Harmful substances that enter the human body cause irritation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract. The result is a disease called bronchitis. Smokers are constantly exposed to tobacco smoke, so this disease in most cases occurs in them. First there is an unobtrusive cough, usually after smoking a cigarette. People do not attach serious importance to this moment and continue to smoke. In the future, the cough intensifies, new symptoms appear, this causes great harm to the body. Due to the frequency of similar cases, medical experts have identified a separate disease called smoker's bronchitis. This will be discussed in our material.
Terminology
Before talking about the symptoms and treatment methods, it is necessary to define the concept. So, smoker's bronchitis is an ailment of the bronchopulmonary system, resulting from exposure to the body of tobacco smoke. Most often, the disease affects people aged 30 to 40 years. It is during this period that the symptoms manifest themselves most clearly, which leads to the first problems. At 50-60 years of age, chronic bronchitis of a smoker reaches its maximum. Eachthe situation is individual, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and the length of the bad habit are of great importance.
The development of the disease occurs due to burns of the bronchial mucosa with tobacco smoke. Because of this, pathogenic microorganisms settle in the affected areas. In addition, a person has a decrease in immunity, as tobacco smoke contains poisons and toxins.
It is worth talking about the chronic form of the disease, when a person coughs strongly and constantly, and this continues for two years. It must be said that most cases of such a disease are chronic.
Reasons for the development of the disease
In fact, there is only one reason for the appearance of the disease - smoking. The work of the bronchi is disrupted as a result of the constant negative effects of smoke. Particles appear in the body that secrete an increased amount of mucus, which we see when we cough. Accordingly, such an environment is favorable for the reproduction of bacteria and microbes. Those, in turn, parasitize in the body, forming a dangerous infection.
Wet cough is often observed in smokers. This is due to the presence of inflammation, which increases the amount of sputum produced. As a result, a person who has a bad habit coughs in the morning, during the day and even at night. A damp and humid climate can have a negative effect, the symptoms appear brighter.
The development of smoker's bronchitis depends on the severity of the factors. Among them are:
- experience and intensity of smoking, as well as agehuman;
- working mode, ecology and immunity.
Anticipating danger, a person should not delay seeking medical attention. As you know, ignoring the disease in most cases leads to unpleasant consequences. What are the symptoms of smoker's bronchitis in adults?
Signs of disease
Considering this ailment, we can note the absence of a large number of causes and signs. This is due to the specifics of the disease based on smoking. There is an opinion that people living in rural areas, despite their long experience, are much less likely to experience the disease. This is true, because external factors (ecology and lifestyle) have a strong influence on the development of the disease.
Symptoms of chronic smoker bronchitis include:
- cough;
- dyspnea;
- breathing disorder during exercise, fatigue.
Cough is considered the main symptom. Without it, bronchitis is unimaginable. The symptom is pronounced, the cough is quite loud and strong. It is observed after smoking a cigarette, but when the disease becomes chronic, it can appear in a person in the morning and evening. If the disease has reached its maximum, then the cough is detected during the day, regardless of the time of day.
Stages of bronchitis
Chronic smoker bronchitis can be divided into three stages depending on the severity of the symptoms. Consider each of them in more detail:
- The first stage. The moment when the cough startsappear smoker in the morning after sleep. At first, the sign is unobtrusive and weak, but after a while it intensifies, sputum appears. The emitted particles can be of different colors: from white to brown (sometimes there may be pus). After a while, shortness of breath occurs during moderate exertion, other diseases are difficult, the cough gradually intensifies.
- Second stage. Here we are talking about morphological changes in the body. Shortness of breath takes on a permanent character, even with little physical activity, sometimes this leads to fainting. It is difficult for a person to breathe, when inhaling, a sharp cough rises to the throat, the heartbeat quickens.
