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Last posts on private forums:  sare  2008-06-16 09:56:33 matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:59 pieniadz 2008-04-12 20:52:26
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Last posts on private blogs: matthew 2008-04-12 21:25:17 mary 2008-04-12 19:27:47 |
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Lastly added medical terms:
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You are in: Main Page / Medical articles / Diseases / Chronic Bronchitis Treatment
Chronic bronchitis treatment, symptoms are the main subject of this article. It also describes the causes of bronchitis and gives useful tips about coping with the disease.
The symptoms of bronchitis include cough which lasts for several months, expelling of sputum which is firstly transparent and then it gets dense or purulent, slightly raised temperature, rattling sound while breathing and breathlessness.
Air sacs appear at the end of the tiniest bronchiole - it is a place for gas exchange between the breathed-in air and circular system. The organism gets oxygen and emits carbohydrates. The mucous membranes of the bronchi is covered with a layer of cilia which remove dust and other substances from the airways by their constant move. Too thick secretion or nicotine smoking damages or blocks cilia movements and deprives the organism of this crucial mechanism.
What are the causes of chronic bronchitis?
Smoking cigarettes for many years is a cause for chronic bronchitis, it is often called a chronic inflammation of a tobacco smoker. A smoker may be attacked by the disease after several years of smoking or even after 20 or more. It depends on the effectiveness of bronchi self-cleaning and the work of the organism. The second cause of chronic bronchitis is the air pollution. It can also be triggered by asthma or tuberculosis. Usually, cold and wet air intensifies the symptoms, however, it is not a cause of the disease.
Treatment
The treatment involves taking expectorant medications which are meant to diffuse the secretion from bronchi. Broncholytic agents are supposed to facilitate breathing, certain cases demand antibiotic treatment. In case of a excess production of secretion it can be removed by suction. Inhalations and breathing exercises also bring plenty of benefits as well as climatic treatment.
What can you do on your own?
Smokers have to give up the addiction simply because chronic bronchitis is an absolute contraindication for smoking. Alcohol should be limited to minimum amounts as it can strengthen the symptoms. Obese people should lose excess pounds because usually they have tendency for a short breath.
When should you go to the doctor?
Consult your doctor if the cough lasts several weeks or you notice yellowish or bloody secretion from your airways. Moreover, after you notice short breath or breathlessness with pain in the chest. The doctor will do several tests which help in achieving proper diagnosis. You are very likely to receive pills and medications in aerosol which are broncholytic agents. An antibiotic treatment is crucial in case of severe dyspnea. Special breathing techniques which improve lungs efficiency are taught to patients.
The course of chronic bronchitis
The disease begins with a cough typical for smokers. It gets worse while exercising or when changing the surrounding from a warm room into a cold air. The secretion which used to be white changes into more yellow one, it can even contain some elements of blood. When the gas exchange is reduced you may suffer from headaches and breathlessness, sometimes even problems with the heart occur. Chronic bronchitis damages the immune system in the organism which results in high susceptibility to various infections. The treatment usually lasts a lot of time, climatic treatment and rehabilitation are also advisable.
Added by:
mary
not connected with health care system
Added on:
2008-12-01 11:41:57 ,
Updated:
2008-12-01 11:56:12
Bibliography:
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