Bronchial inflammation is a response to injury or disease that causes swelling, irritation, and mucus production in the airways. It can be acute or chronic, with treatment depending on the cause and severity, including medications and avoiding triggers.
Bronchial inflammation is an airway response that occurs when the body reacts to injury or disease. A cascading series of complex biological processes occur as the body identifies a problem or thinks it sees one and reacts to address the problem. The reaction floods the airways with chemical signals and white blood cells that cause swelling, warmth, and irritation. As the inflammation continues, the mucous membranes begin to produce large volumes of mucus, forcing the patient to cough to clear it.
There are a number of reasons why people may develop bronchial inflammation, which comes in both acute and chronic forms. When the patient has acute bronchitis, also known as bronchial inflammation, it comes on very quickly and is often associated with an infection or environmental exposure to chemicals, particulate matter, and other materials that irritate the airways. As the body tries to fight back, the airways can swell, making the patient uncomfortable. Shortness of breath and wheezing along with cough are common symptoms because the patient cannot breathe normally.
Chronic cases of bronchial inflammation are associated with underlying airway diseases such as asthma or emphysema. In this case, the airways remain in a state of persistent low-level inflammation that may periodically flare up. Asthmatic patients, for example, can suffer an attack when exposed to an allergen that enters the airways and triggers an immune reaction. Autoimmune disorders can also cause bronchial inflammation because the body begins to attack itself after misidentifying its own cells as dangerous.
Treatment for this condition may depend on the cause and the severity of the response. In an acute case, someone may have such difficulty breathing that intubation is recommended to protect the airway and keep the patient oxygenated. Medications such as steroids can be given to reduce inflammation and keep it under control. Additionally, patients might take expectorants to clear mucus or antibiotics to clear out infectious organisms that are causing irritation in the bronchial passages.
People with chronic conditions require more careful management. Preventive medications can limit the incidence of inflammation and make it less severe when it occurs and can be combined with tools such as flare rescue inhalers. Addressing the underlying cause may keep the patient stable, but it may not be possible to completely eliminate the bronchial inflammation. Patients may be advised to avoid inflammatory triggers such as smoke, pollen, and dust, because their airways are less able to handle them without flaring up.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
