Symptoms of acute bronchitis and some of our recommended home remedies
Acute bronchitis is a disease that is commonly found because it is easily spread through the air. A person with the disease spreads it through the air through something as simple as sneezing or coughing. Symptoms are usually not discovered or seen until about 2-3 days after the actual respiratory tract infection has occurred. And unfortunately, symptoms can continue for up to 2-3 weeks after the initial infection.
This column will tell you about the symptoms of acute bronchitis, how the infection occurs, and possible and suggested treatments both at home and at the doctor’s office.
Symptoms and causes of acute bronchitis
There are 2 main types of bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis that has symptoms that last for long periods of time ranging from a few months to many years. The other type is acute bronchitis, with symptoms that have a much shorter time span (around 90 days). We’ll talk about acute bronchitis for this column.
Bronchitis occurs when viruses attack and damage the lining of the respiratory organ called the bronchial tree. The injury then develops into an infection, thus beginning the process of acute bronchitis.
These are the main symptoms that can be found in a person with this type of disease:
– Often starts as a common cold or “normal” flu.
– The clearest evidence that the disease has already progressed to acute bronchitis is the presence of slow-onset chest cough; the cough will most likely contain mucus that is yellow or green in color
– Other symptoms that may also appear include decreased stamina, shortness of breath, increased stress levels, “on and off” fever, mild sinusitis, sore throat, and just a general feeling of “tiredness” and lack of energy.
– Due to chest cough, there may also be chest pains, tightness and shortness of breath.
Diagnosis and treatment
Due to the many symptoms that it shares with many other diseases and conditions, acute bronchitis is somewhat difficult to diagnose. Multiple tests including CBC, other blood tests, and perhaps even a sputum culture and chest X-rays may be required to further dig into and analyze the disease and hopefully rule out the possibility of a more dangerous pneumonia.
The best treatment policy is always the natural way. Lots and lots of rest, home medicine, alternative medicine that doesn’t contain toxic chemicals, steam inhalation, consuming large volumes of water or fluids that aren’t caffeinated or charred. For those who can afford it, having air humidifiers or air filters in the house can go a long way in filtering the virus out of the air.
For cough, you can easily take cough suppressants, non-inflammatory and hypoallergenic drugs for sinus and other symptoms.
There are many more treatments and relief medications, all you have to do is open your mind and investigate ways other than the “accepted” process.
