of your
doctor. This can be a sign of the
development of chronic bronchitis. This
is especially true if you work in an area that has irritants that can bring it
on or live in a home where there is a smoker.
If you feel that your condition is
severe, seeking your doctor’s advice is just good medicine. A call to your family doctor will take just
minutes and will provide for you the help you need in getting treatment started.
Those that have had symptoms like
these that have happened more than one or two times in any given year should
seek out help to insure that they are not suffering from a chronic condition.
**** Seeking A Doctor’s Help For Bronchitis
Depending on the type of bronchitis
that you have and its severity determines if you should seek help from a doctor
for it. We’ve talked about when you need
to seek a doctor’s help in the last chapter.
But, what happens when you go to visit your doctor?
How Diagnosis Happens
To determine if you have
bronchitis, your doctor will likely listen to your chest. This helps him to determine what is happening
inside by listening for mucus build ups.
In addition, he or she may also do a chest x-ray which will show the
inflamed and enlarged air passageways that are likely the problem.
Some doctors will also want a
sample of the mucus to determine what type and how much bacteria are in your
system. The sample will consider the
amount of bacteria found in the sputum when you cough.
Those that are suffering from
chronic bronchitis are likely to have additional testing to insure that that is
what you are suffering from.
The test is simple and takes just a
minute to perform. It causes you no pain
at all. In fact, if you have had
bronchitis several times in the past year, ask your doctor to perform a
pulmonary function test to help to determine if there is a possibility of
facing chronic bronchitis.
Generally, from these tests, your
doctor will be able to rule bronchitis or not.
If you are diagnosised with it, the next step will be to treat it, and
if treatment is even needed in your case.
Doctors will determine the level of
severity as well as the likeliness of treatment that you need.
Treatment Options From
Your Doctor
Once your doctor has determined
your condition is that of bronchitis, he or she will begin treatment for
you. If you have acute bronchitis,
though, treatment may be limited. In
fact, it may be very difficult to treat your bronchitis because it is a virus.
·
Getting extra rest is important to allow your
immune system the help and strength that it needs.
·
Take in plenty of fluids by increasing your
consumption considerably to aid in restoring fluid that is being lost through
mucus discharge.
·
In addition, prescription and nonprescription
medications can be used to stop the cough that accompanies bronchitis.
The third recommendation for taking
medications to suppress a cough is not one that is always recommended. That’s because it is important to your lungs
to remove that mucus from your system.
Without a cough, your system can’t get the mucus out of your lungs and
air passageways effectively.
Sometimes these medications are
offered for night time use so that you can actually get some rest. Yet, they shouldn’t be taken around the clock
unless your doctor recommends doing so.
If your doctor does tell you to
take them, it’s important to take the right type. Most of the time an over the counter cough
medication, is all that you will need.
Look and read the labels to determine which the right one for you
is. Don’t take a medication that will
keep you awake because rest is a very key element to improving your condition.
Antibiotics can be prescribed for
you if your doctor determines that you have a bacterial infection which is
causing your conditions. Those that
suffer from chronic bronchitis are more likely to receive this type of
treatment for their bronchitis.
Those that have problems with a
chronic lung disorder often need this additional help. Those that live in a home where there is
smoking also may need an antibiotic to help reduce the seriousness and
likelihood of developing an infection.
The development of a secondary infection can cause additional problems
for those facing chronic health conditions.
If your doctor determines that you
have asthma, or that your chronic condition is likely to develop asthma, then
he or she may recommend additional treatment for your condition. Those that are diagnosised with asthma will
need an inhaler and sometimes additional asthma medications.
These products have the goal of
reducing the amount of inflammation in your air passageways as well as open
them up to allow for better passage to your lungs. This type of medication can be vitally
important to those suffering from asthma.
From looking at your test results
and listening to your lungs, your doctor will determine the right type of
treatment for your condition. Usually in
cases of acute conditions, this treatment is simply rest and fluids.
Yet, in the cases of chronic
conditions, it is all the more important to provide you with the help you need
through additional medication. Without
this medication, your condition can worsen into a life threatening condition
such as pneumonia.
**** What Can Happen If You Don’t Get Treatment
Although for most people bronchitis
does not lead to anything more than a few days in bed and perhaps a bit of
weight loss, for some it can lead to problems and complications that can span a
lifetime.
