Obstructive bronchitis - an infection of the respiratory tract, causing quite severe irritation and inflammation of the mucous membranes.

Symptoms

The main symptom of obstructive bronchitis is a cough expectorant. Man expectoration yellowish gray mucus, often within a few weeks after the other symptoms of the disease disappear. Because of persistent cough in some patients, the muscles begin to hurt the chest and abdomen. Coughing up mucus is a sign of airway obstruction due to bronchitis, which got its name.

Other symptoms:

• The feeling of pressure in the chest;
• Shortness of breath;
• Wheezing;
• A sore throat;
• Low grade fever;
• Chills;
• Headache;
• Stuffy nose and sinuses;
• Muscle or joint pain, reminding those who are with the flu, but much weaker.

In most cases, the symptoms are mild obstructive bronchitis, and patients do not always require medical attention. However, in the following cases, you must consult your doctor:

• You have a very bad cough and / or it does not pass for three weeks or more;
• The high temperature is maintained for three days or more;
• You expectorated mucus with blood;
• Breathing significant participation (up to 30 breaths per minute or more), and there were pains in the chest Chest pain ;
• There was drowsiness or confusion;
• You were previously recurrent obstructive bronchitis;
• Do you have heart or lung disease, such as asthma, emphysema, congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Causes

In most cases, obstructive bronchitis pathogens are the same viruses that cause the common cold or flu; infection occurs by droplets. Bacterial bronchitis is much rarer than the virus.

Sometimes obstructive bronchitis is caused by substances contained in tobacco smoke, household chemicals in the air or even regions with very poor environmental conditions. Smoking is the basis of the cause of chronic bronchitis, the disease can develop even in passive smokers. Working in hazardous work could also lead to the development of bronchitis.

Diagnostics

In order to diagnose obstructive bronchitis, doctors often sufficient to ask the patient about symptoms and listen to it with a stethoscope. If the doctor has any doubts about the diagnosis, he may appoint radiography - it can help to rule out other lung infections such as pneumonia.

Treatment

The vast majority of patients with obstructive bronchitis do not need special treatment, and they cope with the disease by using home remedies and non-prescription drugs. Patients with mild bronchitis recommended:

• Get plenty of rest. Bed rest is not necessary, but avoid heavy loads;
• Drink as much as possible. Thanks to this mucus in the lungs more easily liquefied and expectorated;
• To relieve a headache, muscle pain and lower body temperature, take paracetamol or ibuprofen (asthma patients take ibuprofen is not recommended). Some patients also receive OTC expectorants, but still has not been confirmed that they are effective in obstructive bronchitis. Experts do not recommend giving these drugs to children under six years without a doctor's prescription. To relieve the pain in the throat and accelerate expectoration, can be used folk remedies such as honey The benefits of honey: tasty recovery Mixed with lemon juice;
• Give up smoking. Tobacco smoke is not only exacerbates the symptoms of obstructive bronchitis, but also may lead to the fact that the disease enters the chronic form. Disease obstructive bronchitis can be seen as an excellent opportunity to quit.

Antibiotics are assigned only in those cases where an obstructive bronchitis is caused by bacteria and / or if there is an increased risk of complications such as pneumonia. Usually, antibiotics are appointed if the obstructive bronchitis evolved from a person who belongs to the following categories:

• Infants who were born prematurely;
• Elderly people over 80 years old;
• Patients with a history of heart disease include, kidney or liver;
• People with weakened immune systems - for example, due to illness or receiving steroids;
• Patients with cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis .

The course of treatment with antibiotics usually lasts five days; in most cases it is used antibiotics such as amoxicillin, oxytetracycline or doxycycline. These medicines may cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, but this is quite rare.

Complications

About one person out of twenty cases obstructive bronchitis develops a secondary infection that affects one or both lungs. In such cases, a patient diagnosed with pneumonia. The most likely of pneumonia in the elderly, smokers, patients with a weakened immune system, and diseases of the heart, liver and kidneys. The symptoms of pneumonia are:

• Breathing problems - usually in patients breathing becomes rapid, superficial, and even at rest may appear shortness of breath;
• Heart palpitations;
• Heat;
• Malaise;
• Sweating and trembling;
• Lack of appetite;
• Chest pain.

When such symptoms should be as soon as possible to see a doctor. Mild forms of pneumonia can be cured with antibiotics, and in severe cases require hospitalization - hospital patients not only administered antibiotics, but also do artificial respiration.