Tag Archive for: COPD

Chronic Bronchitis Symptoms: What You Should Pay Attention To

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In order to figure out what chronic bronchitis is, you need to understand what a pulmonary disease like bronchitis is characterized by. Bronchitis is characterized by irritation or inflammation in the bronchial tubes or airways in your lungs that allow air to pass through. When this irritation occurs, your body responds by producing mucus in the airways, which clogs them and makes it difficult for air to enter your lungs. Bronchitis causes an uncomfortable cough, trouble breathing, and tightness in the chest. If bronchitis persists, it’s known as chronic bronchitis, which is a serious pulmonary condition. Below is an overview of the main symptoms of chronic bronchitis and what you should pay attention to.  

What Is Chronic Bronchitis?

Chronic bronchitis is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is characterized by bronchitis lasting for an extended period of time—usually three months or longer. This condition is extremely common; as more than 3 million cases of chronic bronchitis are diagnosed each year in the U.S. Some risk factors for chronic bronchitis include age, weak immune system or other pulmonary diseases.

Causes Of Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is caused by a number of factors, with the most common being smoking. Inhaling smoke promotes irritation in the airways, promoting the production of mucus. People with exposure to additional substances that can irritate lungs such as chemicals, dust, fumes, etc. are also at risk of developing chronic bronchitis. Moreover, people with other illnesses that depress the immune system are also at a higher risk of developing chronic bronchitis because of their susceptibility to infection.

Chronic Bronchitis Symptoms

The main telltale symptom of chronic bronchitis is a cough that persists for a longer period of time. Oftentimes the cough may be painful and can cause soreness in the chest and abdominal muscles. If a cough is severe, it could have enough force to injure the chest wall or even break a person’s ribs. A cough will usually produce mucus and be accompanied by wheezing and shortness of breath. In addition to that, other symptoms include fatigue, slight fever, chills and tightness in the chest.

Is Chronic Bronchitis Contagious?

Many people wonder if chronic bronchitis is contagious and the answer depends on how bronchitis originated. Chronic bronchitis is not deemed contagious if it was the result of smoking or inhaling other irritants. However, it can be contagious if it was obtained due to a viral or bacterial infection.

Chronic Bronchitis Treatment

To diagnose bronchitis, your doctor will look at your symptoms and test your breathing. If diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, your pulmonologist will recommend plenty of fluids, as well as a number of medications that work to clear the mucus from your airways to improve your breathing. These include the use of bronchodilator inhalers or oral steroids. Your doctor may also prescribe oxygen therapy to help you breathe easier and deliver much-needed oxygen to your body. Additionally, if a lifestyle choice like smoking has caused your chronic bronchitis, your doctor will recommend that you quit and provide you with additional resources that will help you to do so.

Who Can Help

If you experience any abovementioned symptoms and feel you may have chronic bronchitis, make sure you address your concerns to your pulmonologist as soon as possible. Remember that, if left untreated, chronic bronchitis can move deeper in the respiratory system and evolve into pneumonia, which will be much harder to eradicate. Consider calling Pulmonary Associates of Brandon to make an appointment with one of our competent pulmonologists, who will be able to identify the origins of your chronic bronchitis and find the right treatment taking into account specific details of your conditions. 

6 Things You Didn’t Know About COPD

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, more commonly known as COPD, is caused by inhaling pollutants, second-hand smoke, and genetics. Signs of COPD are breathlessness, wheezing and constant coughing, and tightness in the chest. These symptoms can easily be confused with a simple cold or just the effects of getting older, but COPD can get worse as time goes on and is highly recommended to get treated. 

If diagnosed with COPD, do not get discouraged. There are many treatments and ways to slow progression. It is a growing disease that doctors are very familiar with, so you should never feel as if your case is a lost cause.

Read More: Can I Still Get COPD If I Don’t Smoke?

You may have heard the acronym before, but here are 6 things you didn’t know about COPD:

  1. Almost 12 million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease.
  2. It kills 120,000 people in America every year. This places it as the third leading cause of death in the country.
  3. A healthy diet can actually help lower your risk for getting COPD later in life. Eat foods that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins A, C, and E.
  4. Working out and getting regular exercise can help lower your risk or improve symptoms if you have already been diagnosed. During the exercise, you could experience heavy coughing and aggravation, but it helps in the long term.
  5. Although smokers are at a higher risk, all people over 40 can be affected and should talk to their doctors if any symptoms are experienced.
  6. Emphysema goes hand in hand with COPD and is a lung disease with the same symptoms.

 If you or someone you know is worried about their lung health, seeing a pulmonologist is always a good idea. A pulmonologist is a specialized doctor that treat a numerous amount of lung diseases and can give patients options on how to reduce symptoms that might be putting a hold on their day to day life.

Can I Still Get COPD & Emphysema as a Non-Smoker?

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, more commonly known as COPD, is a disease that makes breathing more difficult as time passes. Symptoms are constant coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest. Emphysema is another name for this long-term disease that affects about 11 million people in the United States. 

What are causes of COPD?

The most common cause of COPD is smoking. In fact, over 80 percent of COPD patients suffer because of their smoking habits. The chemicals in cigarettes ruin the defense system in your lungs and can weaken and narrow the airways causing the symptoms listed before. 

Are Non-Smokers Safe from COPD?

Although smoking is the number one cause to this disease, it is not the only one. Non-smokers can suffer, too. It is not as likely, but it is possible and new non-smoking patients are added to the 11 million existing COPD sufferers every day.

What causes COPD if you’re not a smoker?

  • The environment – The environment is one reason for non-smokers getting COPD. Though these patients are not purposefully inhaling chemicals and toxins, they are breathing in everyday air that holds these things. Air pollution cannot be avoided in today’s world. Chemicals can enter a person’s body without them even knowing it. Over time, this is what can lead to the chest disease.
  •  Genetics – Genetics can also cause non-smokers to have COPD. There is only one genetic deficiency known right now that causes this disease. This inherited deficiency is called Alpha-1 antitrypsin and can lead to lung and liver disease. 
  • Asthma – Asthma that goes untreated for a long time can also be a reason a non-smoker gets diagnosed with COPD. Asthma is a respiratory condition that can weaken the system over time. Without treatment, asthma can lead to other internal issues, such as COPD. Effects of asthma are very similar to the symptoms of COPD and should be watched carefully. 

If a person is experiencing any breathing problems that are out of the ordinary and seem like the symptoms of COPD or an obvious decrease in lung health, they should consult a pulmonologist no matter their smoking history. COPD is serious and has led to many deaths. The sooner the diagnosis, the sooner treatments can be started.