Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes, with symptoms including cough, chest pain, fatigue, and headache. There are two types: acute and chronic, with chronic being more common in smokers. Treatment includes rest, fluids, and medication. Children should not be given over-the-counter cough medicines without a pediatrician’s recommendation.
Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes become inflamed or irritated. Symptoms of bronchitis in adults usually include cough, chest pain, fatigue and headache. Body aches, fever, watery eyes and sore throat can also accompany bronchitis. A person with bronchitis, however, may have all or some of these symptoms.
There are two types of bronchitis: acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is caused by bacteria or viruses that inflame the large bronchi. It usually lasts two to three weeks. Chronic bronchitis is persistent inflammation of the bronchi characterized by a recurring cough that produces phlegm and mucus, for at least three months, for two consecutive years. Chronic bronchitis is more common in people who smoke.
Symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis in adults include a nagging cough that may produce clear, white, green, or yellow-gray phlegm. Other symptoms include tiredness and low-grade fever. Shortness of breath, wheezing, and chest pain may also occur. It is possible for a person with bronchitis to experience only one or two and not all symptoms. In addition to these symptoms, chronic bronchitis sufferers may also experience a persistent cough that is usually worse in the morning or in damp weather.
Treating bronchitis in adults can help relieve symptoms. Recommended treatment usually includes drinking plenty of fluids, getting enough rest, giving up smoking, and taking aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen to reduce fever and relieve pain. Breathing in the steam from a humidifier or hot shower can help make a cough more productive, and over-the-counter cough suppressants can help stop a cough, allowing the affected person to sleep. Cough expectorants containing guaifenesin will help ease your cough, making it more productive and helping clear mucus from your body. A doctor may prescribe prescription medications such as antibiotics or prescription cough medicines.
Doctors diagnose bronchitis in adults by assessing patients’ symptoms and listening to their chests with a stethoscope. In some cases, a doctor may request that a sample of the passed mucus be tested for bacteria. An X-ray is usually done to rule out pneumonia rather than confirm bronchitis.
The symptoms of bronchitis in children are the same as the symptoms of bronchitis in adults, and the non-medical treatment to relieve the symptoms is also the same. Drug treatment, however, is different. It is not advisable to give children under the age of four over-the-counter cough medicines of any kind unless recommended by your pediatrician.
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