Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are both types of COPD caused by smoking, but chronic bronchitis can be treated while emphysema is irreversible. Both cause breathing difficulties, but can be distinguished through medical tests. Treatment involves bronchodilators and antibiotics, but quitting smoking is the most effective prevention and treatment. Emphysema is life-threatening and can lead to respiratory failure.
The connection between emphysema and chronic bronchitis is that both are caused by the effects of cigarette smoking and are both classified under the label of COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Emphysema is thought to be an irreversible condition whose cause is smoking or secondhand smoke, whereas chronic bronchitis can be treated and its causes are similar but also more diverse. These two conditions can often occur simultaneously in an individual, and it may seem difficult at first to separate the two due to their similar effects on breathing. The differences can be seen through a series of medical tests that will help treat both conditions.
Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are often confused because both cause difficulty in breathing due to blocked airways in the lungs. The shared symptoms of the conditions are coughing and struggling for air. These can sometimes be debilitating if handled incorrectly. The root cause of both conditions is either cigarette smoking or secondhand smoke, making these conditions more problematic for developing bodies that are in a smoking environment. While emphysema and chronic bronchitis contain these similarities, they also have major differences that help doctors distinguish them.
Chronic bronchitis is a COPD condition that is diagnosed after three consecutive months of coughing and uncontrolled breathing over a two-year period. It’s often the result of cigarette smoking, but it can also be caused by air pollution or secondhand smoke. Emphysema, on the other hand, is directly linked to cigarette smoking and is a life-threatening condition that involves destruction of the airways in the lungs. While this condition cannot be cured, it can be controlled through a variety of medical methods.
Treating both emphysema and chronic bronchitis can sometimes become difficult, especially if both cases are severe and have gone uncontrolled for a long time. Both treatments may involve the use of bronchodilators or antibiotic treatments, however cigarette avoidance and smoking cessation appear to be the greatest tools for both treatment and prevention. Chronic bronchitis sufferers may have more hope than emphysema sufferers, as emphysema is irreversible and can only be maintained through treatment. Many times, those who suffer from emphysema from years of cigarette smoking can die of respiratory failure after suffering from the long and debilitating disease.
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