Bronchitis

Bronchitis: What Happens in Your Lungs

Bronchitis is the inflammation of your bronchial tube lining – the air passage linking your mouth and nose with your lungs that carries air to and from your lungs. It can be either acute or chronic.

Acute bronchitis is a prevalent condition that often develops from cold and respiratory infections, while chronic bronchitis (more severe form) usually occurs due to smoking.

Bronchitis can result in symptoms like:

  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest discomfort
  • Production of mucus that can be white, clear, yellowish-gray, green, or sometimes red
  • Slight fever and chills

Let’s talk about what happens in your lungs during bronchitis and where you can go in Wellington to get treatment for your bronchitis.

What Happens in Your Lungs During Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is also known as an infection of the lower respiratory tract. Both viral and bacterial infections can cause bronchitis. Nearly 95% of bronchitis cases are caused by viruses, while bronchitis caused by bacteria is uncommon.

Besides bacteria and viruses, other factors trigger bronchitis, such as allergens and irritants like smoke, dust, and polluted air, can also irritate the epithelial lining of your lungs and cause acute inflammation of the bronchi. This swelling and inflammation of the bronchi occur when your body tries to fight the triggers.

When the walls of the bronchi get inflamed, you develop a cough. Initially, the cough is dry, but when the mucus-producing goblet cells of inflamed bronchi produce and excrete more mucus, your cough becomes productive with mucus. The swelling of airways also narrows them, allowing less air to pass through, and causes wheezing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness.

Acute bronchitis lasts for 10 to 14 days, and you feel symptoms for about three weeks. However, if the productive cough persists for three months in a year for at least two consecutive years, this is called chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis can further cause the obstruction of the airflow causing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

How does a Primary Care Provider Manage Bronchitis?

Typically, the treatment of bronchitis depends on the type of bronchitis you have. Usually, acute bronchitis may not need treatment or sometimes get better with over-the-counter drugs. However, chronic bronchitis – also considered COPD – is not curable but its symptoms can be managed with a variety of treatments. These treatments may include:

  • Medications, such as antibiotics, bronchodilators, anti-inflammatories, and their combination.
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation involving breathing exercise programs that manage breathing problems and improve lung strength and quality of life
  • Oxygen therapy
  • Surgery

Bronchitis Treatment in Wellington

If you think you or your loved one has chest tightness, wheezing, shortness of breath, and other discomforting symptoms, don’t hesitate to contact our primary care providers at Advanced Medical Clinic. Our highly skilled experienced and compassionate providers will offer your proper treatment for your bronchitis so that it doesn’t develop into pneumonia. Our providers know that each person’s illness is different, so they offer a highly personalized and evidence-based treatment plan.

To make an appointment with our providers, call us at  (561) 434-1935 or request an appointment online now. We look forward to serving you!

How Long Have You Had That Cough?

Are you coughing persistently? Think about how long your cough has lasted – you might have swelling in your bronchial tubes, which transport air to and from the lungs.

Fortunately, you can receive treatment for bronchitis via a primary care provider. The family medicine provider will first evaluate your symptoms and determine a firm diagnosis of your respiratory condition. Let’s talk about what bronchitis is and where you can go in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach to find relief from your symptoms.

What Is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis occurs when you have inflammation of the bronchial tubes: “bronch-” (for bronchial) and “-itis” (inflammation). The inflammation may cause you to experience shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and a frequent cough. You might also have an increased production of mucus. Fever and chills are possible as well.

Acute bronchitis occurs from a respiratory infection, such as a cold. This infection causes short-term inflammation and tends to last for 10 days or fewer. You may, however, continue to have a residual cough for another several weeks.

On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is a longer-lasting infection. You may have spells off and on. This should be addressed by a family medicine provider so that the underlying condition doesn’t worsen into a more serious infection.

When Your Cough May Be Bronchitis

Generally, you should visit a family medicine provider if you have a cough that has lasted for more than two weeks or has become progressively worse. You also should seek medical attention if your cough interferes with your sleep, if you’re coughing up blood, or if you’re having shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest discomfort.

Do not hesitate to see a family medicine provider for any unusual symptoms. It is always more prudent to overreact than to underreact when it comes to your health.

How Is Bronchitis Diagnosed?

