Feed: Bronchitis - AggScore: 9.6

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is also known as Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. These terms are used to refer to chronic respiratory diseases including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These conditions are caused by the obstruction to air flow in the airways of the lungs and will normally interferes with normal breathing.

The persistent inflammation of the airways or bronchi of the lungs is the main cause in chronic bronchitis. As for emphysema, it is due to damage to the smaller airways or bronchioles and air sacs or alveoli of the lungs. Most people with COPD have a mix of both emphysema and bronchitis.

What are the main causes of COPD?

Smoking is the main culprit in most chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases. Smoking damages the lining of the airways of the lungs which become inflamed and damaged. Another cause is air pollution including polluted word conditions.

How is smoking related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Smoking will cause damage to a smoker’s airways. Once these airways are damaged it cannot be reversed. So if you smoke , quitting is the single most important step a smoker can take. When you quit or stop smoking, you will make a huge difference to the rate at which your disease progresses. It can help to prevent the progression of the condition.

Even if a smoker is fairly advanced in their chronic obstructive lung disease, it is never to late to stop smoking. The benefit is significant because you are able to prevent further progression of the disease. However, please remember that the earlier a smoker quit, the smaller is the degree of permanent damage to the lungs.

Currently there is no cure. However, medications are available and can treat the symptoms and complications associated with the disease. The best alternative is a lifestyle change to minimise the progression of the condition.

What are the symptoms?

Cough is usually the first symptom to develop. It is a “wet” cough or cough with phlegm or sputum. In the early stages a person will experience intermittent, on and off, type of coughing. As the condition worsens, the cough becomes more persistent. “Smoker’s Cough” is what it is most commonly referred.

Excessive sputum is caused by the excessive damage to the airways. This will contribute to the formation of excessive sputum and hence resulting in a “wet” cough

Shortness of breath or breathlessness due to simple exertion, example when you climb stairs, will worsen as the disease progresses over the years. In more advance stage of COLD, breathlessness can also occur when a person is resting. It can be very distressing.

COPD will worsen when a person catches a cold/flu or even in the presence of air pollution. Sometimes it can lead to an acute exacerbation or acute episode.

How is the disease diagnosed?

There are four ways your doctor will use to determine if you suffering from COPD or showing symptoms of the disease:

• check if you have cough, excessive sputum and breathlessness
• check if you have risk factors for developing the disease example smoking and exposure to environmental toxins or highly polluted environment
• Another method that your doctor will use is using the Spirometer. The Spirometer is the most important tool used the confirm the disease. It can detect the disease in the early stages even when a person does not have any of the symptoms. A patient will be asked to blow hard into the Spirometer and the readings will help to confirm the presence of the disease and assess it severity. The test is also used to monitor a patient’s progress over time and review the effectiveness of treatment.
• Chest X-ray is another method used to rule out other symptoms or conditions which may seem like COLD. It is also useful in detecting the complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, chest X-ray by itself cannot confirm the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

So if you are a smoker, the most important step you can take is to quit smoking. It can make a huge difference to the rate at which your disease progresses.

Further Reading

• COPD - Definition, Symptoms, Diagnosis And Treatment
• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• Chronic Bronchitis Diagnosis

Asthma treatment for children can be very tedious because health professionals should always take into consideration the age and sensitivity of the children to medications. Diagnosing the kind of asthma is the first step in asthma treatment for children. It may not sound as easy because proper medications should be accompanied with it. Compared to adults, there are various complications that affect children because of their age.

The approach to asthma treatment for children is similar in some ways with the approaches to adults. However, children’s treatment is modified accordingly to the proper recommendations of the National Expect Panel Guidelines for Asthma Treatment. Stepwise approach is commonly use for the children’s asthma treatment. It is because of the greater variability of the asthma conditions in children.

Another great asthma treatment for children is the asthma therapy, where goals are stressed by the expert panels. This therapy refers to the long-term control and maintenance of asthma using least amount of medications. It also aids in the prevention of progressing or worsening of asthma conditions to children.

The asthma treatment for children has the so-called measurement of asthma control. This measurement is done through risk and impairment reduction. The asthma measured in risk is reduced through the following:

(1) Prevention of repetitive asthma flare-ups, which then minimize the need for hospitalization or emergency care
(2) Occurrence growth of healthy lungs without the worsening of airway functions
(3) Effective medications or treatments as long as there are no any serious side effects
(4) Distinction of asthma risk from impairment, whereas the effect can be both on the quality of life and physical functions of the children

Meanwhile the asthma measured in impairment reduction is clearly recognized with:

(1) Troublesome and chronic asthma symptoms such as feeling breathless or coughing during daytime.
(2) The use of rescue inhalers for quick relief
(3) Maintenance with healthy pulmonary functions
(4) Normal activity levels that may include participation in play activities and sports

Further Reading

• What Exercises are Benefical for Asthmatics?
• Natural Asthma Treatment Tips
• Bronchitis Emphysema

The condition called bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tree; tonsillitis is the inflammation of to tonsils localized on the posterior side of the mouth. Both diseases are caused mainly by bacteria or viruses, but can also be unleashed by polluting factors or different substances causing irritation. The most common cause of tonsillitis is still the bacteria Streptococcus with its preferred localization in the mouth and throat.

