Bronchitis is the most common disease worldwide. Both children and adults suffer from it. This pathology occurs due to inflammatory processes in the bronchi. Since these organs are the connecting link and allow you to deliver oxygen to the lungs, their role in the human body is very large. If you get bronchitis, in no case do not ignore this disease. So that it does not go into the chronic stage, it must be treated in a timely manner. It is also extremely important to understand what threat bronchitis poses. The psychosomatics of this disease will allow us to figure out how to treat it. But let's talk about everything in order.
Causes of the disease and psychosomatics of bronchitis in adults
Of course, the most common cause of bronchitis is a common cold or flu. That is, the SARS virus attacks the bronchi, then inflammatory processes begin. Another reason for this ailment is considered a banal allergy, which can occur on wool, dust, plant pollen and products.
Smokers more often than others suffer from bronchitis. The fact is that cigarette smoke enhances the production of mucus in the bronchi, as a result of which fresh air enters the lungs with difficulty. This results in mucosal hypertrophy and impaired bronchial cleansing. By the way, passive smokers are also at risk.
External adverse conditions can often cause the development of pathology. For example, if your workplace is constantly located in a smoky room or where harmful compounds are present, you can already get sick with a disease such as bronchitis. Psychosomatics also plays an important role, explaining the causes of this ailment. Often, bronchitis occurs on a nervous basis. Perhaps the patient has any hidden grievances and feelings.
Types of disease
In medicine, three types of pathology are divided: acute, chronic and obstructive bronchitis. Everyone has their own psychosomatics. Let's take a closer look at them.
So how does acute bronchitis develop? The psychosomatics of the disease suggests that this type of bronchitis is the most common, and it occurs against the background of infection with viruses or bacteria. Most often, the symptoms of the disease are immediately visible.
If acute bronchitis is untimely cured or treated incorrectly, then sooner or later it will go into a protracted stage. Chronic bronchitis, whose psychosomatics appears periodically, worsens during colds, that is, in autumn or early spring. The cough that accompanies the disease lasts all this period, and no medications and drugs can cope with it.
What is the difference between obstructive bronchitis? Psychosomatics here is manifested not only by inflammation, but also by spasm or narrowing of the bronchi. In addition, primary and secondary bronchitis are isolated. The primary form occurs as an independent disease, and the secondary proceeds against the background of a concomitant disease.
The main signs and symptoms
The most obvious sign of bronchitis is a strong cough with discharge of sputum and mucus. But the symptoms of the disease in different forms can manifest themselves in different ways. Therefore, it is important to know what signs are characteristic of a certain type of bronchitis. This will not confuse him with other ailments.
The most common form of bronchitis is acute. It is usually triggered by various types of viruses and bacteria. Against the background of acute respiratory viral infections, bronchitis can be detected by the following signs:
- Cough. In the first days of the disease, it is dry, and in the next sputum appears green-white .
- Fever. This symptom is characteristic for SARS, and for acute bronchitis.
- General malaise, muscle pain, weakness.
These signs are similar to a common cold, which is why most often when these symptoms appear, people refer to a common malaise. Meanwhile, the disease is progressing, the acute stage can become chronic or develop pneumonia, which is treated much more difficult. Remember that the acute stage cannot last more than 10 days.
If the cough lasts for 2 years and is observed for more than 3 months per year, then it is worth talking about chronic bronchitis. In this case, an increase in body temperature is not observed at all or occurs very rarely. The cough becomes deep and paroxysmal. That is, the patient can start it at any time if he drinks a cold drink or goes outside in cool weather. During cough, profuse purulent sputum is secreted. If, on top of everything else, the patient has shortness of breath, then this is already a sign of obstructive bronchitis, when a deformation or narrowing of the walls of the bronchi occurs.
Diagnostics
Only a doctor can diagnose bronchitis after examining the patient and discussing symptoms with him. But not always a cough can say that a person has bronchitis, therefore, to make sure of this, the doctor can prescribe a number of medical procedures to the patient:
- Clinical blood test, which determines the presence of inflammatory processes.
- Auscultation, when the doctor listens to the patient through a stethoscope. Thanks to this study, it is possible to detect the presence of wheezing and noise during breathing.
- A chest x-ray is usually done to detect a chronic form of bronchitis.
In psychology, using a special table, you can diagnose bronchitis. Psychosomatics (Louise Hay, who has devoted many years to the study of this issue, is the author of this table) allows us to determine the psychological causes of the disease.
Features of the course of the disease in children
Most often, bronchitis in children occurs against the background of complications of other diseases, for example, laryngitis, rhinopharyngitis or SARS. In children, this ailment is sluggish. General weakness and fever are observed. Since young children themselves still can’t cough, they swallow all the phlegm, which is why bronchitis is accompanied by vomiting. If you find that your child has these symptoms, you should not self-medicate, but you should consult a pediatrician.
To clarify the form of bronchitis, the doctor will prescribe additional studies. But not in all cases with the acute form of the disease, children are prescribed antibiotics. Treatment is usually carried out at home with all the recommendations of the doctor. But if the symptoms are serious, for example, high fever, shortness of breath, then in this case it is better to hospitalize the child. This is especially true for children under three years of age.
First of all, a child who is sick with bronchitis is shown bed rest and complete rest. It is also necessary to drink the patient abundantly with tea, fruit drink or warm water. In order to restore breathing, vasoconstrictor drugs are prescribed. If the disease is accompanied by temperature, then antipyretics are prescribed that will be age-appropriate. An expectorant and antitussive medication will also be necessary for the child.
When bronchitis develops in children, psychosomatics may indicate an unfavorable relationship in the family. If the treatment does not end with recovery, then in this case it is worth digging deeper and visiting a psychologist.
Disease treatment
Depending on the form of bronchitis, its treatment will be different. For example, in the acute form, antibiotics are rarely prescribed. The patient should rest, drink more fluids and, if necessary, take antitussive drugs. It is very important to treat the disease that caused inflammation of the bronchi.
As for chronic bronchitis, it is not eliminated by antitussive drugs, therefore, it is not recommended to take them. At the peak of the disease, it is treated in the same way as the acute form. But after the symptoms subside, the doctor prescribes inhalations, physiotherapy and, if necessary, antibiotics.
Preventative measures
Unfortunately, everyone can get bronchitis, and to prevent this from happening to you, you need to take preventive measures in time:
- If you work in a hazardous industry where smoke, cinder or chemical fumes are constantly present in the room, be sure to use a respirator.
- Stop smoking and stay away from smokers.
- If you notice symptoms of bronchitis, consult a doctor immediately.
- Take timely vaccinations against colds during their acute course.
- Avoid talking to people with respiratory problems and do not infect others.
- Avoid hypothermia.
- Temper your children. This will help them avoid bronchitis.
- Ventilate the room daily, exercise and strengthen your immunity.
Conclusion
Like many diseases, bronchitis, the psychosomatics of which was considered above, is an insidious disease, so timely diagnosis and treatment will help to completely eradicate it. But if everything is left to chance, then, of course, there is a great risk of developing a chronic form, which is much more unpleasant and difficult to cure. In case of the first signs of bronchitis, do not self-medicate, but consult a doctor. Take care of yourself and your loved ones!