Please read this as a guide and not as a medical opinion on your case.
Definition: Chronic Bronchitis is the result of inflamed air passageways but its similarity to acute bronchitis ends there. The chronic bronchitis can lead to disability and sometimes death when not treated properly or not diagnosed early.
Causes of Chronic Bronchitis
The cause of chronic bronchitis is the inhalation of substance in the air by the patients.
- The most common of these substances is smoke from cigarettes or tobacco.
- Other irritants to the bronchi and trachea that may lead to the chronic kind of bronchitis are air pollution, molds, dust and chemical fumes.
Medical practitioners usually diagnose an individual with chronic bronchitis by observing the patient’s symptoms and listening for indications of narrowed passageways in the lungs through a stethoscope.
Another way of diagnosing chronic bronchitis is to have a sputum culture to be able to identify the bacteria found there. This will help the doctor determine the course of action he will take to give the patient treatment to kill the bacteria.
A lung function test can also determine how much of your lungs you are using. The test can enable the medical practitioner to know how much air gets into your lungs. It is a painless test that is delivered very quickly with the use of a spirometer.
Treating chronic bronchitis may depend on the stage of the disease and the presence of other sickness or problems.
Patients are usually directed to stop smoking and to avoid second hand smoke and other pollutants and anti-inflammatory drugs are given to the patient to improve air passage to the lungs.
Changing to a healthy diet can also help improve the patient’s overall health and immune system.
If the lung function is anywhere below 80 percent then it is a good indication of chronic bronchitis or some other form of lung disease.