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Chronic Bronchitis Risk Factors
Chronic bronchitis has become very prevalent recently. Nearly 12 million
of US people are diagnosed with chronic bronchitis every year. Chronic
bronchitis is the most commonly occurring illness among COPD. Chronic
bronchitis is prevalent among smokers, people with respiratory illnesses
such as asthma, sinusitis, etc and people with a weak respiratory or immune
system. In other cases, people affected with acute bronchitis develop
chronic bronchitis owing to negligence or misdiagnosis.
Bronchitis causes
inflammation, mostly viral and sometimes bacterial infection affecting
the mucous membrane, the bronchial tubes and other tissues and organs
concerned in the breathing process. The respiratory system in our body
possesses many natural defense mechanisms like nostril hairs, mucus, cilia,
etc which deal with external irritants like dust particles, airborne viruses,
pollen, chemicals, etc. Continuous or repeated exposure to these irritants
can enable the viruses sometimes to break in the natural barriers protecting
the respiratory tract, thus causing inflammation and later infection.
When these irritants reach the lungs successfully, this increases the
risk for developing pneumonia. As the bronchial tubes of the lungs become
inflamed, they form excess mucus that clogs the air passages and prevents
normal airflow.
The disease is a persistent illness and has a recidivating property. Though
its symptoms are not intense as described, it has a recurring nature at
regular intervals. While acute bronchitis subsides in a few days by itself,
chronic bronchitis can last for several months. It needs the patient to
undertake ongoing treatment along with antibiotics. If the treatment is
interrupted in the middle, before it cures completely, the illness reoccurs
and results in complications.
The other reasons for chronic bronchitis,
which can trigger or add to the symptoms are lack of sleep, inappropriate
diet, exposure to pollutants and chemicals and stress. Smoke assists the
development still by prolonging the proliferation of virus or bacteria
and the normal healing process. Smoking can damage the respiratory system
permanently.
Infected people need to be on a long-term medical treatment to overcome
the disease completely. Antibiotics are most commonly prescribed medications
for chronic bronchitis.
In spite of their effectiveness in dealing with
harmful bacteria that are responsible for causing chronic bronchitis,
they in fact affect the beneficial bacteria that exist in our body as
part of our immune system. Hence these medical treatments in fact weaken
the individual thus making one more vulnerable to more infections by other
microorganisms.
The treatment for chronic bronchitis again includes decongestants, which
are medicines dealing to clear the blocked air passages. Bronchodilators
like ipratropium and albuterol are used in the form of inhalers to eliminate
the extra mucus, which are causing the obstruction in the respiratory
tract and making breathing a difficult process. Sometime steroids are
used which may strengthen the body defense mechanisms against viruses
and bacteria.
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