Bronchitis is a common disease. It is characterized by inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. Its symptoms depend on what form of the disease a person has: chronic or acute, as well as on the stage of its development. It is impossible to ignore this disease, because its consequences are extremely dangerous. Pneumonia or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may develop. In this article, we will try to describe in as much detail as possible how to treat bronchitis quickly in an adult and a child, as well as what are its symptoms and main causes.
Why does bronchitis develop?
The development of bronchitis in the body is affected by various infections that enter the respiratory tract. These infections can be divided into several groups:
- viruses: measles, influenza, rhinovirus, parainfluenza and others;
- bacteria: staphylococci, whooping cough pathogens, streptococci and many others;
- fungal infections such as Aspergillus and Candida.
However, almost ninety percent is due to the fact that the cause of bronchitis is a virus. If a person has reduced immunity and there is a viral infection in the body, then these are just ideal conditions for bacteria to begin to develop, which will inevitably lead to the onset of an inflammatory process with mixed flora.
As for fungi, they rarely cause bronchitis. They cannot be activated if a person has normal immunity. This will only be possible if the immune system is severely compromised, or if the person has undergone chemotherapy or is immunocompromised.
There are other factors that can contribute to the development of a lower respiratory disease such as bronchitis:
- if there is a focus of chronic infection in the upper respiratory tract;
- if a person has been breathing polluted air for a long time, this also includes smoking;
- if it has any pathology in the development of a bronchopulmonary infection.
Before you know how to treat bronchitis, you need to know its classification and features of the course of a particular form of the disease.
Acute bronchitis
Predicting the occurrence of an acute form of bronchitis is almost impossible, since it occurs quite suddenly. if you turn to a specialist in time, who will prescribe the right treatment, then bronchitis will last no more than ten days. However, this will not be considered a full recovery, asthe affected cells of the bronchial walls will recover for about three more weeks. Acute bronchitis has three degrees of severity: mild, moderate and severe. It is possible to determine this or that stage only on the basis of the results of blood and sputum tests, as well as X-ray studies and the doctor checks the severity of respiratory failure. Only with all this data, you can accurately determine at what stage your disease is.
Chronic bronchitis
If the inflammatory process in the bronchial mucosa does not go away for more than three months, then most likely it is chronic bronchitis. It is also accompanied by a daily morning cough and shortness of breath, especially if the person is under intense physical stress.
Most often, the chronic form occurs in people of certain professions who are forced to constantly breathe dust, gases or other harmful substances. It is also caused by tobacco smoke. And not only for the smoker himself, but also for the person who has to inhale this smoke regularly.
Chronic bronchitis is more common among adults. He worries children only in the presence of immunodeficiency or in congenital pathologies of the respiratory tract.
Symptoms of acute bronchitis in adults
Almost ninety percent of cases of acute bronchitis in adults begins with a common SARS. However, the disease develops quite rapidly, there is a strong dry cough, discomfort in the chest area. The cough is especially aggravated at night.the time the person is in the supine position. During such attacks, severe chest pain may occur. And besides this symptom, there are also signs of an acute respiratory viral infection that are familiar to everyone. A person becomes very weak, body temperature may rise, appetite worsens, headaches torment.
Cough is such a protective reaction of the body. With its help, exudates are removed. At the beginning of the disease, the cough is observed to be exceptionally dry, but with the timely appointment of the necessary drugs, sputum begins to be excreted after five days, and this is a signal that the patient is on the mend. Even without the use of special instruments, wheezing can be heard in the patient's chest.
If the cause of bronchitis was ARVI, then on the fifth day the infection begins to recede, the body temperature returns to normal, the general condition of the patient improves. However, if during this period no productive cough was noted, and the patient still feels unwell, then it makes sense to conduct additional examinations. Since a bacterial infection could also join or any complications began. A little different treatment will be required here.
If we talk about statistics, then bronchial cough lasts about two weeks, and full recovery occurs in three weeks. But these figures are applicable only for he althy people without bad habits. In smokers, the cough usually lingers.
Acute obstructive form
This form of the disease is most oftenIt occurs in children but can also develop in adults. It is less dangerous to the he alth and life of the patient. But here, too, everything depends on the respiratory failure that is seen in the patient.
The first sign of this form of the disease is shortness of breath, which is present even at rest. It becomes harder for the patient to breathe, it is especially difficult to take breaths. This is due to lack of oxygen in the lungs. Usually, it is easier for the patient to be in a sitting position, it is difficult for him to breathe. On inspiration, you can observe how the wings of the nose expand significantly. Even talking can cause a lot of breathlessness, so it's best if you just leave the person at rest and don't pester them with questions.
