Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a real nightmare that affects people all over the world. A rather more prominent form of COPD is Bronchitis. Bronchitis is an inflammatory infection of the lungs, that is commonly referred to as chest cold by some people (not the same as flu though).
Bronchitis…?
Bronchitis causes an inflammation of the bronchi (hence the name), which is the pathway (or tube) through which air passes from the trachea (throat) to the lungs. The inflammation of the bronchi results in the production of mucus, which is the body’s way of responding to the “alien invasion”.
The inflammation of the bronchi inner membranes coupled with the mucus production causes the airway to become very narrow. This narrow airway leads to the body’s discomfort since it cannot take in the air in the normal quantity and rate anymore. In the attempt to correct this anomaly, the body responds by trying to force the mucus outside the body and this is what you call coughing.
Causes of Bronchitis
There are two main causes of bronchitis – viruses and bacteria. These may be the pathogenic sources of the disease but it also has many triggers. Triggers are the conditions that leave the body “weak enough” to be overcome by the pathogenic organisms.
Triggers are very important because the body in itself has the capability to ward of some of these infections via the immune system. So, unless the immune system is sufficiently compromised, some of these infections may not be able to gain ground.
The most prominent trigger is smoking. Smoking may be a fun habit and all, but it leaves the lungs suffering in its wake. Smoking damages the cilia (hair-like structure in the airways), making it harder to perform their functions and ultimately predisposing the respiratory system to various infections. Other triggers include dust, debris, and cold.
Another known cause of bronchitis is genetic in origin. The alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency can also lead to bronchitis even for non-smokers.
Types of bronchitis
There are two major types of bronchitis. They are:
- Acute bronchitis and
- Chronic bronchitis.
The term “acute” means short-lived. Acute bronchitis is the less severe form of bronchitis. It only lasts for a few days, after which the symptom passes and the body begins to heal. However, even for acute infections, the cough may persist for about a week even after the infection cycle is over. At this point, it helps to take lots of water.
Chronic bronchitis refers to the more persistent form that spans into several weeks. Chronic bronchitis may be as a result of an already damaged respiratory system or very heavy bacterial load, or both.
Symptoms of bronchitis
Bronchitis can come with a variety of symptoms. However, the most pronounced one is coughing. As earlier explained, the coughing results as an attempt by the respiratory system to clear the airway of the clog of mucous. Other common symptoms include:
- Mucous production: May be clear, grayish or sometimes blood-stained.
- Chest pain
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Slight fever
- Wheezing sound from breathing
How long does it last?
The length of bronchitis symptoms depends on the severity of the infection. Generally, for symptoms associated with acute bronchitis, they tend to pass very quickly. This is usually because the body’s immune system is sturdy enough to fight off such infections.
However, even for acute bronchitis, the cough may still persist for a week or two, after the infection is over. This is basically because the formerly-inflamed linings of the bronchi will require time to heal and retract back to their original state. The cough witness at this stage is usually less painful than before.
For chronic bronchitis, the length of the infection is usually unpredictable. It may last for months and even years.
Smokers already suffering from COPD have a greater risk of coming down with chronic bronchitis. This is simply because their Immune system is already compromised and so, it’s not strong enough to ward off the infection. In the event that the lungs have sustained permanent damage, then the symptoms may never be resolved.
Common treatments
Generally, there are no standard treatments for bronchitis. All efforts are just targeted at relieving the pain and improving comfort, while the patient waits for the infection to run its course and pass. Some of the measures employed include:
- Inhaler: The inhaler is made of-of major steroids that help in clearing up the airway, to allow for a more effective and painless breathing. It provides temporary relief to the patient, by reducing the inflammation.
- Antibiotics: Bronchitis usually doesn’t respond to antibiotics, especially when it is viral in origin. In theory, though, antibiotics can help to suppress the bacterial activity in the bronchi, thereby paving the way to quicker recovery.
- Natural Remedies: People suffering from bronchitis usually go for drugs and steroids and this is where they falter. There are natural remedies which are more effective than the drugs. These remedies uproot the bacteria’s present in the body. The guide by Dylan George has cured more than 35,000 patients till date.
How can I make it go away?
As far as clinical and pharmaceutical sciences are concerned, there is no cure for bronchitis — at least from synthetic drugs anyway. Going herbal though, a cure seems to have been found for chronic bronchitis.
This discovery was made by Dylan George, who used to be a bronchitis patient himself. Through years of research, he was finally able to discover a combination of herbal ingredients that’s capable of totally eliminating the harmful bacteria in the bronchi, thereby resulting in total cure, in a manner of days.
Dr George has written a guide to this effect and it is available on his website. The thing of beauty here is that you don’t just get the cure, but also the ability to cure others. This is one guide you should definitely get if you’re a bronchitis patient. What have you got to lose, right?
Hey! It’s time not only to stop asking how long does bronchitis last but to fight and build immunity against it naturally- Get Your Bronchitis Home Remedy Guide Today.