- Third stage. It will mark the beginning of obstructive pulmonary disease. At this time, the smoker begins to have serious problems, even when lying down it becomes difficult to breathe. Cough is observed constantly, abundant sputum comes out of the lungs, the symptom practically does not allow a person to rest. The body weakens, the body temperature rises, painful sensations appear in the chest area. As a result, respiratory failure develops, and there is not far from death.
To avoid all these unpleasant symptoms, you need to solve the problem from the very beginning. We will talk about the methods and ways of treating smoker's bronchitis a little later.
What is the danger of the disease?
As already noted, inhalation of tobacco smoke leads to burns of the mucous membrane. The fact is that cigarettes contain gaseous harmful substances that strongly irritate the shell, as a result, heavymetals. Elastic tissue turns into scar tissue. This contributes to the appearance of injuries, which creates a favorable environment for the reproduction of bacteria and viruses. The composition of the blood changes as it becomes deficient in oxygen.
The chronic form of bronchitis is of particular danger, because then the vessels narrow, and shortness of breath gradually turns into asthma attacks. Respiratory failure leads to disruption in the work of the internal organs of a person. Under attack is the brain, heart, blood vessels and central nervous system.
The most serious consequence of smoker's bronchitis is the development of obstructive pulmonary disease. This process is irreversible if no action is taken. Only heavy smokers reach the third stage, and every person with a bad habit can turn out to be them. According to qualified doctors, if an individual becomes addicted to smoking in adolescence, by the age of 40 he may have the first symptoms of obstructive pulmonary disease. Often a bad habit provokes cancer and inflammation, bronchiectasis. Therefore, it is so important to deal with the timely treatment of chronic smoker bronchitis.
Will quitting smoking help?
Cigarettes adversely affect almost all systems of our body. In addition, the internal organs of a person also suffer. Of course, the greatest harm falls on the lungs, respiratory system, oral cavity and nasopharyngeal mucosa. Therapy should be aimed at restoring the destroyed particles and metabolism. In addition, it is necessaryperiodically replenish the body with useful substances and vitamins.
Treatment of smoker's bronchitis should be started as soon as the first symptoms appear. The first recommendation from any pulmonologist will be the same - quit smoking. Modern medicine, despite all its achievements, cannot fight both the disease and the bad habit at the same time. Therefore, the importance of the psychological component cannot be underestimated. A person must have strong motivation and will. Without it, no therapy can help you.
It is worth noting that quite often a complete rejection of cigarette consumption leads to the elimination of the symptoms of the disease, as a result, the disease regresses. If you add to this the intake of medications, then bronchitis can recede forever. First of all, a person needs to deal with himself, because if he copes with the problem within himself, then a favorable prognosis is guaranteed.
Diagnosis
It would seem that the diagnosis is easy to make, because you just need to look at the symptoms and collect an anamnesis. But in fact, everything is a little more complicated. The doctor can identify the disease only after the patient has undergone a complete medical examination. Each case is different, but there are several procedures that all people with similar symptoms undergo. Let's list them:
- chest x-ray;
- biochemical and complete blood count;
- sputum analysis with bacteriological culture;
- antibiotic sensitivity test;
- spirogram and bronchoscopy.
Based on the research data, the pulmonologist can draw a conclusion. Usually, these laboratory measures allow you to easily identify the disease. But in some cases, additional procedures may be necessary. How to treat smoker's bronchitis?
Drug therapy
The treatment of bronchitis depends entirely on the stage of the disease and the condition of the patient. It is worth noting that quite often a person cannot cope with a bad habit and smokes until the end of his days. In such cases, treatment is carried out for life, and it is aimed at eliminating respiratory failure. This is exactly the situation we talked about earlier. Medicine cannot fight disease and smoking at the same time.
Doctors prescribe the following medicines for smoker's bronchitis that can relieve symptoms:
- drugs that expand the bronchial lumen;
- drugs that improve sputum discharge;
- drugs to eliminate inflammation;
- antibacterial drugs.
