Bronchitis is an infectious disease that is accompanied by a diffuse inflammatory process of the bronchi. In most cases, the ailment occurs against a background of colds, such as flu, SARS. But bronchitis can also have a different origin. Many people wonder how to determine bronchitis on their own at home. To do this, you should familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of this disease, which will be described in this article. You can also find information on what are the causes of the development of this ailment, and how to treat it.
general description
Before determining bronchitis, it is necessary to understand in more detail what exactly this disease is. Bronchitis is an inflammatory lesion of tissues on the bronchi, which develops both as an independent nosological ailment and as a result of complications of other diseases. In this case, you should pay attention to the fact that the tissues on the lungs are not affected, the inflammatory process develops only in the bronchial tree.
Inflammation and damage to the bronchial tree can occur as an independent, isolated process, or develop as a complication against the background of existing chronic ailments, infections.
How to determine bronchitis? The first symptoms will be chest pain, a painful cough, shortness of breath, and general weakness.
Development reasons
Before answering the question of how to determine bronchitis, it is also important to understand what are the causes of its development. As mentioned earlier, most often the cause of chronic and acute bronchitis among adult patients is a viral, bacterial or atypical flora. The main bacterial pathogens are pneumococci, staphylococci, streptococci. Bronchitis of a viral nature develops as a result of infection with the influenza virus and parainfluenza, respiratory syncytial infection, adenovirus.
Inflammatory disease of the bronchi, including bronchitis, in adult patients can be triggered by various factors. These include:
- The presence of a bacterial or viral infection in the human body.
- Work in a room with too dirty air, as well as in hazardous work.
- Smoking
- Living in regions with adverse environmental conditions.
The acute form of bronchitis occurs in case of damage to the body by viruses, the same ones that provoke colds and flu. It is impossible to kill them with antibiotics, so this type of drug is rarely used.
A common cause of the development of chronic bronchitis is smoking. Air pollution, a large amount of dust and toxic gases in the environment also cause great harm.
It is also worth highlighting some factors that significantly increase the risk of developing any form of bronchitis. These include the following:
- Genetic predisposition.
- Living in adverse climatic conditions.
- Tobacco smoking, including passive.
- Bad ecology.
Classification
Speaking about how to determine bronchitis in an adult, the classification of this disease should also be taken into account. In modern medicine, it is customary to distinguish the following forms:
- Bronchitis of an infectious nature - bacterial, viral, fungal.
- Non-infectious bronchitis - arising under the influence of physical, chemical factors, as well as allergens.
- Mixed.
- Bronchitis of unknown etiology.
You should also pay attention to the fact that bronchitis is classified according to a number of signs. By degree, for example:
- Easy degree.
- Medium degree.
- Severe degree.
Depending on the symmetry of organ damage, the disease is divided into the following types:
- Unilateral bronchitis. In this case, either the right or left region of the bronchial tree is affected.
- Bilateral bronchitis. The inflammatory process in this case is localized both on the right and on the left region of the bronchi.
As for the clinical course, in this case, the disease is divided into acute and chronic form. And now it’s worth considering in more detail how to determine bronchitis at home, depending on one form or another.
Acute form of bronchitis
How to determine bronchitis in an adult? Acute bronchitis is characterized by short-term development. The ailment can last from a few days to 2 weeks. During this process, the patient first suffers from a dry, then growing into a wet cough. At the same time, a large amount of sputum is released during coughing. If in this case bronchitis cannot be completely cured, then there is a high probability of the disease becoming chronic. In this case, the malaise lasts for a long time.
Please note that the acute form of bronchitis is divided into several types: obstructive, simple, bronchiolitis, obliterating.
Chronic form of bronchitis
The chronic form of bronchitis is a long-running disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the bronchi, progressing over time and causing structural changes and malfunctions of the bronchial tree.
One of the most dangerous complications of this form of bronchitis is inflammation of the lung tissue. As a rule, it is observed in those patients who have a weakened immune system, as well as in elderly patients.
Signs of the disease
How to determine bacterial bronchitis and other forms of this ailment? If the body temperature rises, the ability to work decreases, a person suffers from a dry cough, and then sputum appears, then there is a chance that bronchitis develops. How to determine viral bronchitis, as well as its other type of acute form? First of all, a person should pay attention to the following symptoms:
- A sharp deterioration in well-being and overall health.
- Fever.
- A wet cough, but sometimes it can also be dry.