Acute bronchitis is the least
likely to do this. This is the type of
bronchitis that follows a cold or other respiratory condition and usually
requires very little to not prescription medication or even a doctor’s visit. Yet, this is not the only type that should be
considered.
In some people who are more prone
to difficulties from illnesses, one single case of bronchitis, even acute
bronchitis can lead to complications.
For example, in some older people, this type of bronchitis can lead to
pneumonia.
Those that have additional health
concerns such as those that are smokers can also get to this point. In addition, infants and the elderly have
naturally weaker immune systems and they too are more likely to experience
problems with complications.
In these cases, individuals will
need to seek medical attention so that the bronchitis can be monitored as well
as treated with any type of medication that can be used. In those that have severe cases,
hospitalization may be required to help.
When It Happens Often
For some individuals, bronchitis
happens often. This is what is called
chronic bronchitis. In these
individuals, the bronchitis may not go away, but may lessen in its severity. When this happens, individuals need to be
aware of it and seek the help that’s needed as soon as possible.
Chronic bronchitis is a serious
health condition that can lead to or even tell you that there is something else
wrong with the body.
Remember that you don’t have to
smoke yourself to be a victim of what smoke can do. Just being exposed to it over long periods of
time puts you at risk.
Chronic bronchitis is also a
condition which affects your quality of life.
You can’t do the things that you like to do without suffering from
breathlessness. You cough all of the
time and your chest hurts. You are sick
to more extreme levels when a cold just brushes by others.
These things can cause you to feel
sick all of the time. That lessens your
quality of life and makes you emotionally drained at the same time. Although this is only an additional part of
the condition to deal with, it still bothers people enough to make a
difference.
You can side track many of these
complications by seeking help from your doctor when you become ill, especially
when you’ve been suffering from this condition more often than ever
before. Chronic bronchitis may not seem
like a big deal, and it definitely doesn’t seem like something to worry about
when it feels like a cold, but when it happens over and over again, it very
much so is something to worry about.
Most of these complications can be
avoided with a doctor’s help.
**** Chronic Bronchitis And Emphysema
If you are suffering from chronic
bronchitis and/or emphysema, acute bronchitis seems like nothing more than a
cold. This condition is one in which
severity is a serious issue for your well being.
Chronic bronchitis is a lung
disease. It, along with emphysema, is
known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This condition is one
that refers to the obstruction of the air passageways that stops you from
breathing normally. You can have both
emphysema and chronic bronchitis at the same time.
Here are some facts you should know
about chronic bronchitis.
1.
COPD claims some 122,000 deaths each year in the
US, as claimed by a study done in 2003.
It is one of the leading causes of death.
2.
The largest risk factor in patients that get
COPD is that of smoking. 80 to 90
percent of those that suffer from this condition will be smokers. 90 percent of
them will die from it because they smoked.
3.
Female smokers are more likely to get COPD than
men are.
4.
If you are a victim of air pollution, second
hand smoke, or have a history of infections of the respiratory system, you have
an increased risk of getting COPD.
5.
19 percent of those that suffer from COPD will
get it from their work environment.
It is estimated that some 11
million people in the United States alone have chronic bronchitis or emphysema
yet many moer are believed to suffer from it but are under diagnosised by
it. In the population of aged Americans,
of a frightening 700,000 hospital discharges, 70 percent of them were in people
that are over the age of 65 (in 2004) showing the real risk that this condition
poses to those that are older.
What Happens In Chronic
Bronchitis?
Those that suffer from chronic
bronchitis start by having an inflammation of their bronchial tubes. These are your air passageways, remember and
therefore are very important to be clear so that air can move easily in and out
of them allowing you to breathe.
During your initial bouts of
chronic bronchitis, your symptoms are the same as those that a person with
acute bronchitis will face. There is a
heavy discharge of mucus from your coughing and the cough itself is a tell tale
sign of chronic bronchitis.
One thing that your doctor’s will
determine is if there is something else wrong that could possibly be causing
your bronchitis in the first place. Some
will have additional conditions like asthma that can lead to this problem. But, when there are no underlying causes,
bronchitis can be labeled as the cause of your illness and then treated as
such.
