Acute bronchitis

The most common disease of the respiratory tract in the autumn-winter period is considered to be bronchitis. With the development of such a pathology, an inflammatory process takes place in the bronchi, which is accompanied by a number of associated symptoms. Let's take a closer look at what is acute bronchitis. Symptoms and treatment in adults of this disease have their own characteristics.

Who is at risk?

Bronchitis, like any other disease, can occur in an acute and chronic form. This disease results from the ingestion of pathogenic viruses. Most often, its causative agents are hemophilic bacillus, streptococcal bacteria and pneumococci. Basically, bronchitis can get sick in the autumn and winter, when the body's immune defense is weakened.

Hypothermia, the disease of acute viral or respiratory pathologies can also be a precursor to the development of bronchitis. As a rule, the disease can be completely cured in 3-4 weeks. If the cough as the main symptom does not go away or is periodically manifested, doctors diagnose bronchitis in the chronic stage.

When exposed to certain factors, the risk of bronchitis increases significantly. These include:

• tobacco smoking;
• performing their work duties in difficult conditions (for example, in a mine or in the production of chemical products);
• hypothermia;
• weakening the body's immune defenses;
• various pathologies of the respiratory system;
• predisposition to allergic reactions.

The characteristic symptoms of the disease

As medical practice shows, in addition to the acute and chronic forms, bronchitis may have a different nature, in particular:

• allergic;
• obstructive.

A separate form of pathology is considered a bronchitis smoker. At the initial stage, all types of bronchitis have almost the same symptoms. As the disease progresses, specific signs may appear. Common symptoms include:

• increased low-grade body temperature;
• shortness of breath;
• cough of varying intensity, including sputum;
• excessive sweating;
• pain in the chest when coughing or breathing;
• weakness;
• aches in the articular and muscular tissues.

Symptoms of bronchitis in acute form may occur throughout the day, and the cough increases during the night's sleep. All of the above symptoms not only adversely affect the patient's well-being, but also contribute to the deterioration of sleep, and can also trigger the development of neurological disorders of various types.

Most often, as already mentioned, bronchitis in acute form appears as a result of a previous acute respiratory disease, for example, flu or sore throat. When diagnosing one of these ailments, a person can immediately recognize the development of bronchitis. In this case, the pathology of the respiratory tract will manifest itself with the following symptoms:

• hoarseness;
• sore throat;
• paroxysmal cough;
• headache;
• difficulty breathing;
• runny nose;
• pain and cramping in the chest.

The main danger of acute bronchitis is its contagion. It is transmitted by airborne droplets, so after diagnosing this ailment of the patient, it is desirable to isolate and take all necessary precautions.

We treat bronchitis: the main aspects

Before you decide how to treat acute bronchitis, you need to undergo an examination and establish an accurate diagnosis. Depending on the form of the pathology, the doctor will be able to prescribe the correct full treatment.

The treatment of acute bronchitis is necessarily complex and involves various manipulations. It is certainly carried out with the help of drugs that have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and expectorant effects. The attending specialist may prescribe the following drugs:

• antibiotics;
• warming ointments;
• expectorants, including for inhalation manipulations;
• bronchodilator substances.

During the treatment of acute bronchitis, the patient must observe a number of rules:

• eat balanced;
• stop smoking;
• take pharmacological medications prescribed by your doctor;
• attend, if necessary, therapeutic manipulations.

Let's look in the first-aid kit: what will help from bronchitis?

Treatment of acute bronchitis in adults with medicines has its own characteristics. It is not necessary to engage in self-treatment without consultation with the doctor, since this can be fraught with the development of complicated consequences.

Be sure to attending specialists prescribe funds that contribute to the expansion of the bronchial volume and enhance the functioning of the receptors. These include:

• Salbutamol;
• "Erespal";
• "Berodual".

One of the goals of the treatment of bronchitis is the removal of sputum that has accumulated in the bronchi. To do this, you should take expectorant and mucolytic drugs. The following drugs have acquired the greatest popularity among such medicines today:

• Mukaltin;
• "Codelac Broncho";
• Herbion;
• "Pertusin";
• "Acetylcysteine";
• "Thermopsol";
• Ambroxol and others

If a doctor diagnoses acute bronchitis, which is bacterial in nature, then antibiotics will be used as the basis for treatment. To date, there are many such pharmacological drugs of various groups. By the way, in case of acute type viral bronchitis, taking antibiotics is considered absolutely useless.

Most often, the attending specialist prescribes the following antibiotic drugs:

• from the group of aminopenicillins - "Amoxicillin", "Amoxiclav", "Augmentin";
• macrolide antibiotics - Sumamed, Macropen, Klacid;
• from the group of fluoroquinolones - "Ofloxacin", "Moxifloxacin";
• cephalosporin antibiotics - Ceftriaxone, Cefazolin, Supraks.

Along with taking antibiotics, the patient needs to maintain the intestinal microflora, for which the attending specialist may prescribe drugs from the pro- and prebiotic groups.

First Aid Kit underfoot: saving ourselves with traditional medicine

Phytotherapy has recently gained wide popularity. This direction in the treatment did not bypass the bronchitis. It is possible to cure acute bronchitis at home, but only under the supervision of a physician, as well as with the right combination of medicines and traditional medicine.

Excellent help in the treatment of bronchitis inhalation procedures and warming. The patient can visit the bath, do mustard, honey or salt compresses to warm the bronchus area. It is recommended to carry out such procedures only with the permission of the doctor, otherwise you can aggravate the situation and provoke the development of complicated consequences.

Popular medicine, prepared on the basis of honey with the addition of aloe, has wide popularity and effectiveness in the treatment of bronchitis. Fresh pork lard and chocolate are also added to this mix in equal proportions. Accepted means 30 minutes before the main meal.

In the treatment of acute bronchitis, beekeeping products, or rather, propolis, are not left aside. Alcohol tincture based on it has antibacterial properties.

Of course, do not forget about the well-known procedure - inhalation of potato vapor. With the help of such manipulations, you can thoroughly warm the bronchi and accelerate the removal of accumulated sputum.

Despite the fact that acute bronchitis can be successfully treated at home, it is not recommended to do it without a doctor’s control. Only a doctor will be able to conduct a full-scale examination and make an accurate diagnosis. The success and effectiveness of the treatment of the disease lies in eradicating the problem that caused the appearance of bronchitis. Be healthy!