- Squeezing in chest area.
- Fatigue and severe shortness of breath under exertion.
- General apathy and lack of appetite.
- The appearance of intestinal dysfunction, the appearance of constipation.
- Headaches, muscle weakness.
- Burning sensation and heaviness behind the sternum.
- Feeling of cold, chills, desire not to get out of bed.
- Profuse runny nose.
Symptoms in adults
Some do not know how to determine if bronchitis or pneumonia has begun to develop. To do this, you should carefully study the symptoms. Bronchitis is a very common disease. At least once in a lifetime, every person has been ill with this ailment, so these symptoms are easy to recognize. The main signs of bronchitis include:
- Dry or wet cough.
- Dry cough that occurs with an atypical or viral infection. In most cases, a dry cough turns into a wet one.
- Sputum discharge, in most cases with a green tint. This is a symptom of bacterial inflammation. When the sputum is whitish, the patient's condition is regarded as the normal course of the disease. A yellowish shade of sputum with bronchitis is observed in those patients who smoke for a long time. However, you should pay attention to the fact that a similar symptom also appears with asthma or pneumonia. Sputum of brown color or mixed with blood is a dangerous sign. In this case, you should consult a doctor for help.
- With the development of bronchitis, the voice in adult patients disappears, they begin to speak in a whisper. Often there is wheezing, severity of speech. Breathing is caused by parts of shortness of breath, as well as heaviness. At night you have to breathe through your mouth.
Treatment features
So, now you know how to determine bronchitis. As for the treatment of this disease, this is a multilateral and controversial issue, since there are a large number of ways to suppress the symptoms and affect the primary source of the disease. An important role will be played by the principles on which therapeutic measures are based. The therapy will include four main stages, which are as follows:
- First of all, it is necessary to voluntarily give up smoking. This will significantly increase the effectiveness of therapy.
- At the second stage, specialists prescribe drugs that can expand the bronchi. These drugs include Fenoterol, Terbutaline, Salbutamol, Bromide.
- Further, expectorant and mucolytic agents are used that promote the elimination of sputum. They are able to restore the epithelium of the bronchi, as well as thin the sputum.
- Antibiotics can also be prescribed: intravenously, intramuscularly, orally.
Mode
It is important not only to know how to determine chronic bronchitis or another form of this disease, but also to adhere to the correct treatment methodology. Along with taking medications, a specialist will recommend that the regimen be followed.
Against the background of an exacerbation of the ailment, they advise abundant drinking. An adult should drink at least 3 liters of fluid per day. Without fail, the rosehip infusion, hot milk with borjomi, which is mixed in equal proportions, should be included in the diet.
In addition, a specialist should recommend a diet. It must be complete, contain a large amount of vitamins and proteins. It is important to include as much as possible fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily menu.
Situation
It is mandatory to exclude chemical and physical factors that can trigger the appearance of cough. These include smoke, dust, heavy physical exertion.
If the air in the room is too dry, then the cough will become much stronger. That is why it is necessary to try to moisten the air in the room, especially in the one where the patient is. It is best to use an air humidifier or an air purifier for these purposes. It is also advisable to carry out daily cleaning.
Physiotherapeutic procedures
If you do not know how to determine acute bronchitis or any other form of the disease, then you must contact a medical institution. Only an experienced specialist can identify the exact cause of the disease, as well as prescribe the appropriate treatment. In combination with the main therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures can be prescribed.
Physiotherapy is very effective in this disease. Among these procedures are inhalations, UHF, quartzization, ozokerite.
The heating of the sternum is prescribed only as an additional medical procedure, when the exacerbation of the chronic form of bronchitis is removed or the first stage of acute treatment is carried out.
Massage is done if the patient has poor sputum discharge. This procedure will ensure the opening of the bronchi, as well as accelerating the outflow of purulent sputum.
Respiratory therapeutic exercises will help to restore breathing, as well as get rid of shortness of breath for the patient.
Inhalations cannot be called only physiotherapeutic procedures, since for the most part such events are a full-fledged therapy.
Prevention
So that you never have a question, how to determine if there is bronchitis, you should follow some preventive measures. For example, experts recommend giving up smoking, frequent drinking of alcoholic beverages. You should also limit the exposure to harmful substances, gases that inhale the patient. Therapy of various infections should be started on time. It is also recommended to avoid hypothermia, pay more attention to your immune system. During the heating season, the humidity in the room should be optimal.