When you have a bronchitis bout,
your bronchial tubes become inflamed and swollen. Each time that this happens, the lining of
those tubes becomes scarred. Over time,
the more irritation that happens the more excessive mucus production will
become. Your tubes lining will become
thickened because of the scarring.
As this happens, your cough becomes
more and more troublesome. The excessive
mucus and the scaring lead to problems with air flow. You can’t breathe as easily as you did. Still, the progression worsens so that your
lungs become scarred themselves.
At this point, there is also the
addition of bacteria in your lungs and tubes.
The location becomes perfect for the breeding of bacteria which
eventually cuts off all flow of air to your lungs, causing death.
As horrible as that sounds, many
people will die each year from the effects of chronic bronchitis.
It Doesn’t Happen Fast
A key point that you need to take
from this e-book is the fact that chronic bronchitis does not happen
overnight. It doesn’t come on one day
out of no way and cause you to die. It
is a condition that happens and worsens over time. It is also a condition that can be treated,
slowed and in some cases reversed, meaning you can get through it!
As you will see in the next
chapter, you can get to the point of preventing and improving your life
circumstances even if you have bronchitis.
Many patients do not get to the
doctor until their bronchitis is in a severe state. When this happens, their condition is
worsened. But, why don’t people just get
to the doctor? The answer to that lies
in the fact that many mistakenly believe that bronchitis is not a dangerous,
life threatening condition that it is.
In fact, most of those that do get
to the doctor get there when their condition is severe and advanced. Usually their lungs have already been scarred
and are seriously injured.
When you reach this stage of
chronic bronchitis, your condition can lead to additional problems such as
respiratory problems (problems breathing easily) or even heart failure, which
in itself is life threatening.
Yet, many cases can be lessened in
severity of the proper doctor’s advice were to be gotten and taken to prevent
it from worsening.
What’s Emphysema’s Story?
COPD is shared by both chronic
bronchitis and emphysema because many patients that have one will also have the
other. In this condition, the problem
lies in the alveoli which are inside of the lungs. This is the location where your body takes
oxygen from the air you breathe and exchanges it with carbon dioxide that is
already in the blood.
The alveoli, which are also called
air sacs, have very thin, soft and very fragile walls. When these walls are damaged, they can’t be
fixed and there’s no way to replace or reverse the damage to them. Usually, small holes develop in their tissues
especially in the lower lung area.
Since your body needs these air
sacs to provide oxygen to the body and to remove the carbon dioxide from your
blood, it is vitally important to keep them in good condition. Yet, slowly, as each one is damaged by holes,
they become useless and stop functioning.
As more and more are destroyed in
this manner, your body is less likely to get all of the oxygen that it needs
into its bloodstream. This is
characterized on the outside by you not getting enough air, which leaves you
breathless.
When you can’t catch your breath,
this is why. And, it only worsens from
here. In the next step of the problem,
your lungs lose their elasticity, or their ability to stretch and come back
into shape.
When this occurs, the body can’t
keep your airways open enough for you to bring air into the body for use. When this happens, you have a lot of problem
trying to exhale or get the air you take it out of your body again.
As you can see, this condition is
just as drastically frightening and worrisome as that of chronic
bronchitis. When the two are paired
together, this is an even worse condition for you to be in.
Emphysema Doesn’t Happen
Fast, Either
Just like chronic bronchitis,
emphysema doesn’t come on quickly, either.
This is a condition that develops and worsens over time. Usually, it happens very slowly, too, giving
you the time that you need to improve your condition by seeking medical
attention, although most will not do so until it is much too late to get that
help.
Usually, emphysema is brought on by
the exposure to cigarette smoke. IT can
take years to develop into this level of severity and usually during that time,
you are being exposed to cigarette smoke either as the smoker or even as a
second hand smoker.
Most of those diagnosised, some 90
percent, are over the age of 45. Most of
them are males, up to 55 percent, but both sexes are faced with the risk of
emphysema is they are smokers or live in an area where smoking is commonly
breathed in.
If you have emphysema, you will
have the cough that we’ve talked about as well as shortness of breath, and the
inability to exercise. Your doctor will
consider your current condition, your pulmonary function test results as well
as x-rays to determine your condition.