If treatment is started on time, the first improvements will be noticeable already on the fifth day. It is during this period that a productive cough should begin, which will contribute to the speedy removal of sputum from the respiratory tract. This disease lasts a little longer than the acute form. It will take about four weeks for a full recovery. Here, too, much will depend on the lifestyle that a person leads, as well as on the type of his activity.
Chronic bronchitis symptoms
You can talk about the presence of chronic bronchitis only when a strong dry cough does not end for several months. In addition, it is necessary to take into account certain facts from a person's life. So, most often chronic bronchitis occurs in active smokers. Although its manifestation is also possible in those people who simply inhaletobacco smoke.
This form of the disease can go almost unnoticed, but any viral infection can lead to an exacerbation. However, unlike the acute form, such bronchitis is much more difficult, various complications are possible, a person has quite difficult breathing. By itself, such bronchitis will not go into remission, so you need to start treatment when the first symptoms appear.
As for the remission stage, it goes pretty smoothly. Sometimes a cough can bother, but only after a night's sleep. Later, shortness of breath is added even after minor physical exertion, a person begins to get tired quite quickly, sweating increases, and coughing can appear not only in the morning, but also at night during sleep, and also at any time of the day if the person is lying on his back.
There is also a late stage of chronic bronchitis, when pus is released during a cough, the shape of the chest can change, if you listen to the patient's breathing, then hoarseness will be clearly heard somewhere in the lungs. It is quite difficult to cure bronchitis at this stage, and if not done at all, then there is a risk of its transition to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Bronchitis in children
For children, bronchitis is a fairly common disease. And its appearance is influenced by various factors. In childhood, the cause can be not only an infection that has entered the body, but also an allergic reaction, as well as diseases such as rubella, measles, whooping cough, which are found only in children.
Even a newborn baby can get sick with bronchitis, and there are reasons for this. It can be affected by the fact that the baby was born prematurely, and also if he is fed not with mother's milk, but with artificial milk mixtures. The presence of various congenital pathologies can be a serious reason for the manifestation of bronchitis. The list of these causes, of course, includes immunodeficiency.
Acute bronchitis is common in preschoolers. First of all, this is due to the special structure of the respiratory organs in a child. But the acute form proceeds quite easily and has the same symptoms as in adults. They were described above in the article. This form can be overcome in just a week, if you seek qualified help in time. The acute obstructive form, which most often occurs in children under three years of age, has its own characteristics. This bronchitis more than every fourth child.
Why the obstructive form? This is due to the fact that the bronchi in children are too narrow and their channels quickly fill with exudate. Even the parent himself can detect obstruction in a child. After all, the baby develops severe shortness of breath not only during physical activity, but even when speaking, and whistles are heard during breathing, breaths become more frequent, deep and heavy, and exhalations are also difficult.
What is most interesting, obstructive bronchitis in children is not always accompanied by a cough, which is why parents may not immediately notice the onset of the disease. However, you need to monitor the condition of the skin of the child. Since respiratory failure leads to the fact thatblue swelling appears on the baby's skin, especially in the area of the nasolabial triangle, as well as on the nails of the hands and feet. And, of course, the usual symptoms for everyone: fever up to thirty-eight degrees, runny nose, sore throat, severe fatigue.
Diagnosis
There is more than one research method that can be used to determine not only the disease itself, but also its stage, the presence of possible complications:
- At the first visit of the patient, the doctor must take an anamnesis, listen to the patient's complaints, conduct a visual examination, and also listen to breath sounds using a stethoscope.
- Order a CBC.
- A general sputum test is ordered.
- Pneumonia is a complication of bronchitis, so the doctor's task is to conduct an x-ray to rule out its presence.
- Spirographic examination is also performed, which determines the degree of obstruction and respiratory failure.
- To exclude the presence of foreign bodies and tumors in the bronchi, bronchoscopy is performed. But this is not assigned to every patient, but only if the doctor has suspicions.
- If there are special indications, they may prescribe a CT scan.
Bronchitis treatment
So, first of all, it should be noted that the treatment of bronchitis in adults at home largely depends on the form of the disease and the presence or absence of complications, and the treatment of such a disease must be complex, otherwise the resultshould not wait. If the doctor can correctly identify the causative agent of the disease, then the treatment will be quick and fairly easy.
How to treat bronchitis and cough in an adult? Not all doctors agree that it is necessary to prescribe antibiotics and this method is resorted to in special cases. Antibiotic therapy is prescribed if the causative agent of the disease is any bacterium. And also in the event that the disease is difficult, accompanied by additional diseases, or it caused any complications.
A classic set of antibiotics is used, which are selected for each patient individually. Much here depends on the individual intolerance of one or another component, as well as on the characteristics of the course of the disease. If a virus has become the cause of inflammation of the bronchi, then antibiotic therapy may not work and even lead to some deterioration.
