Dorothy FarrarAcute Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an infection of the lower respiratory tract (bronchi) and belongs to the group of colds . Cough is the main symptom of acute bronchitis. This initially manifests itself as a dry, irritating cough . In the further course, the cough becomes productive (accompanied by viscous cough phlegm ). Expectorant and cough suppressant medications can be used to relieve the symptoms. The disease is usually harmless.
What is acute bronchitis?
Strictly speaking, acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. In contrast to rhinitis (colloquial: runny nose ), in bronchitis the coughing symptoms are more in the foreground.
In addition, the symptoms often include pain behind the breastbone when coughing, tough, sparse sputum, fever, headache, and sometimes muscle and joint pain .
Acute bronchitis is usually mild and self-limiting. In older people or people with previous heart , lung or immune system diseases , however, a persistent course can also occur with possible serious complications such as pneumonia. The distinction based on the external appearance alone is very difficult here, laboratory tests or an X-ray of the lungs may have to help with the differentiation.
causes
In acute bronchitis, the lower airways are inflamed by pathogens. Viruses are the cause of acute bronchitis in 90% of cases. The spectrum of possible viruses differs between childhood and adulthood, but in most cases precise detection of the pathogen is not necessary.
The infection becomes more complicated if additional bacteria use the viral infection as a “gateway of entry” and in turn contribute to worsening the inflammatory situation in the respiratory tract. One speaks here of a superinfection, which plays a role above all in people with previous illnesses or infections occurring in the hospital.
Infection with viruses takes place via the airway or by means of smear infection, for example when shaking hands with a sick person. Anyone who is sneezed on by someone opposite you on the train can assume that you will get a good portion of viruses. In rooms with air conditioning, the pathogens can also travel many meters through the air.
In addition to the mere presence of the pathogens, there is also no weakening of the immune system of any kind, for example due to chronic stress or individual previous illnesses , for the disease to break out .
Drafts or cold also temporarily disrupt the removal of foreign bodies in the upper respiratory tract and thus prolong the contact time of the virus with the mucous membrane surface. If such factors come together in an unfortunate manner, this leads to the outbreak of the common cold . The first symptoms appear about 2-6 days after contact with the virus.
When to the doctor?
Acute bronchitis usually heals within a week or two. Medical care is necessary if the symptoms persist for a longer period of time or worsen after a week. Often there are other symptoms such as high fever, sweating or shortness of breath, which should be medically clarified immediately. If a bacterial infection of the bronchial tubes or another concomitant disease is suspected, a doctor should be consulted in order to avoid the development of serious secondary diseases of the respiratory tract.
The same applies if there is an accompanying cough with sputum, severe coughing attacks with nausea and vomiting. Acute bronchitis in babies and small children and in the elderly is always a reason for a doctor’s visit due to the weakened airways. Patients with serious underlying diseases such as chronic lung disease, diabetes or cardiac insufficiency should seek medical advice at the first sign of acute bronchitis to avoid complications. Possible contacts are the family doctor, the ENT doctor and an internist.
symptoms
Typical symptoms of acute bronchitis:
In the case of acute bronchitis, a dry cough usually occurs first. Mucus is only produced when the mucous membranes are swollen, and then the cough becomes productive. The dry cough occurs mainly in the morning after lying down for a long time at night. The cough is often accompanied by a burning sensation behind the breastbone, fever, body aches, runny nose and hoarseness.
After a few days, the cough becomes productive, ie with expectoration of mucus, the color of which indicates the cause of the acute bronchitis: bronchitis is caused by viruses in the case of whitish mucus, and by bacteria in the case of yellowish or greenish mucus. If the mucus is loose and can be coughed up, the doctor will hear rattling noises when listening to the lungs. If the mucus is stuck, however, he hears whistling noises.
Acute bronchitis rarely lasts long. As a rule, the symptoms last for about ten days and do not necessarily require treatment. In most cases, the disease heals completely without consequences. Sometimes an increasingly mild cough persists for a few days longer, only in rare cases does it persist for several months. However, this rather indicates whooping cough, asthma or the like.
Diagnose
Acute bronchitis is usually recognized quickly. The doctor asks the patient about their symptoms, listens to the lungs, examines the ears, nose, mouth and throat and feels the lymph nodes in the neck for swelling.
If bacterial acute bronchitis is suspected, further diagnostic tests are necessary. If the bronchitis is accompanied by fever and yellowish sputum, this indicates bacterial bronchitis. For diagnosis, the doctor takes blood and examines the ESR and the number of white blood cells.
If the blood sedimentation rate is clear and the number of white blood cells is slightly increased, acute bronchitis caused by bacteria is present. If the blood sedimentation rate is only slightly increased and the number of white blood cells is reduced, a viral infection is present.
In addition, throat and nose swabs and coughed-up mucus can be examined. In this way, the doctor finds out which bacterium has triggered the disease and can specifically select an antibiotic.
If the symptoms last longer, pneumonia is suspected . This is clarified by an X-ray examination of the lungs.
complications
As a rule, acute bronchitis progresses without further complications and heals after a few days. In some cases, however, the healing process can take several weeks. Some patients develop an uncomfortable dry cough a few weeks after the bronchitis. Complications arise when acute bronchitis becomes chronic.
Recurring bronchitis harbors the risk of occlusion of the bronchial tissue. Shortness of breath and the resulting psychological symptoms such as panic attacks can occur. A bacterial infection that triggers acute bronchitis can, under certain circumstances, lead to a chronic obstructive course. As a result, patients can develop bronchial asthma without an allergic background. A serious complication is the so-called bronchopneumonia .
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lung tissue. If left untreated, pneumonia can be fatal. With timely and appropriate therapy, it usually heals without further damage. In rare cases, acute bronchitis can lead to inflammation of the bronchioles. The bronchioles are very fine branches in the lungs. As a result, the tissue can scar and permanent blockages of vessels can occur.
↳ Further information: Home remedies for bronchitis
treatment and therapy
In most cases, a simple cold does not need to be treated, and there are no really effective remedies. The symptomatic treatment of acute bronchitis is therefore in the foreground and there are good options here: medication such as ACC breaks down the viscous secretion in the airways and makes it easier to cough up, steam inhalation, chest compresses and sweating cures often improve general well-being.
Basically, everyone with real bronchitis should go to bed until it gets better. Under no circumstances should you do sports, as there is a serious risk of spreading the virus and heart muscle inflammation can be a life-threatening complication.
Treatment with antibiotics is only given if a bacterial superinfection can be proven or at least reasonably suspected. Antibiotics are basically only effective against bacteria, viral infections remain unaffected.
Anyone who is struggling with severe symptoms for more than 7-10 days, develops a high fever , shortness of breath or other symptoms should definitely consult a doctor.
In the truest sense of the word, a well-tried wisdom helps with acute bronchitis: wait and see. Cough and bronchial teas can alleviate the symptoms somewhat. The more rest you allow yourself, the more energy the immune system can invest in fighting the virus. If you overdo it too soon, you may procrastinate the symptoms and drag yourself around with an annoying urge to cough for days or weeks .
prevention
To prevent acute bronchitis, the following is recommended: keep warm, eat lots of vitamins (fresh fruit and vegetables), pay attention to hand hygiene and, if necessary, avoid direct contact with sick people.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.