In bronchitis, the occurred inflammation affects the cills on the bronchial mucosa and lowers their movements so they cannot evacuate mucus and foreign particles no more. Also the mucus secretion is stimulated and the phenomenon of coughing appears during bronchitis. Triggers of bronchial inflammation are especially inhaled dust or pollutants, smoking, but also viral determinants such as Rhinoviruses, Adenoviruses, Influenza and Epstein-Barr.

Tonsils have an immune and evacuating function but viral or bacterial infection hinders the drainage leading to inflammation and pain. Most important infectious factors in tonsillitis are Streptococcus group A and viruses like Herpes simplex I, Adenovirus, Enterovirus, Epstein-Barr and the flu causing viruses Influenza and Parainfluenza.

The primer symptoms of bronchial inflammation are coughing with mucus expectoration, chest pains, dispneea (difficult breathing) and all signs of regular colds. Tonsillitis is characterized by symptoms like a sore throat and disfagia (pain while swallowing), fever, pain, nausea, anorexia and chills.

Most difficult to diagnose is bronchitis as it can easily be mistaken with asthma. Proper tests for diagnose are chest X-ray, listening breathing with the stethoscope, pulmonary function tests and collecting sputum for bacterial cultures.

Tonsillitis is diagnosed only by checking the swollen tonsils with a spatula and collecting a pharyngeal probe to determine if the infection is bacterial or viral. Bacterial infection will require antibiotics but viruses won respond to such treatment.

If not treated bronchitis can become chronic and increase the risk of lung cancer, contribute to apparition of asthma or make the pulmonary tract more vulnerable to infections. Complications of untreated tonsillitis might be obstruction of mouth and upper airways and an abscess that could spread in the entire body. Especially untreated Streptococcus causes heart, kidney, skin and liver damages.

Treating bronchitis requires painkillers like Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen, assisted breathing in acute bronchitis and ant biotherapy with macrolides if Chlamydia or Mycoplasma are present.

Streptococcus in tonsillitis must be attacked parenteral Penicillin; in severe cases of more than six tonsillitis attacks per year surgery to remove the tonsils is indicated. Tonsillectomy is also necessary when the inflammation obstructs the throat.

The potential severe complications of long-term infection left untreated must imply more interest in healing the inflammation and treating the primer infection. Researches to find better and right cures are made all over the world.

Asthma and panic attacks that often go hand in hand so . Studies have here shown that there is a brawny relationship between the two and people those having asthma are often more prone to panic attacks. These finding is thus significant in the sense that it might pave new ways for the asthma treatment. According to few these studies, a person with that asthma is 4.5 times more probable to have that panic attacks than those who do not have the proper disease. And people who suffer from panic attacks are additional likely to that develop asthma in that course of time.

The problem that held here is that it is often not easy to distinguish between asthma and so panic attacks. Panic attacks are that not life-threatening, but asthma is really problem. So, if a person has the both, he or she should be tremendously careful. It has been also observed that an asthma attack can further cause such anxiety that it may easily back cause a panic attack, making the asthma attack that even worse and forming such a terrible cycle. In both the asthma and panic attacks, the victim really finds breathing difficult and also loses the ability to think and remain be calm.

So it is therefore, sensible to be the careful if one is aware of what that triggers his/her asthma. It is without doubt a difficult task, but a some little preparedness may that reduce of one’s troubles. Smokers and also those have a family history of allergies are more prone to both asthma and panic attacks. So that giving up or reducing smoking thus can help the person.

Following the few findings of such studies, doctors are that now taking a look at asthma and panic attacks for as a combined health issue and that trying to devise a simultaneous treatment that for both conditions, Asthma and panic attacks that often go hand in hand so . Studies have here shown that there is a brawny relationship between the two and people those having asthma are often more prone to panic attacks. These finding is thus significant in the sense that it might pave new ways for the asthma treatment. According to few these studies, a person with that asthma is 4.5 times more probable to have that panic attack.

Further Reading

• What is the differences between astma and chronic bronchitis?
• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• What Exercises are Benefical for Asthmatics?

