Bronchitis (cont.)Medical Author:
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEMDr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Medical Editor:
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD
Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhDDr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications. In this Article
 What are acute bronchitis home remedies?
Comment on this
The treatment of acute bronchitis is geared toward prevention, control, and relief of symptoms (supportive care). In some cases, the following is all that is needed:
The treatments section above covers those actions that can usually be done at home. However, people with medical conditions such as high blood pressure should be careful to choose those products approved for patients with high blood pressure because some cough/cold formulations may further increase a person's blood pressure to elevated or dangerous levels. People with diabetes should also choose cough and cold products that will not affect their blood glucose levels. If individuals are unsure which products are safe, they should contact their primary health care practitioner for advice. For patients with underlying lung disease such as asthma or COPD, increased use of albuterol or similar inhaled medications may be indicated. However, the health care practitioner should be contacted when a patient considers altering their medication usage. What are the complications of acute bronchitis?Acute bronchitis usually resolves spontaneously (about 2-3 weeks) with supportive care. If wheezing and shortness of breath occurs the patient should seek medical care. In patients who have underlying lung conditions, the inflammation can cause lung tissue to function improperly. Pneumonia or infection of the lung tissue itself may develop. REFERENCES: Last Editorial Review: 12/31/2009 Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
Bronchitis - Length Symptoms Lasted
Question: How long did the symptoms of your bronchitis last? Was there anything in particular that helped with pain/symptom relief?
Acute Bronchitis - Risk Factors
Question: Do you have any of the risk factors for acute bronchitis? If so, what are they?
Acute Bronchitis - Home Remedies
Question: What home remedies have you found effective in treating your acute bronchitis?
Bronchitis - Treatments
Question: What treatment was effective for your bronchitis?
|
Suggested Reading on Acute Bronchitis by Our Doctors
-
Related Diseases & Conditions
24 articles-
Lung Cancer
- Lung cancer kills more men and women than any other form of cancer. Eight out of 10 lung cancers are due to tobacco smoke. Lung cancers are classified
-
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
- An upper respiratory infection is a contagious infection of the structures of the upper respiratory tract, which includes the sinuses, nasal passages,
-
Allergy
- An allergy refers to a misguided reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When these allergens come
-
Polycythemia (High Red Blood Cell Count)
- Polycythemia (elevated red blood cell count) causes are either primary (aquired or genetic mutations) or secondary (diseases, conditions, high altitude).
-
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) is a condition in which the acidified liquid contents of the stomach backs up into the esophagus. The symptoms
-
Emphysema
- Emphysema is a progressive disease of the lungs. The primary cause of emphysema is smoking. Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency is a rare disorder that has
-
Fever
- Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degrees F. (37 degrees C.), in practice a person is usually not considered
-
Cystic Fibrosis
- Cystic fibrosis is a disease of the mucus and sweat glands. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease. The outcome of the disease leaves the body malnourished,
-
Cough
- Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette
-
Chronic Bronchitis
- Chronic bronchitis is a cough that occurs daily with production of sputum that lasts for at least three months, two years in a row. Causes of chronic bronchitis
-
Barrett's Esophagus
- Barrett's esophagus occurs as a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), primarily in white males. GERD refers to the reflux of
-
Asthma
- Asthma is a common disorder in which chronic inflammation of the bronchial tubes (bronchi) makes them swell, narrowing the airways. Signs and symptoms
-
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disorder that persistently obstructs bronchial airflow. COPD mainly involves three related conditions,
-
Flu (Influenza)
- Influenza (flu) is a respiratory illness caused by a virus. Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, fatigue, and muscle aches.
-
Smoking (How to Quit Smoking)
- Smoking is an addiction. More than 430,000 deaths occur each year in the U.S. from smoking related illnesses. Secondhand smoke or "passive smoke" also
-
Respiratory Syncytial Virus
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a highly contagious viral infection. Symptoms include fever and nasal congestion and discharge. Treatment focuses
-
Adenovirus 14
- Adenovirus infection, particularly Ad14, or the "killer cold virus" has been on the increase in the past two years. Symptoms range from those experienced
-
Smoker's Lung: Pathology Photo Essay
- Smoker's lung photo essay is a collection of pictures and microscopic slides of lung disease caused by cigarette smoking. Smoker's lung refers to the diseases
-
Antibiotic Resistance (Drug Resistance, Antimicrobial Resistance)
- Drug resistance (antimicrobial resistance) is the ability of bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses to grow, even in the presence of a drug that would
-
Cold, Flu, Allergy Treatments
- Before treating a cold, the flu, or allergies with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, it's important to know what's causing the symptoms, which symptoms
-
Melioidosis
- Melioidosis (Whitmore's disease) is an infectious disease caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei bacteria. Symptoms include bronchitis, pneumonia, fever,
-
Lung Anatomy
- The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide
-
Secondhand Smoke
- Secondhand smoke can cause illness and disease in nonsmokers. Some of these conditions include lung cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses such as
-
Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis, and Colds
- If you have a COPD such as emphysema, avoiding chronic bronchitis and colds is important to avoid a more severe respiratory infection such as pneumonia.
-
Lung Cancer
-
Medications
43 articles -
Procedures & Tests
3 articles -
Pictures, Images & Quizzes
12 articles -
Doctor's & Expert's Views
5 articles -
Health News
4 articles -
Health Features
4 articles
