Is bronchitis contagious for others, is it transmitted by airborne droplets from a patient? Is it possible to get bronchitis

In order to understand whether bronchitis is contagious or not, let's figure out what this disease is, what are the causes and symptoms.

It is customary to call bronchitis inflammatory processes in the bronchi. Arises this disease on various reasons... When asked whether this disease is contagious for others, we can confidently answer that it directly depends on the causes of its occurrence.

Causes of the disease

Smoking. Due to constant poisoning of the trachea tobacco smoke, the mucous membrane becomes inflamed and damaged. The smoker's bronchitis goes through several stages. If untreated, it develops into a chronic form and leads to grave consequences such as lung cancer.

Important! It should be noted that the bronchitis of a smoker is not contagious if it is not caused by viruses and bacteria.

Bronchitis resulting from the inhalation of harmful particles from the air. People are often forced to work in enterprises with unfavorable working conditions. These can be fabric factories, factories that produce toxic materials, dusty premises, and others. Due to the constant poisoning of the lungs with small particles, this disease often develops. In the lungs, protective processes take place, mucus is produced in large quantities, which provokes a cough.

Important! If there is no infection, the disease is not contagious. A sick person cannot infect others.

Inflammatory processes as a consequence of a viral or bacterial infection... Often, inflammation of the bronchi is caused by various viruses and bacteria. When streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, as well as influenza viruses enter the body, this ailment may develop or worsen.

Important! In such cases, the disease is considered contagious, since pathogenic microbes spread with the patient's cough.

Children are prone to frequent colds. As a result of constant virus attacks, in children attending Kindergarten and school, often arises viral diseases and their complications.

From the reasons for the appearance this disease in children, it depends on whether it is contagious or not. The disease in children is divided into the following types:

viral - caused by viruses (influenza, adenoviruses);
bacterial - provoked by bacteria (streptococci, staphylococci and others);
allergic - occurs due to irritation of the bronchial mucosa with allergens.

Due to unformed immunity, children are prone to frequent development inflammatory processes in the bronchi.

Important! In most cases, bronchitis in children is contagious, as with a cough, germs that can provoke diseases enter the air. respiratory tract.

Acute bronchitis, contagious or not

To answer this question, you need to know the causes of acute bronchitis... Doctors say that this disease most often occurs against the background of damage to the bronchi by various viruses and bacteria. On this basis, it can be argued that acute bronchitis is contagious to others.

The main symptom of the disease is coughing. Every time a patient coughs or sneezes, he spreads pathogenic microbes with saliva. With direct contact with a person suffering from acute bronchitis, the chances of catching an infection are quite high.

Interesting to know! When an adult coughs, viruses spread through the air at a high speed and can fly up to a distance of about 10 meters, while sneezing 15-20 meters.

Is chronic obstructive bronchitis contagious?

The following factors belong to the causes of the obstructive type of the disease:

Viruses.
Bacteria.
Allergy.

In the first two cases, bronchial disease can be the result of the vital activity of pathogenic viruses and bacteria. An allergic form of the disease occurs due to irritation of the lungs with various allergens (dust, smoke, animal hair, chemical substances).

As a result of the transferred infectious diseases, it develops obstructive bronchitis... This disease is characterized by spasms of the lungs, as a result of which the excretion of mucus becomes impossible. With improper treatment, the disease becomes chronic. By itself, bronchitis is not contagious, as it is a consequence of the previous infection. The cause carries the danger, that is, the virus.

How many days is contagious

In most cases, bronchial disease is caused by a viral and bacterial nature. Less commonly, the cause is infection with fungal infections and allergic reactions... It is impossible to clearly answer the question of how many days bronchitis is contagious. It depends on the individual characteristics of the patient's immune system, the intensity of treatment and some other factors. It is believed that the risk of infection persists as long as the patient has acute symptoms illness (cough, fever, general malaise).

Newborn babies have unformed immunity. Organism infant susceptible to various diseases... Answering the question whether bronchitis is contagious for infants, we can answer that everything depends on the causes of the disease. At infectious origin disease, the danger of infecting a child is very great. But this does not mean that the baby will immediately develop bronchitis. You can most likely expect acute respiratory diseases and the flu.

Is bronchitis contagious for pregnant women

A feature of the body of women in position is great vulnerability to disease. This is explained by a weakening of immunity and hormonal changes. Upon contact with a person with bronchitis of viral and bacterial origin, there is a considerable risk of infection. After the virus enters the body, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, flu and others occur. This is highly undesirable for women in position, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Important! Most often, bronchitis itself is not contagious, but its cause, that is, an infection.

Considering the above, care should be taken when contacting sick people. Take care of your health and be happy.