The common cold, the flu (the influenza virus), allergies, asthma, and pneumonia all share similar symptoms, so your primary care provider will need to conduct a thorough examination to determine an accurate diagnosis.

Your family medicine provider will listen to your lungs through a stethoscope. You may also need to have an X-ray in order to narrow down the cause or to rule out certain factors.

With the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) virus as another possibility, do not be alarmed if you are being checked for that virus as well. Rest assured that all of these illnesses have viable treatments available to treat your symptoms and to address the underlying condition.

Primary Care Provider in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach

A cough may start out as seemingly harmless, but a relentless cough may indicate bronchitis or another type of respiratory issue. Be sure to see an experienced medical provider as soon as possible so that your condition doesn’t develop into pneumonia.

With offices conveniently located in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Advanced Medical Clinic is here for you and your whole family. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, call our friendly staff today at (561) 434-1935 or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to seeing you!

Causes of Bronchitis

If you have bronchitis, it means the lining of your bronchial tubes is inflamed. Two of the most common symptoms of bronchitis are a thickening of mucus and difficulty carrying air in and out of the lungs.

The treatment you need for bronchitis largely depends on what caused it. For example, bronchitis may be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. Oftentimes, the infection of the chest is secondary, following a respiratory tract infection.

Symptoms of Bronchitis

Bronchitis is either acute or chronic. It is chronic bronchitis if the symptoms persist and do not go away after two weeks. Acute bronchitis should go away with or without treatment. The symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis are similar. They include:

  • Constant coughing
  • Producing mucus that’s white, yellow, or green in color
  • Difficulty breathing (shortness of breath)
  • Body aches and fatigue
  • Feeling cold and feverish
  • Discomfort or pain in the chest area

A typical bout of chronic bronchitis is three months. Chronic bronchitis can lead to serious complications, which is why it’s important to see a family medicine provider if your acute bronchitis has turned chronic.

Causes of Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is usually the result of an infection from a cold, flu, virus or bacteria. In the case of a virus, your family medicine provider  may prescribe antiviral medication. In the case of bacteria, your family medicine provider or may prescribe antibiotics.

Bronchitis Risk Factors

There are some risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing bronchitis. Here are some examples.

  • Living with a smoker or being a smoker puts you at higher risk of developing acute or chronic bronchitis.
  • Occupational hazards such as working in a factory that produces toxic fumes or working with formaldehyde or toxic cleaning agents can lead to bronchitis.
  • Another risk factor is having a weak immune system because of certain medications or illnesses, which can make you more prone to developing respiratory and chest infections. People with compromised immune systems such as those with AIDS or HIV are also vulnerable to developing bronchitis.
  • Finally, gastric reflux sufferers are also prone to developing bronchitis due to stomach acid irritating the throat.

Preventing Bronchitis

Prevention usually involves reducing your exposure to irritants, quitting smoking, and keeping a healthy lifestyle. Getting vaccinated also protects you from certain virus strains, such as influenza, which reduces the risk of bronchitis developing as a result of it. If your occupation is a risk factor, wear a mask while doing your job. Also, wear a mask if your immune system is compromised or weak. Finally, eat a healthy diet and exercise to strengthen your immune system.

Bronchitis Treatment in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida

If you are experiencing symptoms of bronchitis, our compassionate family medicine specialists at Advanced Medical will ensure you get the proper treatment for your condition. Our family medicine providers and staff take the time to listen to our patients because we know that every person’s illness is different and deserves our full attention. To make an appointment, call (561) 434-1935 or request an appointment online now.

Treating Chronic Bronchitis

Do this for a moment: place your hand over your chest, take a deep breath, and then let it out. Your respiratory system can often seem both intricate and delicate, very susceptible to change and problems. From the common cold, to conditions such as asthma or bronchitis, there are many things that can compromise the delicate balance of the respiratory system.

Many conditions that irritate the lungs will lead to coughing fits, especially if the lungs are inflamed and there is increased mucus production. Depending on the person, a cough generally is considered acute, and lasts for less than three weeks. However, sometimes if a cough is persistent and last more than eight weeks, this is called a chronic cough, commonly seen with a respiratory infection.

Most coughs are meant to clear up or significantly improve within a two-week period, but if you have a barking cough that hasn’t improved after a few weeks, then, talk to your primary care family medicine provider, as something may be wrong. A common condition people get in their lower respiratory tract is chronic bronchitis.

