What is bronchitis? This question is faced by many adults. Sometimes they consider the presence of cough a symptom of the development of this disease. But it is not so. Bronchitis has clear symptoms and treatment methods. We will talk about this in the article.
What is bronchitis?
This disease can occur on its own or proceed as a complication of SARS and other infections. Often transferred "on the feet" of a cold causes the development of bronchitis. And also some viral infections can initially affect the respiratory system in a short time. For example, common chickenpox often causes complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia.
Inflammation of the bronchi and the accumulation of sputum in them leads to the development of the disease. Sometimes this condition is caused by viruses. This situation occurs in 80% of cases. But bacteria also become the culprits of the development of the inflammatory process in the bronchi. The course of the disease in this case will be complicated and the treatment longer.
Kinds
Bronchitis can take several forms. Depending on the symptoms, they distinguish:
- Acute - occurs against the background of acute respiratory viral infections. Inflammation in the respiratory system is accompanied by active sputum production and a strong cough, with proper treatment, it disappears within 10-14 days and leaves no consequences.
- Chronic - develops as a result of the transfer of several inflammatory processes in the bronchi over the year, leads to complications and requires long-term treatment.
- "Cardiac" - not associated with infectious pathogens. Requires inpatient treatment to prevent a heart attack or stroke.
- Professional - observed in people whose working conditions are associated with harmful substances (miners, metallurgists, chemists in the workplace).
Only a doctor, having established an accurate diagnosis, will be able to prescribe an adequate treatment for a particular type of disease.
According to the ICD-10, bronchitis has its own international classification, which is often used in extracts and sick leave. These designations help to recognize the diagnosis in different countries only by cipher.
For example, acute bronchitis is hidden under the code J20, and chronic - J41. Obstructive form - J44. An allergic cough caused by any stimuli refers to code J45. The same encryption has bronchial asthma.
How is acute bronchitis manifested?
People often believe that the appearance of a cough already indicates the development of this disease. This is not entirely true. Coughing occurs as a result of irritation of a particular organ of the respiratory system due to the penetration of viruses.
In this case, with proper treatment, the walls of the bronchi do not become inflamed. The cough in the patient goes away within 5-7 days and is considered a symptom of a cold. In the case when the doctor listens to wet rales and the respiratory tract is filled with difficult to leave sputum, we can talk about the development of acute bronchitis.
The patient may complain of an obsessive cough and chest pain. They can be permanent or occur during a deep breath. Especially often, such a symptom occurs several days after the onset of acute bronchitis.
Sometimes during the illness there is a feeling when everything in the chest is compressed and it is difficult to breathe. On exhalation, wheezing is heard even at a distance from the patient. In this case, we can safely talk about swelling of the bronchi. Against its background, obstructive bronchitis occurs.
In this case, the air permeability in the respiratory organ does not occur in full and the viscous secret stagnates there. A dry obsessive cough begins, and even an attack of suffocation. Such a dangerous condition requires an immediate emergency call.
Chronic form of the disease
Any disease is easier to treat in the initial stage. If the patient has delayed a visit to the doctor and the cough lasts more than one month, then we can talk about the development of chronic bronchitis.
It occurs against the background of frequent inflammatory processes in the respiratory system. Also, smokers and people living near harmful industries suffer from this form of the disease.
Chronic bronchitis gives serious complications if appropriate measures are not taken to treat it. For example, asthma will sooner or later become a concomitant illness in life in such patients.
Symptoms
Bronchitis in adults can be accompanied by a rise in body temperature to 38-39 ° C. A dry cough begins with a difficult discharge of sputum. The patient feels general weakness and excessive fatigue.
After a few days, a wet cough appears, which gradually turns into a productive one. Abundant separation of mucus from the bronchi begins. This is a good sign, it means that the patient is on a direct path to recovery.
Very often, the temperature in bronchitis does not rise above subfebrile numbers or is kept at a normal level. This does not mean that the disease does not require treatment. On the contrary, patients tolerate such bronchitis "on their feet" and receive a complication in the form of pneumonia. This diagnosis will lead the patient to a hospital.
Chronic bronchitis has a few erased symptoms. Basically, patients do not complain of fever. If she creeps up, it is insignificant, which means that the patient may not notice this.
The main symptom is a persistent, persistent cough. It is poorly treatable with expectorant drugs and may stop for a short time.