**** Surviving COPD And Its Effects On Your Life
As we’ve talked about, one of the
key elements to surviving chronic bronchitis and emphysema is to get help as
soon as you realize that you are ill.
That means seeking your doctor’s attention and asking for the right
tests if you have experienced bronchitis more than two times per year or you
are a smoker (or live in a smoking house.)
But, how is a condition like this
actually treated?
There are several key things that
need to be taken into consideration here.
Quality Of Life
One of the largest factors facing
those that suffer from chronic bronchitis and emphysema is that of quality of
life. As the disease moves from being an
irritating cough to being in its advanced stages, it gets harder and harder to
maintain the things that you enjoy doing.
At first, you can’t catch your
breath. As it moves through its
seriousness, you may need to use an oxygen supplement and many will eventually
need a mechanical respiratory to provide them with assistance.
Most that suffer from this
condition face limits in the physical exertion they can put out, their ability
to do chores around the house, their ability to be social and to engage in
family activities and they severely lack the ability to work as they used to.
The Job OF Medications
There is no cure for chronic
bronchitis. There is no cure for
emphysema. There is no way to reverse
the damage that has been done to your lungs and bronchial tubes because of these
conditions.
The medications that are used to
treat chronic bronchitis is designed to aid in several things, though. First, it can slow the amount of
deterioration that happens in the lungs so that the disease does not progress as
fast as it would have without the medications.
In addition, medications are used
to treat the symptoms of chronic bronchitis.
This means providing relief to the vast number of symptoms you face
including coughing and the inability to do many things.
Symptom Medication
In order to provide you with some
relief from not being able to breath easily, your doctor is likely to provide
you with a medication called bronchodilator type medications. These are prescription medications that help
to relax your bronchial tubes and allow your air passageways to open up
allowing for better passage of air through them.
Medications like this are essential
to keeping you symptom free or even just lessening the frequency and intensity
of those symptoms. Most are taken as
inhalers as sprays but there are additional medications that can be prescribed
to be taken orally.
Antibiotics
Another type of medication used to
treat chronic bronchitis is that of antibiotics. As we mentioned earlier, acute bronchitis
doesn’t react to antibiotics because it is usually caused by a virus. But, chronic bronchitis is not necessarily
unaffected by medications like this.
Antibiotics can be used if there is
evidence that there is a secondary infection.
In addition, antibiotics can be used to help prevent additional symptoms
and conditions from happening.
Glucocorticosteroids
Usually, though, this type of
treatment is only used on patients that have an acute case because these
medications shouldn’t be used over a long period of time with any frequency
because of the side effects that they have.
Vaccines
Those that suffer from chronic
bronchitis and/or emphysema will need to have pneumonia and flu vaccines each
year. This can be an excellent way to
keep additional respiratory illnesses at bay, thereby not worsening the
symptoms and conditions that you face.
Transplantation
In some cases, transplantation of
the damaged lungs can be an option. Lung
transplantation has shown significant improvement over the last few years. Those that suffer from this condition often
have some ability to qualify for this type of treatment. Those that have a lung volume reduction
surgery have shown significant improvement in their condition.
Yet, it is not for everyone. Some patients that suffer from problems with
the exchange of gasses in their lungs do not do well with lung transplantations
and therefore it is not considered an option for everyone that suffers from
emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
The good news is that there are
other hopes available to those that are suffering from chronic bronchitis and
emphysema. You can improve your health
through improvements in your daily lifestyle.
And, if you visit your doctor when you become ill, you cut the amount of
progression of the condition severely, improving your overall longevity.
**** Pulmonary Rehabilitation
One of the treatment options that
exist for chronic bronchitis is that of pulmonary rehabilitation. This treatment is one that provides
restorative and preventative care to individuals that are suffering.
This process of treatment is one
that is designed to fit each patient’s needs and their situation. There is no definite treatment procedure, but
one that works to allow you better care over a period of time.
As your lungs become less and less
capable of providing the right amount of oxygen to your body, you need an
increased amount of training on how to handle and improve your ability to
manage with this progression.
During pulmonary rehabilitation,
your doctor will work with you to determine your needs through assessment. Then, you will be working on a program that
provides you with several key elements.
