Bronchitis is an infectious disease accompanied by diffuse inflammation of the bronchi. In most cases, the disease occurs against the background of colds, such as influenza, SARS. But bronchitis can also have other origins. 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 about what causes this disease and how to treat it.
General Description
Before you define bronchitis, you should understand in more detail what exactly this disease is. Bronchitis is an inflammatory tissue lesion on the bronchi, which develops both as an independent nosological disease, and as a result of complications of other diseases. At the same time, attention should be paid to the fact that the tissues on the lungs are notare 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, past infections.
How to identify bronchitis? The first symptoms will be chest pain, painful cough, shortness of breath, and general weakness.
Reason for development
Before answering the question of how to identify bronchitis, it is also important to understand what causes it to develop. As mentioned earlier, the most common 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 influenza and parainfluenza viruses, respiratory syncytial infection, adenovirus.
Inflammatory disease of the bronchi, including bronchitis, in adult patients can be triggered by various factors. These should 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 production.
- Tobacco smoking.
- Living in regions with unfavorable environmental conditions.
Acute form of bronchitis occurs when the body is damaged by viruses, the same ones that provoke colds and flu. They cannot be killed with antibiotics, so this speciesdrugs are used quite rarely.
Tobacco smoking is a common cause of chronic bronchitis. Air pollution, a large amount of dust, toxic gases in the environment also cause great harm.
It should also highlight some of the 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 smoking.
- Bad environment.
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.
- Bronchitis of non-infectious nature - 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 criteria. By degree, for example:
- Mild degree.
- Medium degree.
- Severe.
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 forms. And now it’s worth considering in more detail how to determine bronchitis at home, depending on one form or another.
Acute bronchitis
How to identify bronchitis in an adult? Acute bronchitis is characterized by short-term development. The illness can last from several days to 2 weeks. During this process, the patient first suffers from a dry, then developing into a wet cough. At the same time, a large amount of sputum is released during coughing. If in this case bronchitis is not completely cured, then there is a high probability of the disease becoming chronic. In this case, the ailment drags on for a long time.
Please note that the acute form of bronchitis is divided into several types: obstructive, simple, bronchiolitis, obliterans.
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is a long-term disease characterized by an inflammatory process in the bronchi, progressing over time and causing structural changes and disruption 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.age.
Signs of disease
How to identify bacterial bronchitis and other forms of this disease? If the body temperature rises, working capacity decreases, a person suffers from a dry cough, and then sputum appears, then there is a possibility 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 he alth in general.
- Increased body temperature.
- Wet cough, but sometimes it can also be dry.
- Feeling of tightness in the chest area.
- Fatigue and severe shortness of breath on 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 cold, chilly, wanting to stay in bed.
- Profuse runny nose.
Symptoms in adults
Some don't know how to tell if bronchitis or pneumonia has started 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 suffered from this disease, so these symptoms are easy to recognize. The main signs of bronchitis include:
- Dry or wet cough.
- Dry cough associated with an atypical or viral infection. In most cases drycough becomes wet.
- Exposure of sputum, 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 tint 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 that is brown or bloody is a dangerous sign. In this case, it is imperative to seek medical help.
- When developing bronchitis, the voice of adult patients disappears, they begin to speak in a whisper. Often there is wheezing, heaviness of speech. Respiration is caused by parts of shortness of breath, as well as heaviness. At night, you have to breathe through your mouth.
Features of treatment
So, now you know how to identify 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 influence 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 steps, which are as follows:
- First of all, you must voluntarily give up smoking. This will greatly increase the effectiveness of therapy.
- At the second stage, specialists prescribe drugs that can expand the bronchi. To suchdrugs should include Fenoterol, Terbutaline, Salbutamol, Bromide.
- Further, expectorant and mucolytic agents are used to help expel sputum. They are able to restore the epithelium of the bronchi, as well as thin the sputum.
- Antibiotics may also be prescribed: intravenously, intramuscularly, orally.
Mode
It is important not only to know how to identify chronic bronchitis or another form of this disease, but also to adhere to the correct treatment methods. Along with taking medications, without fail, the specialist will recommend that you follow the regimen.
Against the background of an exacerbation of the disease, drinking plenty of water is advised. An adult should consume at least 3 liters of fluid per day. It is mandatory to include rosehip infusion, hot milk with Borjomi, which is mixed in equal proportions in the diet.
In addition, the specialist should recommend a diet. It should be complete, contain a large amount of vitamins and proteins. It is important to include as many fresh fruits and vegetables as possible in your daily menu.
Settings
It is imperative to exclude chemical and physical factors that can trigger a cough. These include smoke, dust, heavy physical exertion.
If the air in the room is too dry, the cough will become much stronger. That is why it is necessary to try to humidify the air in the room, especially in the one wherethe patient is located. It is best to use a humidifier or air purifier for this purpose. It is also desirable to carry out daily cleaning.
Physiotherapy treatments
If you do not know how to identify acute bronchitis or any other form of the disease, then you should definitely contact a medical facility. 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, physiotherapy procedures can be prescribed.
Physiotherapy is very effective in this disease. Among such procedures are inhalations, UHF, quartzization, ozocerite.
Heating of the sternum is prescribed only as an additional treatment procedure, when the exacerbation of the chronic form of bronchitis is removed or the first stage of the acute form of therapy is carried out.
Massage is done if the patient's sputum is bad. This procedure will ensure the opening of the bronchi, as well as the acceleration of the outflow of purulent sputum.
Respiratory therapeutic exercises will help 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 activities are a complete therapy.
Prevention
So that you never have the question of how to determine if there is bronchitis, you should follow some preventive measures. For example, experts recommend avoidingsmoking, frequent use of alcoholic beverages. You should also limit the impact of harmful substances, gases that the patient inhales. 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.