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. The main symptoms of bronchitis are cough (first dry, then wet), general weakness, a slight increase in temperature. To answer whether bronchitis is contagious or not for others, you must first understand possible reasons diseases.

Possible reasons

The main causes of bronchitis include:

viral or bacterial infection (extremely rarely fungal);
smoking abuse (the so-called smoker's bronchitis);
allergies (allergic bronchitis);
regular interaction with an aggressive environment (dust, hazardous emissions, chemicals, etc.).

It becomes obvious that it is impossible to give an unambiguous answer to the question of whether bronchitis is contagious or not for others, without knowing the reasons for its occurrence. Only your doctor can diagnose and establish the exact cause of the disease.

When can they be infected?

Very often the cause of bronchitis is colds: viruses or bacteria in the respiratory system of an organism weakened by the disease cause inflammatory process on the mucous membrane of the bronchi.

If the causative agent of the disease is viruses (influenza, adenovirus, parainfluenza, etc.), then bronchitis - more precisely, the viruses that caused it - are easily transmitted by air drip when sneezing, coughing, or even talking.

If bronchitis is bacterial in nature, then it is more difficult for bacteria (staphylococci, pneumococci, streptococci, mycoplasmas, chlamydia) to "leave" the patient's body due to the fact that they are more viruses. This reduces the risk of contracting an infection, but it is still possible to get infected.

When sneezing, the bronchial mucosa is cleared of excess phlegm, while the speed of the released air is about 150 km / h. If bacteria get into this air stream, they can easily be transmitted to others.

It is obvious that if the cause of the disease is those who are in respiratory system allergens, dust, chemicals, or if it is caused by long-term smoking, then such bronchitis is not contagious.

How does the infection take place?

When bronchitis accumulates in the bronchi a large number of mucus resulting from inflammation and swelling of the mucous membrane under the influence of an irritating factor. Coughing and sneezing are normal physiological reactions of the body. So he tries to cleanse himself and remove foreign substances outside. Together with the smallest particles of saliva and phlegm, pathogenic bacteria and viruses fly out. Depending on where the infection "settles", which is transmitted from the patient, this can lead to various diseases respiratory system.

If the infection got into nasal cavity and remained in it, this will lead to inflammation of the nasal mucosa - a runny nose (rhinitis).
If it drops a little lower, then the throat becomes inflamed and pharyngitis appears.
If the infection reaches the larynx and causes inflammation, the patient will be diagnosed with laryngitis.
If the infection goes even lower, then it can cause inflammation of the trachea, or tracheitis.
Below the trachea are the bronchi, therefore, if an infection enters them, it can lead to inflammation of bronchitis, that is, inflammation of the bronchi.

For each type of viruses and bacteria, there is the most favorable for reproduction human organ, upon contact with which it "lingers" and will cause inflammation. Therefore, the type of infection also depends on what the infected patient will end up with.

How to protect yourself?

If there are people in your immediate environment who are sneezing or coughing, it is recommended that you take some preventive measures so as not to get infected.

Very often, a person's susceptibility to any type of infection depends on how strong his immunity is. Therefore, regularly, especially in the autumn-winter period, drink vitamin complexes, eat more fruits and vegetables, and be outdoors more often.
During epidemics colds in places large congestion people, as well as in close contact with an infected person, wear a sterile mask. However, remember to change it every 2-3 hours.
Today in pharmacies you can find many various drugs, such as Interferon, Anaferon, Otsillococcinum, Oxolinic ointment and others, which can also be used to prevent disease.

If you lead a full-fledged and healthy image life, the issues of infectiousness of infectious and colds will cease to bother you.

If someone in the family gets sick with bronchitis, a logical question immediately arises: is bronchitis contagious for others or not? Bronchitis can be caused by a bacterial or viral infection, and it can also occur as a type of allergy.

The latter case is not contagious, provided that other family members are not allergic to the same irritant from which the sick person suffered. Viral and bacterial infections can participate in the development of the disease separately or together. The time from the moment of infection until the first signs of the disease appear is called the incubation period.

During the entire incubation period, a person is a source of viruses and bacteria for others. That is, he is already sick and can already spread the infection, but there are no manifestations of the disease yet. Depending on the state of the immune system and on the type of pathogen of bronchitis incubation period can be from one to five days.

Protection against bronchitis

Often, the first cause of bronchitis is the parainfluenza virus or adenovirus. A high temperature can persist in a victim from two to ten days, during which time the immune system actively fights against pathogenic microorganisms. During this period, you can get infected from a person by airborne droplets, when using common utensils, when kissing and inhaling one air.