Skill training, physical reconditioning, and psychological support are
given to the patient in the necessary dose to provide you with the ability to
cope with your condition.
Goals are established that will
provide you and your team of doctors with the necessary establishment of
improving your quality of life and your ability to improve your health. You are not alone in this process, though. Your family is encouraged to work right
alongside you to insure that you are given the care that’s needed and so that
they can give you the support you need.
What’s Included In
Therapy?
The process of pulmonary
rehabilitation includes the following treatments and educational tools to aid
you in improving your well being.
·
You are educated about your body’s make up and
the lung disease that you have. You will
be educated on your stage of that disease as well.
·
You will work with your doctors to understanding
your medical tests; including understanding what your treatment is going to be
based on those tests.
·
You will learn hygiene techniques for your
bronchial tubes which can aid in providing additional air flow through your air
passageways.
·
You will be given an exercise regimen and will
learn a series of techniques. This
includes learning how to breathe all over again, endurance training, strength
training and flexibility training are necessary.
·
You will also learn how to conserve your energy
and how this affects your daily life.
·
Your medication is prescribed and you are
educated on what the medication does, including over the counter medications,
herbal remedies if they exist and any side effects that you can expect to
face. Understanding how vital your
medication is to your life is critical to getting benefit from it.
·
You will learn how to assess your own condition,
too. Since time is of the essence when
you are ill, you need to learn to spot the need to seek medical attention and
how to assess your daily needs.
·
Environmental control is a must. Removing any pollutants from your home that
could worsen your condition must happen.
This also includes spotting instances where you are prone to infection
including getting immunizations yearly.
In addition to these things, you’ll
be taught a wide range of additional tools to help you to improve your day to
day living. You will learn how to manage
sleep disturbances including sleep apnea and insomnia, to common conditions in
lung disease.
You will learn the effect that lung
disease will have on sexual intimacy. It
is vitally important that you learn to stop smoking, to improve your nutrition
and to get the necessary exercise. You
need to learn how to travel with your illness, how to improve your daily life
and activities so that they will be able to be done even when you are suffering
from chronic bronchitis.
You will learn how to manage stress
and how to improve your body’s reaction to it.
You are given psychosocial
intervention as well as support to provide yourself with the support that is
needed during this illness. Advance care
planning is also discussed and planned for.
For most patients, it is also
important to have and learn how to use oxygen.
This includes different methods for oxygen supplementation as well as
learning when you need it and how to use it.
These tools provide a comprehensive
care package to aid you in improving your condition.
What Can Pulmonary
Rehabilitation Do?
It does take a lot of work to put
together a care package like this. It
does take a lot of work to make changes to your daily life. But, is it worth it?
With the help of pulmonary
rehabilitation, there is hope for your condition. Depending on what stage your chronic
bronchitis is at will depend on your ability to gain back any function and
quality of life.
Pulmonary rehabilitation has shown
to be beneficial in improving your exercise tolerance, which ultimately
improves your ability to do activities that you could not do without it. Just doing simple activities around the home
can be easier.
In addition, by taking advantage of
health care resources that you have, you can improve your quality of life. By taking the time to educate yourself you
can truly understand what you need to do and why to improve your
condition. Ultimately, improving your
quality of life is what this rehabilitation program will do for you.
In some situations, pulmonary
rehabilitation has been show to help improve survival in patients with chronic
bronchitis and lung disease.
While curing the condition is not
likely, improving how long you survive and improving your living conditions
through that time period can happen with this type of rehabilitation.
Additionally, improvement can be
seen in:
·
Improving respiratory symptoms such as coughing
and mucus production.
·
Improving your ability to perform physical
activities effectively.
·
Increasing knowledge which ultimately leads to
improved conditions and early prevention.
·
Reduces the dependence you have on medical care
including the hospital stays that you have.
·
Increases your ability to return to work
·
Lowers the number of patients that need to
depend on a ventilator to breath
Remember that your condition is
unique to you. That means that this help
is only as effective as you make it.
If you have chronic bronchitis or
emphysema, or other lung diseases such as asthma, pulmonary rehabilitation may
be a treatment option for you. Although
it is not something that can be beneficial to all patients, depending on their
stage of illness, it does benefit many, helping many to return to a more normal
lifestyle.