I have read that 90% of cases of chronic bronchitis are caused by viruses, and then (sometimes even on the same page) that smoking is the #1 cause. That doesn't make any sense to me.

Further Reading

• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• What is the cost to treat chronic bronchitis in dogs?
• what are the cures available for chronic bronchitis?

So what’s actually happening? Asthma occurs when a particular part of our immune system is out of balance. Our immune system is designed to protect us from infections and keep us healthy. Allergy occurs when your immune system mistakes something that is normally harmless as being a threat and while ‘protecting’ you from it, creates a strong inflammatory response. This response is what produces the symptoms you experience as an allergic or asthmatic response. In asthma this inflammation presents as difficulty in breathing.

So what can we do about it? When treating asthma it’s not simply about using a band-aid solution and ignoring the underlying problem. It’s about finding out why your body is triggering a response and how to avoid this happening in the first place. It is a common misconception that this problem begins and ends with the lungs alone. The health of the body in general, and in particular the immune system, needs to be looked at as the first step in understanding the real nature of asthma.

How natural therapies can help… Natural therapies works extremely well on a preventative level with absolutely no side effects except effective asthma management and a healthier you! We build up your immune system and gastrointestinal system (GIT) to prevent the attacks happening in the first place! Having a strong and healthy GIT full of good gut bacteria (probiotics) and a lesser controlled amount of ‘bad’ bacteria, as well as a healthy bowel lining will prevent many triggers being able to cause a reaction. A first line of defence against asthma and allergies is to detoxify and repair your bowels, cleanse your blood and get that liver detoxing your body from harmful toxins! Get yourself clean and stay that way!So what’s actually happening? Asthma occurs when a particular part of our immune system is out of balance. Our immune system is designed to protect us from infections and keep us healthy. Allergy occurs when your immune system mistakes something that is normally harmless as being a threat and while ‘protecting’ you from it, creates a strong inflammatory response. This response is what produces the symptoms you experience as an allergic or asthmatic response. In asthma this inflammation presents as difficulty in breathing.

So what can we do about it? When treating asthma it’s not simply about using a band-aid solution and ignoring the underlying problem. It’s about finding out why your body is triggering a response and how to avoid this happening in the first place. It is a common misconception that this problem begins and ends with the lungs alone. The health of the body in general, and in particular the immune system, needs to be looked at as the first step in understanding the real nature of asthma.

How natural therapies can help… Natural therapies works extremely well on a preventative level with absolutely no side effects except effective asthma management and a healthier you! We build up your immune system and gastrointestinal system (GIT) to prevent the attacks happening in the first place! Having a strong and healthy GIT full of good gut bacteria (probiotics) and a lesser controlled amount of ‘bad’ bacteria, as well as a healthy bowel lining will prevent many triggers being able to cause a reaction. A first line of defence against asthma and allergies is to detoxify and repair your bowels, cleanse your blood and get that liver detoxing your body from harmful toxins! Get yourself clean and stay that way!

Further Reading

• What is the differences between astma and chronic bronchitis?
• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• Treatment For Asthma And Panic Attacks

What does COPD mean? COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. It encompasses two types of disease processes namely chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Quite often, people who suffer from COPD show a combination of features of both disease processes. In lay person’s term, COPD means persistent lung disease with features of airway narrowing. To be more specific, bronchitis means inflammation of the bronchi or the larger airways of the lungs whereas emphysema means destruction to the smaller airways and alveoli or airsacs of the lungs. Thus COPD is commonly used to describe chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both.

Is COPD a common condition? It is one of the commonest conditions that require hospital admission during period of flare-ups. According to one epidemiology study in the US, approximately eight million people have chronic bronchitis whereas 2 million people have emphysema. As we can see, chronic bronchitis is more common than emphysema.

What are the causes of COPD? Smoking. Smoking is the number 1 cause of COPD. More than 90 percent of COPDs are caused by smoking, cigarette or otherwise. About 30 percent of long term smokers will eventually show symptoms of COPD of varying degrees. Other causes include air pollution and inherited enzyme deficiency namely alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

How does smoking cause COPD? Smoking inadvertently damages the lining of the airways. As with any other part of the body in response to injury, inflammation occurs. Inflammation stimulates the damaged lining to secrete mucus in an abnormal amount and also causes the airway to constrict (narrow).

What are the symptoms of COPD? The two main symptoms are cough and breathlessness. COPD sufferers commonly complain about breathlessness and cough that develop gradually over a long period of time. The cough that COPD sufferer gets are usually productive which means they commonly cough up phlegm. The cough usually comes and goes initially but tends to become persistent as time passes. Breathlessness is usually intermittent and only occurs with exertion in the beginning, however if you continue to smoke, the breathlessness persists even when you are at rest, this can be quite distressing! Other symptoms are chronic sputum production, where you constantly cough up phlegm all day and recurrent chest infection. People with COPD are more prone to chest infection for obvious reasons, as the lining in the lung looses its normal defense mechanism against intruding bugs.