After 2-4 weeks, this symptom appears again. The patient begins to fight with him again on his own, and this can last for more than one year, until the first suffocation occurs. And in this case, you can already talk about asthma.
Diagnostics
What is bronchitis? Many believe that this is not a serious disease, especially if it goes away without a fever. Very wrong opinion. This disease simply needs to be treated on time in order to avoid complications.
Usually, in order to make a correct diagnosis, it is enough for the doctor to listen to the patient’s complaints and listen to his chest. Sometimes an x-ray is required.
In chronic bronchitis, additional diagnostics are necessary. Here you can not do without spirography, a blood test for immunoglobulin E, sputum studies.
And also one of the justified diagnostic methods in this case is bronchoscopy. This procedure is very unpleasant, but informative. A probe is inserted into the patient through the mouth, at the end of which there is a camera. She reaches the bronchi, and the doctor sees the mucous membrane on the screen, evaluates her condition.
Using special tools, the doctor can take the necessary sputum tests or remove a foreign body. The ingress of food debris or small objects causes inflammation in the airways and, consequently, cough.
Very often, without noticing a foreign body in time, doctors give patients a false diagnosis. The treatment carried out in this case does not help, and through additional diagnostics there is a reason for a prolonged cough.
Treatment
Depending on the type of disease, appropriate therapy is prescribed. At the first sign of bronchitis, treatment should begin. If the temperature rises, then it is necessary to bring it down with antipyretic agents. More often used for these purposes are paracetamol and aspirin.
Adults can also use analgin in an appropriate dosage. It is worth remembering that you need to bring down the temperature above 38.5 ° C. If the readings on the thermometer are lower, then it is better to refrain from medicines. It is necessary to let the body fight the infection on its own, especially in the case of viral pathogens.
Most often, in the early days of the disease, cough with bronchitis is dry. First of all, it needs to be converted into a productive one. To do this, you can use medicines and a few simple rules for organizing life:
- ventilate the room 2 times a day;
- humidity in the room should be at least 60%;
- temperature not higher than 20 ° C;
- carry out wet cleaning every night.
These simple tips will help you avoid complications. Thus, the mucous membranes will be constantly moistened, and sputum will not stagnate.
To turn a cough into a productive one, you need to drink at least 2.5 liters of fluid per day. For these purposes, warm compotes, teas and plain still water are perfect.
It is also advisable to start taking medications that thin the sputum in the bronchi so that it comes out easier during coughing:
- "Pectolvan ivy";
- Gederin;
- "Broncholitin";
- Herbion, etc.
Basically, all drugs with this effect contain extracts from plants, so allergy sufferers should use them with caution. If an exhausting cough in the first days does not allow you to lead a familiar lifestyle, then you can take "Sinecode."
Is it possible to use this medicine during bronchitis? On the first day or two with paroxysmal cough, "Sinecode" will help alleviate the condition. But it should be remembered that it can not be combined with other expectorant drugs.
Sinecode reduces the cough reflex at the level of the nervous system. Therefore, during this period, sputum will not be excreted. And if you take another drug at the same time, which causes the secretion of mucus, it will stagnate in the bronchi and bacteria will develop there, which can lead to pneumonia.
Sputum discharge
When the cough goes productive, you can start using expectorants. Most commonly used:
- Ambroxol;
- "Lazolvan";
- "ACC";
- Flavomed
- Ambrobene et al.
They increase the amount of sputum, and it comes out faster during coughing. Bronchitis in adults is a little easier than in children. This is due to the fact that babies do not have enough strength to cough up the accumulated mucus in full.
If the house has a compressor nebulizer, then inhalation with bronchitis will help to cope with the disease much faster. During a dry cough, you can carry out procedures with ordinary saline or with Borjomi water (it is imperative to release gases in advance).
Thus, the mucous membrane will be well moistened, and the cough will gradually turn into a productive one. In case of obstructive bronchitis, inhalation with Ventolin or Berodual is necessary.
These drugs help the bronchi open, and the mucus starts to come out. In case of severe inflammation in the respiratory system, hormonal drugs in the form of inhalations can be prescribed. The most commonly used are Pulmicort and Flixodite.
With these drugs, you need to be careful and do not apply without a doctor’s prescription. Such therapy can last 7-10 days. And also now in the pharmacy you can buy "Lazolvan" and "Ambrobene" in a solution for inhalation. These drugs will help remove phlegm when the cough has already turned into a productive one.
