Bronchitis Treatment

A bronchitis is the widespread disease, which is the inflammation of respiratory tracts, accompanied by the mucus discharge, irritation and inflammation of the walls of bronchi.

Depending on the provoking factor, bronchitis is classified as:

• bacterial;
• viral;
• fungal;
• allergic;
• toxic;
• with an asthmatic component, etc.

Also, depending on the presence of bronchial muscle spasms, bronchitis is classified as:

obstructive – accompanied by smooth muscle spasms, leading to difficulty breathing (in adults, this condition often becomes chronic);
non-obstructive – there is no muscle spasm, and difficulty breathing occurs rarely, only during the acute phase of the disease.

The bronchitis can cause serious complications: pneumonia and chronic diseases of upper respiratory ducts. If there is a suspicion of the pneumonia, the X-ray of the breast and other examinations are ordered.

With the bronchitis, the probability of complications is much higher among smokers and people, working in bad ecologic conditions. That is why it is very important to visit the qualified doctor in time that the disease passes off quickly and does not cause complications.  

The hospitalization and visit of the daily patient department can be needed in treatment of the advanced cases of the bronchitis and its complications.

If you experience symptoms of bronchitis, you should consult a therapist or family doctor. During the consultation, the specialist will examine you, review your complaints, and study your medical history. In some cases, this is sufficient to make a preliminary diagnosis.

To confirm the diagnosis and rule out pneumonia or other diseases, the doctor may order tests and imaging studies:

• chest X-ray;
• computed tomography;
• bronchoscopy (prescribed in complex cases);

To select an effective treatment, it is important to establish an accurate diagnosis and determine the form of bronchitis.

If there is a suspicion of the bronchitis, you should undergo blood test and X-ray examination. Depending on the results of examinations, the doctor can recommend anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and antihistamine (anti-allergic) remedies. The bronchodilatory preparations are prescribed to facilitate breathing. The different inhalations and ozone therapy are also used in treatment of the bronchitis.

The necessity of using antibiotics depends on the form of the bronchitis: with the acute form, they are usually not used, but they can be needed in treatment of the chronic bronchitis. The different complexes of vitamins and immune modulators are used for prevention of the bronchitis.

Usually, the bronchitis is treated within one-two weeks; however, in case of appearance of complications, the treatment may take longer.