Bronchitis How To Identify Signs
Page thanks to our friends over at the best health blog on the web!
Bronchial infection occurs due to the infestation of bacteria in your bronchial tube. The bacteria take hold of the inner lining and causes irritation in ones throat. After this happens, a counteractive formation of phlegm in the region causes a swelling, blocking the air passage. The resulting difficulty of breathing and spasms causes one to cough and only attempt to remove the phlegm or blockage in order to breathe more easily.
Bronchitis can occur as an acute one or be chronic. In people who suffer from acute bronchitis, the throat receives relief after standard prescribed medication, which is administered over not too long a time period. Chronic bronchitis, however, can last years, without improvement except intermediary relief owing to medication. The treatment requires careful medical attention and a long term attentive program.
Similarities with common cold
Bronchitis has similar symptoms with common cold. Mostly, a severe coughing, fever often with high temperatures, breathing difficulty, chest pain and uneasiness pertaining to similar regions of the body are the initial symptoms of Bronchitis. It has also been observed that a person with tendencies of bronchitis get a continuing cough during the winter months which decreases over the months into summer. Owing to the tendency of a sore throat, bronchial response is more frequent in colder conditions. The signs of bronchitis also resemble those which are observed during respiratory diseases. Leaving bronchitis unattended can lead to a worsening of the throat passage. It is important to note that a general feeling of lethargy is also advised to be checked for it being a result of bronchitis.
A watery nose may also be the result of a bronchial infection. It may happen as a prolonged production of phlegm in the bronchial tracts. However, this is merely an irritating symptom which can be done away with only temporarily by blowing the nose. This symptom keeps occurring till bronchial infections are not treated to a considerable extent to stop the overflow from bronchial tubes.
Back pains are also a common symptom of bronchitis. Muscles, bones and nerves begin to feel sore and joints feel weak. This is a symptom that one feels during cold or fever as well. The pain in muscles also referred to as "myalgia".
Certain specific symptoms which occur in cases of chronic bronchitis are -
- Cyanosis - a change in the coloration of skin, appearing blue due to deoxygenated blood in the veins and blood vessels.
- Edema - swelling in ankles and feet due to excessive lymph fluids.
- Heart failure - in severe cases, bronchial infection can create blocks in the body which can be bad enough to disallow the flow of the pumped blood from the heart. As a result a stressed heart may cause fatal symptoms.
- Clubbed fingers - a deformation due to severe infection in the heart and lungs can cause the fingers to become deformed.
The symptoms of bronchitis are usually tolerable as long as it stays acute and is treated early. A delay in the treatment of bronchitis often leads to complications typically found in chronic bronchitis.