Bronchitis is a diffuse inflammatory disease of the branches of the respiratory throat, bronchi. Inflammation of which or damage occurs as a self-isolated process, with primary bronchitis, and develops as a complication caused by a person’s chronic diseases or as a result of an infection, with secondary bronchitis.
Damage to the mucous membrane of the bronchial epithelial tissue disrupts the motor activity of the cilia, secretion, and the process associated with cleansing the respiratory throat. The disease is divided into acute bronchitis and chronic, which differ in pathogenesis, etiology and treatment methods.
Bronchitis - causes
The main causes of the disease include viral infections - parainfluenza, influenza, MS infection, adenovirus and bacterial infections - streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, hemophilic bacillus, as well as intracellular parasites - mycoplasmas, chlamydia. In addition to the main reasons, dust and tobacco smoke can also increase the risk of a disease. In which even "passive" smoking can cause inflammation of the bronchi in a weakened body.
Bronchitis - Symptoms
The main symptom of bronchitis is the appearance of a cough with yellowish-gray, light or greenish sputum and a feeling of spasm and sore throat, as well as shortness of breath with wheezing:
- in the initial stages - weakness, dry cough, lowering the temperature;
- on the third or fourth day - the appearance of a wet cough and fever. Sometimes there are attacks of fever, which can last with a respiratory syncytial and parainfluenza infection for 2-3 days, and with microplasma and adenovirus infection, from ten days or more;
- upon examination, diffuse rales spread.
By the nature of inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, acute and chronic bronchitis is isolated.
Acute bronchitis is preceded by weakness, headache, fever, runny nose, sore throat and coughing, conjunctivitis and a painful dry cough.
Chronic bronchitis is most often a consequence of an acute respiratory throat disease, or a consequence of not being brought to an end result or untimely treatment. At the initial stage, a chronic illness, a cough with a small amount of sputum is noted in the morning. With a prolonged inflammatory disease, structural disorders and changes in the functions of the respiratory throat occur. It occurs with periods of remission and exacerbations. Exacerbations occur during the year, at least three times and lead to bronchial asthma and emphysema.
Bronchitis - diagnosis
It is necessary to study the clinical picture of bronchitis and laboratory tests:
* general analysis of blood and urine;
* immunological and biochemical blood tests;
* peak flowmetry, spirometry;
* X-ray examination of the lungs;
* bronchography, bronchoscopy;
* echocardiography, ECG;
* microbiological analysis of sputum.
Bronchitis - treatment and prevention
In case of uncomplicated bronchitis - outpatient treatment, in cases of disease with severe acute respiratory viral infections - treatment in the pulmonology department.
Therapy of bronchitis should be carried out comprehensively - the fight against infection, the elimination of provoking factors and the restoration of bronchial conduction.
In the early days of the disease, bed rest, a dairy and vegetable diet, and plenty of drinking are indicated. Obligatory smoking cessation and increased air humidity in the room where there is a patient with bronchitis.
Preventive measures include the weakening or elimination of the effects of harmful factors on the respiratory system, as well as timely treatment, prevention of allergic manifestations, a healthy lifestyle and a general increase in the body's immunity.
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