Talk to your doctor about pulmonary
rehabilitation. Find out how effective
it can be for your specific case. Your
doctor will perform an assessment of your medical tests and your physical
abilities to determine if it’s the right treatment for you.
Since it can be tailored to meet
your needs, most patients with lung disease of some type can find benefit in
pulmonary rehabilitation. If your doctor
does not recommend it, find out why. If
he doesn’t mention it, bring it up as a possible tool to aid you in improving
your life and quality of life as well.
Communicating your needs with your
doctor is a must, because he may or may not be able to provide you with this
information without your questions. Even
more so, you should be in control of your destiny with chronic bronchitis.
**** The Lifestyle Changes That Are Necessary
If you are suffering from chronic
bronchitis, there are necessary lifestyle changes that will in fact save your
life.
If you plan to continue to worsen,
keep doing what you are doing now. If
you want to improve your health, you have to make very important yet very
difficult decisions. There’s no easy way
around it. Unfortunately, giving up some
of your freedoms will improve your chances of surviving what chronic bronchitis
will do to you.
Through a few changes in your
lifestyle, you will increase your longevity.
You will not add an more punishment to the condition that you are
already facing. What’s more is that you
give your body the chance to improve some of the damage that’s been done to
you.
Throughout this chapter, we will go
through each of these necessary lifestyle changes and show you how to make
simple decisions to live. Although it
may be difficult, with family support, you can improve your fighting chance
against chronic bronchitis.
Stop Smoking
You knew we were going to say it,
but smoking is the cause of your chronic bronchitis and therefore you simply
must stop doing it. This is the hardest
part of the process of improving your lifestyle in the hopes of prolonging your
life.
If you continue to smoke, you
continue to add damage to your lungs and your bronchial tubes, worsening your
condition, pushing you farther and faster through the stages of chronic
bronchitis and ultimately shutting off your oxygen supply completely.
If you stop smoking, you stop
adding additional damage to your lungs.
You slow the progression of the disease significantly and, in some case,
your body can repair some of the damage that has been done. Although the most difficult decision that you
have to make, it is the one that will have the most significant difference in
the life of a person suffering from chronic bronchitis.
The good news is that there is
quite a bit of help to the smoker today that can aid them in improving their
chances of stopping this habit.
Smoking, including that of
cigarette smoke and even marijuana smoking damages the lungs and is one of the
general causes of chronic bronchitis.
What To Do
To stop smoking, you have to
consider your dependence on it. Talk to
your doctor about your condition, why you smoke and how important it is to your
daily lifestyle. When your doctor can
understand your dependency, he or she is likely to recommend the appropriate
treatment for your condition.
Smoking help can be obtained by
simply calling on any of the smoking hotlines.
Your doctor can offer help in the way of prescription medication as
well. Support groups are offered in
virtually every large city to give you the support you need from others that
are stopping to smoke.
Those that are victims of secondary
smoke also need to take into consideration the very important need to remove
that situation. If it is from your job,
you need to find a way to remove yourself from that situation.
Stop smoking. It’s the single most important thing that you
can do to improve your longevity in the way of chronic bronchitis. If you continue to smoke, you continue to
lessen your life span. Unfortunately,
there is no better way to show you the importance of this single need.
Improve Air Quality
If you work in an area that the air
quality is poor, then you need to improve this quality or stop working
there. Chronic bronchitis can be brought
on by the air that you breathe if it is not as clean as it should be.
Chemicals in the air as well as
pollutants can do the same damage as smoking does. Therefore, you need to take into
consideration the need for improvement of the air quality that you breathe.
What To Do
If the air that you breathe is not
healthy, then improvement is necessary.
Remove contaminants that are in the air.
Reduce the use of chemicals that can also cause pollution. If this is your work environment, speak to
your supervisor about moving to a more clean air area. In addition, contact your human resource
manager about your rights for clean air in the work place.
If you can not improve the quality
of the air your breath in this manner, you can use air purifying tools to aid
you. There are air purifiers on the
market that can safely pull particles and contaminants from the air to aid in a
healthy air space.
