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Bronchitis
The difference between acute bronchitis and bronchitis
What is the difference between acute bronchitis and bronchitis? Generally speaking, in terms of the duration of the disease, bronchitis can be classified into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is a type of bronchitis. It is often caused by infections, physical and chemical factors, allergies, etc. Patients may experience fever, cough, and expectoration, and the duration usually lasts 2 to 3 weeks. In the case of chronic bronchitis, the course of the disease is longer, with symptoms such as repeated coughing, expectoration, and wheezing, and the symptoms persist and do not improve.
Does bronchitis cause a fever?
Bronchitis, a condition that can cause symptoms of fever if it is acute inflammation. During the acute phase of inflammation, the pathogens in the body stimulate the body's temperature regulation center, leading to chills and fever. Clinically, there may also be an acute facial expression, accompanied by complications such as difficulty breathing and cyanosis of the lips. If it is chronic bronchitis, fever symptoms generally do not occur, with the main symptoms being cough, sputum production, and difficulty breathing. Diagnosis requires combination with laboratory test results, and treatment measures and plans should be taken according to the cause of the disease.
Chronic bronchitis symptoms
Chronic bronchitis is also known as "old chronic bronchitis." From the name, it can be inferred that its cough and expectoration last for a long time and its onset is slow, which can manifest as acute exacerbation. The main symptoms of chronic bronchitis are cough and expectoration, either with or without wheezing. The cough in chronic bronchitis usually occurs in the morning, meaning that the cough is more pronounced upon waking up. The sputum is generally white, sticky, mucoid, or frothy, and may occasionally contain streaks of blood but generally is not associated with coughing up blood. In addition to coughing and expectoration, a small number of patients may experience wheezing or shortness of breath. In cases where the wheezing is more pronounced, it is also referred to as asthmatic bronchitis.
Daily care for children's bronchitis
For children with bronchitis, it is essential to keep warm and avoid exposure to cold and wind, especially from cold air, which can reduce the local resistance of the bronchial mucosa and exacerbate the condition of bronchitis. It is also important to monitor the child's body temperature, maintaining it above 36.5 degrees Celsius, drink plenty of water, and promote metabolism to enhance the body's immunity. Additionally, attention should be paid to the diet, which should primarily consist of liquid or semi-liquid foods. It is also appropriate to drink some sugar water or light salt water. It is important to increase dietary nutrition by consuming light, fully nutritious, balanced, and easily digestible liquid or semi-liquid foods such as porridge, egg custard, soft noodles, fresh vegetables, and fruit juices. Furthermore, it is crucial to maintain the child's respiratory passages clear, focus on expectoration, and ensure regular ventilation in the room to keep the air fresh and flowing, with appropriate temperature and humidity levels.
How is bronchitis diagnosed?
In clinical practice, if bronchitis is suspected, it is not very difficult to confirm the diagnosis. It generally involves combining clinical symptoms with results from routine blood tests, chest X-rays, or CT scans for a definitive diagnosis. Most cases will show thickened bronchial or lung markings, and an increase in the total number of white blood cells in the blood. The main symptoms include coughing, expectoration, and difficulty breathing. Diagnosis can be confirmed by combining personal medical history, physical signs, and laboratory test results, allowing for timely anti-inflammatory treatment.
Symptoms of bronchitis
If it is acute bronchitis, the onset is usually quite sudden and symptoms may include fever, cough, and expectoration. Some patients may experience bloody sputum or symptoms like chest tightness and shortness of breath. Coughing and expectoration often continue for two to three weeks, after which most patients can recover. If it is chronic bronchitis, the onset is often gradual, and symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, and wheezing occur repeatedly. The episodes each year may last for more than three months.
What are the symptoms of bronchitis?
Bronchitis is a common clinical disease, which can generally be divided into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis in clinical practice. Acute bronchitis often has a sudden onset, with symptoms such as coughing and expectoration; some people may also experience fever, chest tightness, and wheezing. Typically, the course of the disease lasts two to three weeks. Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, has a longer duration, with a more gradual onset and symptoms of recurrent coughing and expectoration, and even chest tightness. The annual duration of the disease is more than three months, with a typical onset lasting over two years, making it very long and difficult to control.
Causes of bronchitis
Bronchitis is mostly caused by the invasion of pathogenic bacteria into the body, affecting the bronchi. Common pathogens include Streptococcus pneumoniae, rhinovirus, adenovirus, mycoplasma, chlamydophila, and it might also be due to infection by pathogenic bacteria such as Bordetella. It often occurs when the body's immune system is compromised, due to staying up late, being exposed to cold, lack of sleep, or getting wet in rain. During the acute phase, symptoms such as high fever, chills, coughing, spitting phlegm, and breathing difficulty may occur. It's important to detect and treat it early to prevent it from turning into chronic bronchitis.
What should I do if my baby has bronchitis?
Bronchiolitis in babies is an inflammation, which may be caused by infections such as bacteria, viruses, or mycoplasma. The primary treatment is anti-infection, for which antibiotics like oral cephalosporins or penicillin can be chosen for the treatment. Additionally, treatment includes expectorants and cough suppressants, where one or two types of traditional Chinese or Western medicine can be used orally. If the coughing is frequent, nebulized inhalation can be administered to achieve local anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and cough suppressant effects. While treating, it's important to observe the effects and administer intravenous infusions if necessary.
Chronic bronchitis etiology
The etiology of chronic bronchitis is not very clear at present, and it is now believed to be caused by the long-term interaction of various factors. The most closely related factors are harmful gases or particles that act on the respiratory tract for a long time, causing damage to some structures of the respiratory tract, such as cigarette smoke, fumes, dust, irritating gases, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, etc. These physicochemical factors cause damage to the airways. Additionally, some infectious agents, such as bacteria, mycoplasma, or viral infections, along with some immune-related factors, are believed to play a certain role in the development of chronic bronchitis.