What is Acute Bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis is a respiratory condition that lasts six weeks or fewer. With acute bronchitis, the mucus membranes in the bronchial passages of the lungs becomes inflamed and irritated. The irritated membrane swells and becomes thicker and narrower, shutting off the tiny airways in the lungs. This causes coughing spells, thick phlegm and shortness of breath.

Acute bronchitis is very common in children and adults. Most cases of acute bronchitis are treatable without the aid of a medical professional. If symptoms are persistent and worsen, you should of course seek professional help.

Usually, the acute form of bronchitis is caused by a viral infection of the lungs. Once the infection is gone, the mucus membranes of the lungs return to normal and the coughing will subside.

It is much harder to recover from acute bronchitis if you smoke. Cigarette smoking causes paralysis of the small hair-like structures in your lungs called cilia. The cilia help clear the lungs of irritants, mucus and other debris. With the cilia paralyzed, the irritants just sit there, resulting in a more serious infection and much longer sick time. If you continue smoking, permanent damage may be done to the cilia, which would result in permanent inflammation of the membranes of the lungs, increasing the lungs’ vulnerability to infections. This condition is called COPD.

To treat acute bronchitis at home, your objectives are to treat the coughing, fever and pain. Since your bronchitis is most likely viral in nature, antibiotics would not be effective in treating the condition.

The first step in treating bronchitis would be to stop smoking if you smoke, and don’t let anyone smoke around you. Over-the-counter cough suppressants may help reduce the coughing and an expectorant can help make coughing easier, which will help bring up the mucus. Holding your head over hot steam in a sink filled with hot water will also help loosen up the mucus. The more mucus you get out, the better you will feel. Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen are effective for treating fever. Make sure you read all labels carefully before giving ANY medication to children. If you are unsure about any medication, please speak to your doctor first.


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