To Alleviate Symptoms
Those that suffer from acute
bronchitis or chronic bronchitis can make some changes to their lifestyle to
improve their daily living. To improve
the quality of life that you experience, make these changes.
·
Use a humidifier when sleeping. This puts moisture into the air, making your
cough lessen. Steam will also work in
the morning, for example, by taking a hot shower.
·
Drink as much fluid as you can. Fluids are lost during a respiratory
infection such as a cold or bronchitis.
Drinking more will give your body what it needs.
·
Get your rest.
When you feel a bout of bronchitis coming on, you need to pull out of
some of your activities and work and relax.
You need additional sleep but also time to just sit. Conserving your energy is a very important
need for those suffering from bronchitis.
·
Get help.
When you are sick, you need someone to help meet your needs. You should also seek the help of a doctor
when your conditions and symptoms are severe as well as those times when you’ve
had bronchitis more than two times in one year.
Oxygen Therapy
Many patients that have chronic
bronchitis that has progressed into later stages will need the help of oxygen
therapy to aid in improving their conditions.
Oxygen is prescribed by your
doctor. If he or she does tell you that
you need it, it’s important for you to consider getting it. Doing so will aid in improving the quality of
life that you have as well as giving your body the required amounts of oxygen
to perform your daily functions.
Those that don’t use the oxygen
that their doctors tell them to use can face additional problems. For example, you may find yourself unable to
exercise or do any physical movements.
In addition, when the oxygen supply in the blood is too low for too
long, a person can pass out or even worse slip into a comma.
These things can improve your
health and well being if you invest the time in implementing them. You also need to realize the need to follow
your doctor’s orders. If your doctor
puts you on a restrictive exercise regimen, then you need to follow it.
Learning all you can about your
condition is just as important. Seeking
the help of your doctor and following his advice will also help. No matter how you feel, medications and
treatments prescribed to you need to be followed.
**** Diet, Nutrition
And Alternative Medication
In addition to what your doctor
recommends to improve your condition, you can also use a number of alternative
medications and treatments to improve your condition and quality of life.
Nutrition
What you eat and the health of your
body is directly related to your condition.
If you improve your nutrition intake, you improve your body’s ability to
manage the stresses that it is under.
Your doctor is likely to screen
your health for nutritional lacking aspects.
For example, those that have a body weight assessment that is poor will
need to consider weight loss. A body
mass index that is between 22 and 27 is considered acceptable. In addition, your doctor will screen for
cholesterol to determine if it is at the right level as well.
For those that need to consider
additional help, here are a number of nutritional benefits you can incorporate
into your daily life.
·
Meet with a registered dietician to work out a
meal plan that encourages health and well being, and weight loss if
necessary. Your family doctor can help
you to find this person.
·
Eat more meals but make them much smaller. Implementing a diet that is basically fruits
and vegetables with small portions of meat product is necessary.
·
Increase the amount of fat that is taken into
the body. Fat helps to decrease your
levels of carbon dioxide production, which the lungs often have a difficult
time pumping out of your body.
·
Increase the number of foods that are eaten that
have high numbers of vitamins and minerals in them. Foods with little to not nutritional value
should be removed from the diet.
·
Increase the amount of fluid that is taken in,
especially water. Additional water helps
to keep the body and cells hydrated as well as it keeps your mucus production
thin and easy to manage.
·
Do not consume additional calories that have no
nutritional value. Increasing your
weight can be detrimental to your health.
Your overall health and well being
needs to improve, in order to give your body the necessary nutrients and fluids
to maintain a healthy lifestyle. While
you don’t have to give up the foods that you enjoy, moderation of foods that
are not healthy for you is the best way to gain healthy benefits.
Most importantly, add vegetables
and fruits into your diet that are rich in nutrients. These give your body the tools to improve
your health.
Supplements
Even though you should consume a
diet that provides you with the nutrition that your body needs, most American
diets do not include enough nutrients in them to provide the highest level of
nutrition. Therefore, it is necessary to
consider taking in supplements that can provide additional nutrients and give
your body even more of an ability to fight your condition.
Supplements for chronic bronchitis
can and will aid your health. The first
component of this is to take a good quality multi-vitamin. These are packed with nutrients that provide
for supplementation to any diet. They
are affordable and they are easily taken one time or two times per day.