What is Chronic Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is an infection in the lungs. Bronchitis can be acute (short-lived) and last for a couple weeks, or more commonly chronic bronchitis, where the infection lasts three months or longer, sometimes even years. Simply put, bronchitis is a condition in which the air passages of the lungs become inflamed and irritated due to an infection or irritation. This inflammation commonly affects the trachea, known as the windpipe, and the large and small bronchi. Bronchi are tubes, or tree-like air passages in the lungs.

Bronchitis also causes the thin mucus linings that protects the lungs to become inflamed. This inflammation causes the airway linings to start leaking mucus into the lungs, causing build up.  Therefore, coughing is the body’s natural reflex to clear the lungs, to help us be able to breathe normally. If coughing does not clear the lungs properly, chronic bronchitis can lead to a common condition known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), where breathing is compromised due the airflow of the lungs being obstructed.

Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis

Some of the symptoms associated with chronic bronchitis may include:

  • Chest discomfort
  • Coughing mucus
  • Shortness of breath
  • Fatigue
  • Nasal congestion
  • Sore throat

Yes, bronchitis can be contagious, especially if it is chronic and caused by a viral illness or bacterial infection. Therefore, it is important to take necessary precautions to not get others sick.

Treatments for Chronic Bronchitis

In most cases, bronchitis goes away on its own after a couple of weeks, with the most severe symptoms lessening after the first few days. If the bronchitis is caused by bacteria then a family medicine provider can prescribe antibiotics. Often times people with bronchitis have or develop asthma. If you have asthma or allergies and contract bronchitis as a result, the family medicine provider will most likely prescribe an inhaler, which opens up the abnormal narrowing of the airways, helps shortness of breath, allowing us to breathe properly.

To learn more about chronic bronchitis and how to treat it, call Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or you can request an appointment online.

Is Bronchitis Contagious?

“I’ve got bronchitis, but don’t worry. It’s not contagious.”

Chances are you’ve heard that from your co-worker or a family member when they’re coughing…incessantly. There is a generally held belief that bronchitis is not contagious. While there is some truth to this belief, it is not entirely accurate.

Bronchitis caused by a bacterial or viral infection most certainly is contagious. This is the most common type of bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is not contagious, when caused by tobacco use or environmental factors. However, people with chronic bronchitis may also have an undiagnosed viral or bacterial infection contributing to their symptoms, so they may still be contagious.

Bronchitis is the inflammation of your bronchial tubes that can cause chest tightness, coughing, shortness of breath and sometimes fever. For bronchitis caused by a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be prescribed to treat it. For a viral infection when antibiotics are not useful, you may take over-the-counter medication to help relieve symptoms. As with most viral infections, time and rest are the best medicine. Chronic bronchitis requires ongoing care with a chronic disease management specialist, such as Dr. Gunawardene.

Tips to Help Prevent the Spread of Bronchitis

Because viruses or bacteria typically cause bronchitis, the way you contract bronchitis is the same way you contract other types of flus, colds, and illnesses. So, breathing viruses or bacteria in or passing it from your hands to your mouth, nose, or eyes usually spreads bronchitis.

For this reason, it is important to practice safe hygiene method around those with bronchitis, colds, and the flu. Frequently washing your hands, sanitizing surfaces that collect germs, and keeping your hands away from your nose, eyes, and mouth can all help you avoid bronchitis and other bacterial or viral infections.

Most importantly, make sure you get your yearly flu shot. Many complications can develop from the flu virus including bronchitis, so if you can avoid getting the flu, you may just avoid getting bronchitis. If you do end up getting bronchitis, be sure to practice healthy hygiene habits. It is important to cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze and cough, and wash your hands often to avoid getting someone else sick. Also, keep your distance from those who have weakened immune systems and those with asthma and other breathing complications.

While bronchitis usually resolves itself in 7 to 10 days, if left unchecked it can lead to worsening symptoms, or even pneumonia. If you think you may have bronchitis, Dr. Gunawardene and board-certified family nurse practitioner Shariffa Gunawardene at Wellington Advanced Medical Clinic can evaluate and treat your symptoms. For bronchitis treatment in Wellington, call (561) 434-1935 or book an appointment online. Specializing in primary care and internal medicine, we will work with you to get you back to good health.