Acute bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tubes that lead from the trachea to the lungs. Infection is the typical reason that acute bronchitis occurs and the illness often follows a cold or even the flu.
A drug treatment of acute bronchitis may not work if the infection was caused by something viral. In this instance, the only thing you can do is alleviate the symptoms and make yourself comfortable while the virus-caused acute bronchitis runs its course.
The only way to determine whether this respiratory illness was caused by bacteria is for the doctor to run a blood test or even test some of the phlegm that was coughed up.
Drug Treatment of Acute Bronchitis
If indeed your bronchitis was caused by bacteria, there are a few options in regards to your drug treatment of acute bronchitis.
For children, milder antibiotics such as amoxicillin and zithromax are prescribed by the doctor. This drug treatment of acute bronchitis in kids is gentler to the stomach than heartier antibiotics that are prescribed to adults.
For the adults, tetracycline, biaxin, augmentin and erythromycin are among the antibiotic types that are typical in drug treatment of acute bronchitis.
It all depends on the causative bacteria as to which antibiotic in particular is prescribed by the doctor. In some instances, a hearty strain of bacteria may be taking up residence in your bronchial tubes and therefore requires a stronger antibiotic. When this situation occurs, the drug treatment of acute bronchitis is gemiflaoxacin, a drug that targets antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
For both children and adults, decongestants may be prescribed to speed up the process of loosening up mucus for expulsion.
Another drug treatment of acute bronchitis is the prescription of bronchodilators. This family of drugs is often in the form of an inhaler and works much like medications for asthma – they help open the constricted, swollen airways going to the lungs.
Other Treatment Options
Of course, non-drug treatments exist for acute bronchitis as well. These treatments include the use of a vaporizer to breath in steam which helps loosen swollen bronchial tubes. You might try adding eucalyptus, lavender or orange essential oil to the vaporizer as these do help in promoting easier breathing.
Many non-alcoholic and decaffeinated drinks and soups are also on the non-drug treatment of acute bronchitis. The fluids help loosen the mucus so that you can expel it from your body.
In all, there are a variety of treatment options to try and only your doctor can help you with a drug treatment for acute bronchitis caused by bacteria.