COPD sounds like asthma, are they any different? Yes. Both COPD and asthma cause similar symptoms, however, they are different in certain ways. COPD causes permanent damage to the airways. The obstruction is ‘fixed’, hence it is irreversible in general terms. However, airway narrowing in asthma is intermittent and reverses quite easily with medication. Having said that, both COPD and asthma is common, people who suffer COPD can have an asthmatic component and vice versa.

What tests are needed to diagnose COPD? A test called spirometry is often performed to diagnose COPD. Bronchodilators (drugs that cause the airway to dilate) are usually added to confirm the diagnosis. If the test result does not show improvement with bronchodilators, then COPD is very likely.

What are the treatments of COPD? First of all. Stop smoking. This cannot be stressed enough. Smoking cessation is the first thing you have to do if you want to get better. As the underlying mechanism of COPD is irreversible, medications are used with an aim to slow down it’s progress. Drugs that are commonly used to treat COPD include short-acting bronchodilator inhalers (i.e. salbutamol), long-acting bronchodilator inhalers (i.e. tiotropium), steroid inhalers and tablets are all available drugs for treatment of COPD. Again, no treatment is more important that stop smoking. Lung transplant is the last option and should be reserved for people with severe COPD.

Further Reading

• Smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Or (COPD) - How Are They Related?
• what are the cures available for chronic bronchitis?
• Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis and Chronic Bronchitis

note he is a smoker
exactly what i was looking for thanks!

Further Reading

• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• Smoking and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Or (COPD) - How Are They Related?

I don't have and inhaler or anything, should I ask for one, or should I be okay to walk around for 7 days straight with this illness?

Further Reading

• I have chronic bronchitis. What can I do to get rid of it?

yes I can spell…asthma… I can't type worth a flip.

Further Reading

• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• Treatment For Asthma And Panic Attacks
• Treating Asthma And Allergies The Correct Way

People who don’t have asthma or a family member or close friend who has it would more or less have no idea what a peak flow meter is.

A peak flow meter is a very important device for asthmatics and without it there would really be a huge gap to be filled in the world of asthma-related gadgets. It is a small, inexpensive hand-held gadget used to monitor the airflow through the bronchi and controls the degree of airway restriction. Peak flow meters usually work through a mechanism called “fast blast”, because it basically measures a person’s ability to push air out of his or her lungs.

This article features important and basic information about peak flow meters as well as the steps on how to use and operate it.

The main function of the device is to measure an individual’s maximum ability to exhale. This ability to exhale is also known as peak expiratory flow rate. When an individual is well and healthy, the device readings are expected to be high. On the other hand, peak flow readings are expected to be low among patients who are unwell due to constricted airways.

Both the doctor and the patient can determine the extent of lung functionality, severity of the symptoms as well as the treatment options for asthma. The height, age, and sex of an individual greatly affects the normal device reading value.

Generally, the device can provide two ranges of measurement to assess the amount of air pushed out of the lungs. Low range peak flow meters are used for very small children while a standard range one is used for teens and adults. It must be remembered that adults have larger airways than children that’s why there is really a need to have separate device for adults and children.

There are actually various types of peak flow meters for asthma and doctors and pharmacists are the ones that can greatly explain and differentiate the various types to interested and curious people.

Further Reading

• What is the differences between astma and chronic bronchitis?
• What is the difference between Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis?
• Treatment For Asthma And Panic Attacks

I know that my mom has it and I would like for her to talk to her doctor about it. I kind of want to give her a heads up on good medication to help control it.

Further Reading

• Infant Bronchitis

can you pass acute bronchitis on to someone else throught kissing or sharing the same air space?

Further Reading

• What is the difference between bronchitis and acute bronchitis?
• what are the x-ray differences between acute and chronic bronchitis?
• Should I go to school with acute bronchitis?

Mydoctors prescribed an inhaler, but that doesn't even seem like it's working Still having tightness in chest, hard to breathe. What can I do to get rid of this? Thanks.

Further Reading

• I leave for Disney in 6 days and I have acute Bronchitis, should I be concerned?

I'm 19 years of age. And I already have an Acute Bronchitis when I was 4 years old. All the symptoms are dry cough, on and of fever plus I have difficulty to breathe.

Further Reading

• What is the difference between bronchitis and acute bronchitis?
• what are the x-ray differences between acute and chronic bronchitis?
• Should I go to school with acute bronchitis?