Acute Bronchitis
With acute bronchitis refers when the airway mucosa become acutely inflamed. The cause of this inflammation is often infectious, but can also be an expression of an acute response following exposure to high doses of irritating particles or gases.
Sometimes a distinction is made between acute bronchitis and acute bronchiolitis, the later condition represents an acute inflammation of the more located airways (bronchioli). An acute inflammation of the bronchi, even if it is bacterial gives usually not fever. An acute bronchitis with fever indicates that the infection spread from bronchi to the tissue (pneumonia).
Diagnosis
The doctor often diagnos acute bronchitis if a child has difficulty breathing during a respiratory infection. Usually this is caused by a virus. Breathing difficulties indicate that inflammation is not only affecting the bronchi but also had a constriction of the smooth muscle of the bronchi, known bronchospasm. Repeated episodes may indicate that the child is developing asthma. In adults the diagnos with increasing discomfort with coughing, and mucus secretion usually as an acute worsening of chronic bronchitis in which smoking is the predominant cause. The cause is usually infectious in which discolored greenish secretions, suggesting bacterial infection.
What can cause acute bronchitis?
- Virus, which usually give rise to a cold, spreading further into the respiratory tract, the bronchial
- Bacteria, often simultaneously with, or after a viral infection
- More rarely chemical gases, fumes, dust, etc.
What happens in my bronchi at an acute bronchitis?
Virus or bacteria causes inflammation of the airways, which then causes:
- Transient mucosal lesions with irritation of the respiratory tract, causing coughing
- Increased mucus production, necessitating cough as a means to bring up mucus from the airways.
- Swelling of the mucosa, and increased mucus production, may reduce airway size. This can cause wheezing or whistling breathing
- Sometimes, those with manifest or likely to develop asthma, inflammation may be associated with the contraction of airway smooth muscle, called bronchospasm.
What aggravates acute bronchitis?
Things that may aggravate acute bronchitis, for example, smoking, cold and damp weather and air pollution.
What can I do myself?
Plenty of fluids makes it easier to cough up mucus. Avoid luftvägsirritantia, including smoking. Cough medicine can relieve symptoms FFA on the cough disturbs sleep. But remember that it is good to cough up phlegm. It is the body's own mechanism to get rid of mucus, so avoid taking too much cough syrup.
When should I seek medical attention?
- In case of serious breathing problems
- When the attack is much worse than usual
- Of cough with discolored mucus that is more than 1 week. Indicates persistent bacterial infection that may require antibiotics
- At the genesis of fever and affected general condition, may have pneumonia
- For prolonged cough, lasting more than a month, could be signs of asthma.
Should I take any medication?
The doctor can treat with antibiotics if the acute bronchitis is caused by a bacterial infection. For other reasons, such as viruses, can not treat the actual cause of acute bronchitis, but it can alleviate symptoms if they become very troublesome. During concomitant asthma or asthma-like symptoms can luftvägsvidgande preparations with short action, beta-2 agonists, used to relieve symptoms, especially in children. Sometimes you also need to use anti-inflammatory medications such as inhaled corticosteroids.
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