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- What is bronchitis?
- Symptoms of bronchitis
- Causes of bronchitis
- Prevention of bronchitis
- Risk factors for bronchitis
- Complications of bronchitis
- When to see a doctor about bronchitis
- Diagnosis of bronchitis
- Conventional treatment of bronchitis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of bronchitis
- Living with bronchitis
- Caring for someone with bronchitis
Bronchitis is a condition which is characterised by inflammation and swelling of the trachea and the large and smaller bronchial tubes that are in the lungs. The inflamed bronchi produce a lot of thick mucous, which makes the airways more narrow and make it hard to breath properly and also causes the coughing.
Bronchitis usually does not cause serious or long-term damage in most people, but it can cause complications in the elderly, young children, people who smoke, or those who have serious illnesses.
There are two types of bronchitis:
- Acute bronchitis - is normally caused by a bacterial or a virus infection of the bronchi and may last a few weeks, after which it generally clears up in most people
- Chronic bronchitis - is generally considered to be one of a chronic pulmonary disorders, as it is not normally caused by a virus or bacteria but is a chronic disorder of the lungs, where there is thickening and inflammation of the lungs with a mucous build-up, which narrows the airways and obstructs proper air flow
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Facts about bronchitis
- Bronchitis can develop into pneumonia, a potentially serious complication, so some medical treatment is required when bronchitis is first diagnosed to prevent it from developing further in many people
- Emphysema is a complication of severe chronic bronchitis
- Chronic bronchitis is one type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- People with serious lung or heart problems should seek medical attention if they think they have any symptoms of bronchitis as it can become a serious problem, possibly life threatening
- Chronic bronchitis causes the bronchi to become thick and inelastic, causing breathing difficulty
- Chronic and severe bronchitis can be very hard to differentiate with emphysema
- Chronic bronchitis is very common in people who have smoked a long time
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