The main symptom that indicates that the use of an antibiotic is necessary is sputum with purulent inclusions when coughing. In such cases, several additional studies are prescribed and only then the drug is prescribed. It is impossible to choose a medicine for treatment on your own, since this may not only not give a result, but also aggravate the situation even more.
We are used to treating bronchitis at home in adults without going to the doctor, but this should not be done. Since at home a person cannot determine the nature of his origin and independently prescribe the correct course of treatment. After all, it is necessary to take into account the nature of the disease. Since if bronchitis was caused by a virus, then it must be treated with antiviral drugs. Not all drugs are used for this, and you can buy them only with a prescription from a doctor.
But you can do without antibiotics and antiviral drugs, but there are drugs without which it is impossible to treat bronchitis in children and adults.
Expectorants
How to treat bronchitis at home quickly without the use of expectorants? It's impossible. Bronchitis starts with a dry cough that needs to be made productive. To do this, expectorants are used, which are divided into two groups: the first stimulate expectoration, and the second thin the sputum. The first group of drugs irritate the gastric mucosa and due to this, the cough and vomiting centers begin to work hard. This, in turn, leads to the fact that a liquid secret begins to be produced in the bronchi, and cough reflexes also increase. These drugs include "Muk altin", "Alteika", "Bronhoton" and others.
You need to be careful when using these drugs, as even the smallest overdose can cause vomiting and nausea.
The second group - mucolytics, liquefies sputum. What is especially important, they do not increase its quantity, but only help excretion. There are many syrups from this group, which have almost the same composition and are analogues. Therefore, the drug prescribed for you is only the preference of the attending physician andif you buy something else from this series, then do no harm to the treatment. Mucolytics include Ambroxol, Ambrobene, Doctor Mom and many others.
Another drug treatment includes antipyretics. However, there is no urgent need for their use, since usually the body temperature does not rise above 38 degrees. And with such an indicator, the body may well cope on its own. Such medicines should be taken only if the temperature exceeds 38.4. The temperature is usually brought down with paracetamol, and if it is a child, then it is better to use Nurofen or Ibuprofen.
Now you know how to treat bronchitis in adults at home quickly and effectively.
Traditional medicine
Probably, there is no such disease that we would not try to overcome with the help of folk remedies. It is possible to treat bronchitis with folk methods, but only in tandem with medications. There are many different recipes and methods. The most effective and time-tested should be considered.
So, lemon, honey and glycerin are the first helpers that will definitely help you. First of all, you need to boil water and put a well-washed lemon there, after cutting it in several places. The fruit is boiled for five minutes, and then pulled out of the water and allowed to cool. After it cools down, it is necessary to squeeze out all the juice from it and place it in a glass. About two tablespoons of glycerin and honey are added there, which should fill everything remaining in the glass.free place. The mixture is well mixed and sent to the refrigerator for several hours.
Take the remedy on an empty stomach, half an hour before meals, two or three times a day, one tablespoon for an adult and half for a child. There are no age restrictions. If the patient is tormented by a strong and frequent cough, then it is better to double the frequency of admission.
Often we treat bronchitis at home in adults with folk methods using onions. Here is one good and long-tried recipe.
You will need: two or three small onions, milk and honey.
The onions are cut into small pieces and placed in a saucepan, and then they are completely covered with milk and boiled until completely softened. After that, honey is added to the broth. The calculation goes like this: for each glass of broth you will need a teaspoon of honey. Ready broth is taken every hour, one tablespoon. The course of treatment is not too long, only three days.
Massage for bronchitis
For bronchitis, massage is not prescribed immediately, but only when the disease begins to recede: the temperature disappears, cough is noticeably reduced. Before the massage, it is advisable to stay a little in a warm bath. There are several techniques, each with its own benefits.
- The patient should be placed comfortably on their back, on a firm surface. During inhalation, the massage therapist runs his hands from the chest to the very back, and during exhalation returns to its original position. At this time, the chest is slightly compressed, which causesthe speedy removal of sputum residues there.
- The position of the patient does not change, but a small pillow should be placed under his head. The masseur presses his hands to his stomach and holds them up to his shoulders. You can also put the patient on the stomach and do the same movements already on the back.
- The third technique also stimulates the rapid elimination of sputum. But in this case, the patient lies on his stomach so that his head is outside the massage table. The legs should be raised, for this a pillow is placed under them. It is in this position that intercostal massage is performed, the session of which should last at least twenty-five minutes.
Remember that only a doctor knows how to treat chronic and acute bronchitis in adults. Since an incorrectly prescribed therapy or even an incorrectly performed massage session can cause unforeseen consequences, which, at times, can be even more difficult to eliminate than the disease itself. We treat bronchitis quickly on our own, but without knowing it, we expose ourselves to even more danger.
