Latest Health Forum Topics:

  • is oolong tea the same as wu long tea? (5 posts)
  • Do cavities always get worse even if taken care of? cuz I can't get to a dentist...? (6 posts)
  • why would I sneeze after being sick in the hospital? (3 posts)
  • what should i do? (9 posts)
  • Bates method of eye excerises ? (3 posts)
  • How old were you the first time you had intercourse? I was 16.? (16 posts)
  • Do the foods you eat effect the smell of semen? (7 posts)
  • what is a papsmear for & how is it done? (3 posts)
  • Can anyone recommend medication to combat fear of flying? (21 posts)
  • stomach problems...what could the cause be? (4 posts)
  • Teaching abstinance in schools... does it lower rates of STD's? (7 posts)
  • help me, my life is a mess? (6 posts)
  • Do you have to keep condoms in the cold? or warm? or what? (9 posts)
  • What is a tissue located in the hypodermis subcutaneous? (4 posts)
  • question about HIV/AIDS? (7 posts)
  •  

    Bronchitis And Its Infectious Nature

    Ever heard your doctor mention the term bronchitis? This is actually a incessant or acute swelling or inflammation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory system's tracheobronchial tree (trachea or windpipe and the bronchial tubes). Under some circumstances, it may or may not be contagious.

    There are two kinds of bronchitis, long term or incessant bronchitis and short term or acute bronchitis.

    Acute bronchitis is manifested by fever, hypertrophy or increase in the size of the mucus secreting tissues, productive cough, sore throat, chills, runny nose, headache, normal malaise, and back aches. While incessant bronchitis is a debilitating sickness that is caused by persistent coughing with an immense production of phlegm or mucus by the glands of the bronchi and trachea. To be considered as incessant bronchitis, coughing with phlegm must persist for no less than three months for two successive years.

    Common causative reasons of both kinds of bronchitis are bacterial infection, viral, infection, and environmental pollution (such as cigarette smoking, chemical fumes, etc).

    In diagnosing a patient for bronchitis, the physician primarily takes a health history and observes for telling signs of the disease. The medical professional will auscultate or listen to the patient's chest via a stethoscope for sounds that may be a sign of soreness of the lungs. These sounds could be moist rales, crackling, and wheezing. Wheezing is a sign of narrowing of the air passages, crackling is like the sound of hair being rubbed together, and moist rales is a bubbling sound that indicates fluid secretion in the bronchial tubes.

    A sputum culture may be ordered by the physician in case of suspicious color or some streaks of blood. This is done to identify what kind of infection or what type of bacteria or virus is present in the respiratory tracts which consequently aid the physician in formulating a treatment scheme for the patient. Sputum is collected by instructing the patient to breathe deeply and cough out the phlegm then spit out into a container. Sputum collection is best done in the morning before breakfast or any food intake. The sample will then be sent to the laboratory and outcomes will come out within three days.

    But sputum collection in patients with incessant bronchitis is sometimes done via a procedure called bronchoscopy. The patient is administered with a local anesthesia and then a tube is inserted in the respiratory tract to collect the sputum. For further analysis, the physician may also order chest x-rays and blood tests.

    With these tests and examinations, the physician will not only determine what type of treatment is best for the patient but will also determine if the bronchitis of the patient is contagious or not. If it's contagious then precautionary measures are employed.

    Both acute and incessant bronchitis can be contagious. The cause of its being contagious is due to viral or bacterial infections. Common viruses, but are not limited to this list, that cause bronchitis are influenza virus, adenovirus, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

    Bronchitis can be caused by two influenza strains: influenza A and influenza B. However, these two strains can be avoided if the patient takes a yearly shot of influenza virus vaccine which will aid the patient to be immunized from the virus. The adenovirus on the other hand, can be any of the forty-nine medium sized viruses of the family Adenoviridae, which is pathogenic (disease causing) to man. It does not only cause disease in the respiratory tract but also may cause cystitis, conjunctivitis, and gastro-intestinal infection. Mycplasma pneumoniae is highly contagious among young children and adults.

    With virus-caused bronchitis antibiotics are quite useless since it can only fight off bacterial infection. Virus infection is self-limiting, though, and may clear out within fourteen days providing the bronchitis is uncomplicated.

    If there is an underlying bacterial infection, then the physician will likely prescribe antibiotics to kill off the bacteria and to prevent its further widespread to neighboring organs. Patients should religiously take the antibiotic medication as prescribed to prevent relapses and avoid any resistant bacterial strains to develop.

    Prevention from picking up contagious bronchitis is possible. Individuals must have an adequate amount of healthy nutrition and rest to improve their immune systems especially during the cold season. Washing hands periodically can also aid prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. Having clean surroundings can also avoid bacterial or viral caused bronchitis.

    Sponsored Ads:

    Related Articles:

    Also In This Category:

    Currently Online :

    4 member(s), 32 guest(s):
    Aravis, Chancer, Happysurfer, NightCrawler, Baiduspider+, Crawler, Google, Archive.org, MSN.com, Slurp, Speedy Spider

    Search :

    No comments yet
    Categories: A Child’s Guide to Elderca Calories Dyslexia Metabolism Raising An Autistic Child Childhood Vaccines Hearing Loss Overcome Alcoholism Epilepsy Overcoming Addictions Skin Rejuvenation Stretch Marks Overcoming Addiction Looking Thin Coconut Oil Slipped Disc The Telltale Signs Staying Healthy and Living It Trichotillomania Exercise Yoga Exercise and Body Type Headaches Natural Cures Holistic Medicine Hair Transplantation Antioxidants Complementary Medicine Sleep Physical Therapy Managing Diabetes Treadmills Smoking and Alcohol Holistic Vs Conventional Green Tea Panic Attacks Cellulite Lose Fat Insomnia Congestive Heart Blemishes Sinus Infections Traditional Chinese Medicine Top Health Concerns Today Healthy Living Hearing Aids Hematology Herniated Disc Irritable Bowel Syndrome Losing Weight Medical Billing Mental Health Nursing Nursing Assistant Nursing School Obesity pH Miracle Diet Stopping Snoring Toothache & Tooth Care Wart Removal Weight Loss Allegra Alternative Medicine Alzheimer Anxiety Aqua Chi Bed Bugs Body Detox Bronchitis Cancer Cataract Low Cholesterol Cholesterol Collagen Contact Lenses Dental Assistant Dieting Disability Drugs Healthy You Herbal Cures Stop Smoking Healthy Eating Hot Sheet Hoodia Insomnia Whitening Teeth Wheelchairs Sweating Snoring Sleep Disorder Rhinoplasty Rehabilitation Panic Attacks Nutrition Microdermabrasion Menopause Liver Detox Liposuction Laser Removal