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| Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis and How to Treat It |
The main symptom of chronic bronchitis is a persistent cough with phlegm for months. Symptoms of this disease may improve or worsen, but never completely go away or heal completely.
Chronic bronchitis is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that can cause a buildup of mucus in the respiratory tract, making it difficult for sufferers to breathe. This disease usually lasts for a long time.
Chronic bronchitis can cause several health complications, such as severe and recurrent infections of the airways, narrowing and blockage of the airways, severe shortness of breath, and even respiratory failure. The main cause of chronic bronchitis is long-term exposure to cigarette smoke.
What are the Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis?
Symptoms of chronic bronchitis usually last at least 3 months in 1 year, for 2 consecutive years. Some of the common symptoms of chronic bronchitis include:
- Cough with white, yellow, or green phlegm
- Wheezing
- Hard to breathe
- Easy to feel tired
- Nails, lips and skin are bluish
- Swollen foot
- Heart failure
How is Chronic Bronchitis Treated?
To determine whether a person has chronic bronchitis, the doctor will perform a physical examination and investigations, including:
- Examination using oximetry
- Chest X-ray
- Pulmonary function tests, including spirometry tests
- Blood gas analysis
- CT Scan
After the test results come out and it is declared that you have acute bronchitis, the doctor will provide medication to help relieve the symptoms of chronic bronchitis and slow the progression of the disease. Here are the chronic bronchitis treatments that doctors usually recommend:
Administration of drugs
Bronchodilators are a type of medication used to treat COPD, such as bronchitis and emphysema. This drug works by relaxing the muscles of the airways to make breathing easier and relieve symptoms of chronic bronchitis.
In addition, anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids can also be prescribed by a doctor to reduce swelling that can narrow the airways.
Oxygen therapy
In some more serious cases, oxygen therapy may be given. Usually, this treatment step is given if the oxygen level in the blood of people with chronic bronchitis is very low.
Pulmonary rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation can also be given if people with chronic bronchitis often experience attacks of shortness of breath. In this therapy, you will be taught how to control shortness of breath, for example how to breathe properly during exercise.
Healthy lifestyle
Changing your lifestyle, such as exercising regularly, taking the flu vaccine, and quitting smoking, can also be a step in managing chronic bronchitis symptoms. Toxins in cigarette smoke can make chronic bronchitis worse.
Do not hesitate to consult a doctor if you experience some of the symptoms of chronic bronchitis above. Especially, if these symptoms have been going on for a long time and do not get better, or to the point of interfering with your daily activities.
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