If you are older, take a supplement
that is geared towards the health of older adults. These have specialized formulas that include
nutrients that are lacking in older people or that are needed more now than
ever.
Some nutrients are even more
beneficial to the patient with chronic bronchitis and those are described here:
·
N-Acetyl-Cysteine (called NAC)
This type of
supplement can be quite effective in helping your body to dissolve mucus. This supplement will improve your symptoms
and help you to feel better.
·
Zinc
Zinc is an
excellent supplement to include in your diet.
It provides help to the immune system which can help to keep infections
and viruses that cause colds and respiratory infections at bay.
Additional supplements that you
should take in include the following:
·
Bromelain
·
Lactobacillus
·
Quercetin
·
Vitamin C
These will aid your body in keeping
infections and illness at bay. In
addition, they can provide your body with the necessary fuel it needs to help
overcome symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Most of these supplements can be
purchased at your local drug store or you can get them online. Quality does count, though!
Herbal Help
In addition to supplementing your
diet, you can also increase the herbal products that you consume. As an alternative medicine, herbs have been
used for thousands of years to aid in healing and in generally well being.
Today, there is a growing demand
for herbal remedies and solutions that can provide your body with help that
conventional medication simply can not.
Many people are turning to herbs because they are less likely to have
side effects than medications, too.
Do talk to your doctor before
taking any type of herbal product to insure that they will not interact with
the medications that you are currently taking.
Never stop taking your medications without your doctor’s approval first.
Here are a few herbal products that
can aid in improving your bronchitis symptoms.
·
Barberry:
Known for its ability to fight off infection, barberry also aids in
improving your immune system. Those that
are ill can take barberry to lessen the effects of bronchitis.
·
Eucalyptus:
The use of eucalyptus has been in place for many years. You can use it to help treat your cough and
the phlegm production of your condition.
Purchase eucalyptus oil which will loosen your phlegm. In addition, you can purchase eucalyptus to
inhale which will give you relief from your bronchitis symptoms as well as from
coughing and even flue like symptoms.
·
Peppermint:
Peppermint is a common herbal product that can be used to treat coughing
and congestion. It is used as a
decongestant because it has menthol in it.
This will also help to thin out mucus and relieves the phlegm that most
patients struggle with. In addition,
peppermint and improve your sore throat and dry mouth symptoms.
·
Slippery Elm:
If your chronic bronchitis causes a sore throat, then this herbal
product can be an ideal tool to improve your condition.
·
Stinging Nettle:
This herb has been shown to improve a cough by working as an expectorant
which makes a cough more productive in getting the phlegm out of your system.
Additional tools that you can use
include a variety of herbs like astragalus, Echinacea, garlic, ginger, ivy
leaves, linden, red clover, and saw palmetto.
Each offers its own unique way to helping you.
What To Do
You don’t need a prescription to
get these herbs as most can be found at your nearby health food store. But, what you should do is talk with a
herbologist to determine what the right types of herbal remedies will work for
you.
They can help you by recommending
what to take as well as how much to take and the method by which you should
take it.
Additional Tools For
Relief
In addition to these types of
alternative medications, there are additional things that you can use that have
shown to be beneficial.
Acupuncture is another
solution. Learn about acupuncture as a
method of treating any illness including chronic bronchitis. Many have found it to deliver relief and even
improve their health condition. A
skilled acupuncturist is needed to make this a beneficial treatment.
Selecting these methods to gain
help is a good way to go but couple them with the help of your
medications. Keep your doctor informed
about what you are taking as well.
Conclusion
Bronchitis, either acute or
chronic, is a serious condition that can lead to a life threatening
condition. If you take the time now to
explore ways to improve your health and well being, you can make a significant
change.
Chronic bronchitis that is not
received treatment until its advanced stages can be fatal. The damage that’s done to your lungs can’t be
repaired and there is no guarantee that transplantation will work for you.
Therefore, it is essential for you
to realize this and then begin treatment as soon as possible for your
condition. Implement the changes
mentioned in this e-book into your life today.
Work with your doctor to determine the best treatment for your
condition. Continue to utilize the types
of treatment that are available to you so that you can ultimately live a long
and healthy life without the effects of bronchitis to worry about.
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