Bronchitis is contagious and is accompanied first by dry and then wet cough, during which the victim actively releases in environment viruses or bacteria. In order for the treatment of bronchitis to pass quickly and without complications, you need to contact either a specialist.

Acute bronchitis is contagious and proceeds with many unpleasant symptoms that reduce performance, so an adult should definitely take sick leave for a period of ten to fourteen days for health reasons, and for this time children refuse to attend kindergarten and school. Is it possible to get bronchitis after a person has subsided heat? It is possible, it all depends on who comes into contact. Which categories of people are most vulnerable to infection:

people after surgical operations, after a serious illness;
pregnant women;
children under three years old, especially newborns up to one month old;
aged people;
people with weakened immunity, HIV-infected, suffering from chronic diseases, oncology, weakened after trauma.

To protect those people for whom bronchitis is clearly contagious, they need to limit contact and communication with the sick person. If this is not possible, a respirator should be used to protect the nose and throat.

The simplest version of a respirator is a mask, which is sold in any pharmacy. Bronchitis is transmitted by airborne droplets, so you need to use only individual dishes, do not drink from one mug, do not eat with one fork. Some families do not understand the meaning personal hygiene, to the extent that they give the baby food that has already been chewed by one of the adults. Such things should not be allowed under any circumstances.

Each person has a set of symbiont bacteria, that is, a set of useful or conditionally pathogenic microorganisms... With close contact, for example, between a married couple or between a mother and a baby, this set becomes common. Communication with minor relatives should not imply such a dense exchange of microorganisms. Each family member must have for individual use:

Toothbrush;
towel;
clean dishes from which no one has eaten before;
for a baby - a pacifier and a bottle.

Unfortunately, it is common for irresponsible mothers to lick a bottle nipple or pacifier before giving to the baby (for example, if the nipple fell to the floor before). This behavior can provoke, at best, indigestion, and at worst, weaken the immune system. Children and adults who are not hygienic are more likely to be infected from someone with bronchitis.

Diet for bronchitis

In order to support immune system surrounding family members, it is useful to prepare meals during illness, which contain:

garlic;
ginger;
fresh herbs, parsley, green onions, dill.

Recent studies have shown that the role of vitamin C in enhancing immunity was not at all as significant as it was thought for the past twenty years. However, using lemon, lime, or tangerines is good for you anyway. Spices, herbs and garlic should be added to food after the main heat treatment, that is, immediately before use. Thus, it will be possible to preserve the maximum of useful properties.

With prolonged cooking, greens not only lose their taste, but also lose most of their vitamins. With ginger, you can prepare not only tea, but also soups, main courses. For the taste to be pleasant, you need to acquire fresh root ginger and chop it finely. Only a doctor can tell how many days bronchitis will be contagious. Without appropriate treatment, the disease can become chronic in both adults and children.

For chronic bronchitis temperatures above 38.5 degrees are not typical, usually it either does not rise, or rises to 37.5 degrees.

Chronic bronchitis has remissions when a person is conventionally not contagious. During remission, the victim does not suffer from severe cough, fever, or airway edema. Then a relapse occurs, during which all the typical manifestations of bronchitis are observed:

wet cough with a large amount of sputum;
weakness, headache, muscle soreness;
cough cramps, suffocating lingering cough which is difficult to stop on your own.

In remission, the likelihood of infection is rather small, for an adult with strong immunity it is completely absent. During a relapse, there are the same chances of transmitting the disease as with acute bronchitis.

How to quickly deal with bronchitis in a child?

Children should be treated by a pediatrician on an individual basis. Do not give your child antibiotics or other medicines if his classmate or classmate from kindergarten had "something similar."

Prescribing drugs should not take place en masse, but separately in each case.

Children who do not have bacterial bronchitis do not need to take antibiotics for prophylaxis. Many mothers do not understand that drugs are selected depending on the specific type of pathogen. If the medicine is used for other purposes, then there will be no benefit from it.

Bronchitis can cause a host of unpleasant complications. If the patient's temperature cannot be reduced within a week, this suggests that the infection has spread down the respiratory tract. Potentially bronchitis can cause pneumonia, often in children, bronchitis is accompanied by otitis media. The infection gets into the ear through the Eustachian tube. To avoid complications and cope with the disease as quickly as possible, you need to contact a competent pediatrician. Use methods traditional medicine on children it is possible only in agreement with the attending physician.

If the child has elevated temperature, do not apply any hot compresses, socks with heated salt, heating pads, mustard plasters and pepper plasters to the bronchial area. This promotes the spread of the focus of inflammation in the deeper layers of tissues. Only a day after the temperature has steadily returned to normal, these methods can be used as directed by a doctor.

