Asthmatic Bronchitis

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Asthma bronchitis is a disease that fall under the category of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Currently, there are several types of respiratory disorders that can be easily acquired. These include colds, influenza, emphysema, pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthmatic bronchitis and many more. For those who are suffering from any of these respiratory diseases, breathing can be very challenging. In addition, complications on this type of diseases include heart ailments.

What is it?

The condition of asthmatic bronchitis refers to the presence of acute bronchitis in a patient with asthma. In simple terms, a person is suffering from two conditions – asthma and acute bronchitis. Asthma causes the swelling of the airways that lead to the difficulty in breathing. The acute bronchitis is the swelling of the large bronchi found in the lungs causes by bacteria and viruses. The causes of this disease are divided into two. First is due to bacterial and viral pathogens like rhinovirus, influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus. Second is from external factors like smoking, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), and environmental pollutions and toxins.

Symptoms of the Condition

The symptoms of asthmatic bronchitis are associated with the swelling of the lung airways, but the intensity differs among patients. However, the common signs and symptoms are still present that include fever, wheezing sound, fatigue, chest pains, coughing with mucus (green, yellow, clear and light brown in color) and shortness of breath or rapid breathing.  Aside from these common symptoms, the patient can also experience life-threatening signs like bluish discoloration of the fingernails and lips, breathing and respiratory problems, and change in the level of alertness and consciousness.

Diagnosing Asthmatic Bronchitis

Normally, most doctors base their diagnosis for asthmatic bronchitis on the presence of the wet or dry cough. In addition to this, the wheezing sound, decreased intensity of breathing sounds, and the prolonged expiration are also some of the common indicators. In order to be 100% sure, there are also some tests that can be done like:

1.      Chest X-ray – A patient who has hyper inflated, collapsed or consolidated lungs will be discovered in an X-ray.

2.      A sputum sample that shows an inflammation of the white blood cells

3.      A blood test that shows swelling that can be determined with an increase in white blood cells count and C-reactive protein

What Treatment Should Be Done?

In order to cure asthmatic bronchitis, there are several things that can be done. First is to stop from smoking. This is to help the bronchial tree to heal fast. Second, the intake of expectorants is also recommended helping make the mucus in the airways become thin and easy to cough out. Third, an inhaler is also considered being a quick relief. It is also advised to have a postural drainage or chest physical therapy that helps promote the removal of mucus through coughing.