Folk methods
Recently, people can hear the phrase: "I treat bronchitis with grandmother's methods." Such methods are justified if they are used in conjunction with the treatment prescribed by the doctor or in the case when the disease is caused directly by viral pathogens.
If a general blood test indicates a bacterial infection, then taking antibiotics cannot be avoided. But in this case, you can additionally treat bronchitis with alternative methods. Most often, they help to remove sputum faster.
The following mixture very well helps to get rid of dry cough:
- milk - 100 ml;
- butter -1 tbsp. l .;
- honey - 1 tbsp. l .;
- vodka 1 tbsp. l
The first three components are mixed in a small saucepan, which is on fire. The mixture should not be brought to a boil. When the stewpan is already removed from the stove, vodka is added here. All ingredients mix well. The tool is taken 3 times a day for a tablespoon. Before each use, it is heated.
Coping with cough is another very simple way. It is necessary to purchase a large white radish and cut a hole in it. A spoonful of honey is poured into it. If the patient is allergic to this component, then sugar can be used.
The vegetable should thus be infused for 10-12 hours. The radish will start up the juice, and the notch will be completely filled with it. This liquid will need to be taken in a tablespoon 3 times a day.
A remedy based on the use of three medicinal herbs has good reviews, it works especially well with chronic bronchitis. To prepare it, mix 1 tsp. dry plants:
- chamomile;
- sage;
- coltsfoot.
Then they are poured with 200 ml of boiling water and infused for at least 40 minutes. You need to take a decoction of 100 ml 2-3 times a day.
And also various rubbing and compresses are useful when sputum is already well removed. You can simply lubricate the chest and back in the upper part with honey and cover with cellophane on top. Such a compress must be kept for at least 2-3 hours.
Potato cakes are very good for coughing. To prepare them, you need to boil a few tubers and mash without liquid. A tablespoon of vodka and honey is added to it. Cakes are formed and twisted into cellophane.
They are placed on the chest and back. Top need to wrap a scarf. Such a compress holds until the potatoes have completely cooled. After the procedure, the skin is well lubricated with a greasy cream.
To whom it is contraindicated to use recipes using alcohol-containing ingredients, you can try another remedy. It is necessary to heat 50 ml of milk and add there 1 tbsp. l Borjomi This method helps soften a dry cough.
Treatment Reviews
Many people have come across various types of bronchitis in their life. Patients on themselves tried different methods of treatment, and came to the conclusion which drugs and alternative methods help best.
For example, there are a lot of positive comments about the inhalation treatment of bronchitis. Reviews are left by people who have purchased nebulizers and are very pleased with the results of treatment. They note that with the help of inhalation with saline, a dry cough passes into a productive one in 1-2 days.
Also, this device becomes an essential thing in obstructive bronchitis. Inhalations with "Ventolin" relieve swelling from the mucous membranes within 15 minutes after the procedure. Then a few more days of using this treatment completely remove the obstructive syndrome.
Of the drugs, patients with bronchitis secrete "Lazolvan" and "Flavomed." From the comments on various sites and forums, it can be understood that these drugs are good at eliminating sputum and help get rid of cough.
Of the folk methods, various compresses and rubbing are popular. Decoctions of herbs are very good at coughing. Especially often used in the treatment of coltsfoot.
Many comments can be seen about taking antibiotics. Most often, with bacterial bronchitis, doctors prescribe cephalosparin series drugs:
- "Cefix";
- Sortsef;
- "Zedex";
- Ceftriaxone;
- Cefotoxime.
And also broad-spectrum antibiotics-macrolides are used:
- Fromilide;
- Summamed
- "Azithromycin" and others.
Patients note that during their intake it is necessary to drink some probiotics. It can be Linex, Bio-gaya, Yogurt, etc. And you also need to drink one-day kefir. It helps to restore the intestinal microflora, which is destroyed by antibiotics along with bacterial pathogens.
In the comments you can read that people who suffered bronchitis on their feet often encountered complications. Therefore, it is better during the illness to provide the patient with peace and in no case go to work, even if bronchitis proceeds without an increase in temperature.
This article found the answer to the question of what bronchitis is and how to treat it. Therefore, using the tips, you can quickly cope with this ailment.