If the patient develops an obstruction, bronchodilators should be used. The most effective means of this group include "Troventol" and "Atrovent". In the absence of results, experts prescribe "Salmeterol" and "Berotek". It is worth noting that the attending physician is engaged in the treatment of smoker's bronchitis in adults. Taking any medication without his knowledge is strictly prohibited, because it is easy to spoil the situation, which will lead to complications.
When along with the patient's coughregularly suffer from shortness of breath and difficulty in breathing, inhalations with a nebulizer are usually prescribed. In such a situation, thermal herbal inhalations will be useful, which have a beneficial effect on the respiratory system.
If a person suffering from bronchitis suffers from severe sputum, the doctor will prescribe mucolytics and expectorant medicines. They are used both during the height of the disease, and during the calm. As for antibiotics, they are recommended only in cases of exacerbation of bronchitis. For example, the occurrence of pus in the released particles when coughing is a complication. Sometimes doctors prescribe immunostimulants ("Taktivin") to improve the protective functions of the body. Vitamin therapy and taking medications that increase resistance to infections are very useful in this situation.
Treatment of smoker's bronchitis with folk remedies
The main purpose of alternative medicine is to relieve symptoms and further contribute to the patient's recovery. Bronchitis is no exception in this case. A specialist can tell you how to cure this disease, and with the help of folk recipes, you can support the bronchopulmonary system and eliminate unpleasant symptoms. However, it is impossible to completely get rid of the disease using only alternative medicine methods.
To combat lung problems, infusions and decoctions of various herbs are often used. Consider recipes for the treatment of smoker's bronchitis with folk remedies:
- chamomile and rosehip herbal tea, honey can be added;
- thyme decoction anddandelion flowers;
- infusion of wild rosemary with the addition of thyme, St. John's wort and licorice root;
- black radish juice with honey;
- compresses based on animal fat and potatoes.
Decoctions of herbs are considered safe drinks, but this is not entirely true. Many of them contain essential oils that can cause allergies. In addition, some herbs have a lot of side effects. For example, it is recommended to use wild rosemary, although it is considered a poisonous plant. St. John's wort also begins to show negative properties with prolonged use. Therefore, in any case, it is necessary to consult a doctor. Self-medication has never led to anything good.
We must not forget about physiotherapy, massage and therapeutic exercises. Rubbing helps to get rid of sputum and speed up recovery. Physical exercise improves the condition of the lungs and the whole body as a whole. Respiratory gymnastics is an obligatory component of treatment, experienced doctors recommend not to neglect it. If possible, it is better to study with a specialist, but you can also master the necessary techniques yourself.
Forecast
Treatment of the disease can end favorably. The patient will permanently get rid of cough and significantly improve the quality of life. This alignment is possible if you strictly follow all the recommendations of doctors. In any case, the main problem is smoking. If the patient finds the strength to get rid of the bad habit, then the therapy will be successful.
Prevention
After completing the coursetreatment, a former smoker needs to strengthen his position. The doctor will definitely prescribe drugs to strengthen the immune system and vitamins. In addition, we must not forget about the diet, you need to switch to diet food. To quickly restore all respiratory functions, the patient should lead a he althy lifestyle, give up all bad habits, treat colds in a timely manner.
Ignoring the disease can lead to dire consequences. Nicotine is a drug and has a detrimental effect on the internal organs of a person. He alth is deteriorating, you can’t get it back, so think about it before smoking.
If bronchitis began to develop, you should immediately contact a specialist. You must understand that the meaning of therapy is lost when you continue to smoke. Only a complete rejection of cigarettes, coupled with competent treatment, can save the patient from the disease.
Alternative medicine methods are great as complementary methods. In this article, we looked at the symptoms and treatment of smoker's bronchitis in adults. This is a serious problem that is quite difficult to fix. To prevent the development of this type of bronchitis, it is better not to start smoking. And if you already use cigarettes, you should reconsider your views and stop ruining your he alth.
