What Is Bronchitis? What Causes Bronchitis? |
The bronchial tubes, or bronchi, attach the windpipe to the lungs. When the lining of the bronchial tubes becomes chafed or infected, the condition is called bronchitis. Bronchitis reduces the amount of air and oxygen that can deluge into the lungs and causes a heavy mucus or phlegm to form in the airways. Bronchitis is considered to be serious or chronic. Acute bronchitis is a shorter illness that commonly develops after a wheezles or viral infection such as the flu. It generally consists of a cough with inexperienced sputum, chest discomfort or soreness, fever, and sometimes shortness of breeze. Acute bronchitis usually lasts a few days or weeks. Long-lasting bronchitis is characterized by a persistent, mucus-producing cough on most days of the month, three months of a year for two continuous years in absence of a secondary cause of the cough. People with long-lived bronchitis have varying degrees of breathing difficulties, and symptoms may get less ill and worsen during different parts of the year. Inflammation or swelling of the bronchi Coughing Creation of clear, white, yellow, grey, or green mucus (sputum) Shortness of whiff Wheezing Fatigue Fever and chills Chest pain or discomfort Blocked or runny nose Penetrating bronchitis usually results in a nagging cough that lingers for individual weeks even after the bronchitis resolves. Chronic bronchitis's extended-term inflammation leads to scarring of the bronchial tubes and airways, which leads to output of excessive mucus. Additional symptoms of chronic bronchitis include frequent respiratory infections and a cough that is worse in the mornings and in wettish weather. |