Bronchitis
By: Olivia Mason
What is Bronchitis?
inflammation of the mucous membrane in the bronchial tubes. It typically causes bronchospasm and coughing.
How does Bronchitis Spread?
Acute bronchitis is spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks and liquid droplets containing virus particles or bacteria are released into the air and onto objects. Then you may: Breathe air that contains the virus particles or bacteria.
http://answers.webmd.com/answers/1190290/is-bronchitis-contagious
What are the Symptoms of Bronchitis?
If you have acute bronchitis, you may have a nagging cough that lingers for several weeks after the inflammation resolves. Chronic bronchitis is defined as a productive cough that lasts at least three months, with recurring bouts occurring for at least two consecutive years.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bronchitis/basics/symptoms/con-20014956
How do you prevent Bronchitis?
- Don't smoke.
- Don't allow others to smoke in your home.
- Stay away from or reduce your time around things that irritate your nose, throat, and lungs, such as dust or pets.
- If you catch a cold, get plenty of rest.
- Take your medicine exactly the way your doctor tells you.
- http://www.webmd.com/lung/cold-becomes-bronchitis?page=2
How do you Treat/Cure Bronchitis?
- Antibiotics. Bronchitis usually results from a viral infection, so antibiotics aren't effective. However, your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic if he or she suspects that you have a bacterial infection.
- Cough medicine. It's best not to suppress a cough that brings up mucus, because coughing helps remove irritants from your lungs and air passages. If your cough keeps you from sleeping, you might try cough suppressants at bedtime.
- Other medications. If you have allergies, asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), your doctor may recommend an inhaler and other medications to reduce inflammation and open narrowed passages in your lungs.
- http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bronchitis/basics/treatment/con-20014956
BONUS: Who was one of the first people to discover Bronchitis?
In 1814, British Physician Charles Badham became the first to use the term “bronchitis” to denote “inflammatory changes in the mucous membrane.” This changed the way that doctors viewed a variety of medical conditions. Moving ahead to 1821, Dr. Rene Laennec, known as the father of chest medicine thanks in part to his invention of the stethoscope, accurately discovered the relationship between emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Laennec became the first to connect bronchitis to severe shortness of breath, and he was the first to define bronchitis as “lungs filled with mucus fluid.”
https://lunginstitute.com/blog/history-of-chronic-bronchitis/