Foot baths with mustard or medicinal herbs can be used one day after the temperature has dropped.

Prevention of bronchitis

The victim must be sure to provide rest and bed rest for the entire duration of the illness. Do not go to school or kindergarten, do not play with other children.

Often mothers allow their child not to go to school, but they do not prohibit playing with other children and going out for walks. During this time, children become infected from each other, especially in playgrounds. During illness, it is enough to ventilate the room, you can refuse to walk. To prevent the child from contracting bronchitis from a playmate, it is necessary to strengthen his immunity.

respiratoria.ru

People tell me please !! Is bronchitis and pneumonia transmitted if you are in the same room?

Answers:

rossa

CYberZero

If by airborne droplets, then YES.

Lyudmila Kuzmina

Bronchitis and pneumonia are not infectious diseases

Tatiana Voeiko

Yes, pneumonia can be contagious. Wear a medical mask that covers your nose and mouth when in contact with your baby. Ventilate the area where you are. For the duration of your illness, get yourself a separate dish and towel.

La Otra

In most cases, pneumonia is transmitted by airborne droplets. When a sick person coughs and sneezes, they release a large number of bacteria and microorganisms from the respiratory tract and mucous membrane of the mouth, which, entering the lungs healthy person lead to development inflammatory response with the formation of exudate. Exudate - a liquid rich in proteins and blood cells (lymphocytes, leukocytes), seeping from small blood vessels at the site of inflammation. It is a good breeding ground for microorganisms. Pathogens can also enter the lungs by the hematogenous route from other organs that already have foci of inflammation. In children, pneumonia is often caused by swallowing sputum and nasal secretions. The body becomes more vulnerable when its immune defense decreases, as well as when it is hypothermic and overworked.
The opinion that it is impossible to get infected with bronchitis is wrong! If bronchitis cannot be contracted, then why does everyone get sick with it so often?
Doctors identify a viral and bacteriological cause of bronchitis. In the first case, the cause is influenza viruses or influenza couples. In the second - pneumococci, streptococci, etc. Less often, fungi, allergens or toxic substances act as the cause of bronchitis.
Is bronchitis contagious? Yes! The main route of spread of bronchitis is airborne: by inhaling infected droplets of saliva upon contact with a sick person (when coughing, sneezing, while yawning, and even when talking).
For example, sneezing allows your body to clear the lining of the bronchi and pulmonary alveoli from excess phlegm or dust particles. In this case, the speed of the released air is 150 km / h.
Just imagine when you cough, sneeze or talk, millions of droplets (saliva or phlegm) infected with viruses get into the air. In crowded places, these drops can be inhaled by other people. Poor ventilation greatly increases the likelihood of contracting bronchitis. This is why it is so important to follow simple precautions: ventilate the room, cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief when sneezing or coughing, and wash your hands after visiting public places and wear a mask.

Roman Konyshev

I will add only that if your eyelash apparatus works normally airways, then getting sick with bronchitis is more difficult. As a rule, when smoking, the cilia turn off for 3 hours, and their activity decreases with temperature drops. (when coughing and sneezing, cilia accelerate particles to a speed of about 60 km / h)

You have identified

During childbirth, I had a terrible bronchopneumonia. And I was terribly afraid that she would be passed on to my daughter, who was born, taking into account also the fact that she has a fragile body. But, thank God, in close contact with her and having been ill for almost 2 weeks, I did not infect her.

Just LANA

If bronchitis is bacterial in nature, then you can get infected, you just have to cough up the patient. Much depends on the immunity of the one who is afraid of getting infected. Well. and pneumonia is also that infection, the most that neither is a bacterial infection.

Is bronchitis contagious and how to prevent

How many opinions exist about whether it is possible to get bronchitis or not. Some say that bronchitis is contagious, others that bronchitis is not contagious. So how is it really? Is bronchitis contagious and how to prevent the disease? This question, I think, worries every person. After all, in Everyday life quite often you meet people who suffer from bronchitis (and in the clinic, and in transport, and in shops, etc.). If bronchitis is not contagious, then why are there so many sick people?

Is bronchitis contagious?

The conclusion suggests itself. Bronchitis is contagious! Infection occurs through airborne droplets. You can become infected with bronchitis both when talking with a sick person, and while yawning and sneezing.

Reasons that contribute to bronchitis infection:

1.viral infections;

2. bacteriological infections;

3. mushrooms, toxic substances, allergens (very rare).

When a sick person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, billions of droplets are released into the air, which are infected with viruses. And in places where a large number of people gather, there is a risk of contracting bronchitis.

I will give one more argument in favor of the fact that bronchitis is contagious. Many microorganisms (tubercle bacillus, smallpox virus and many others), even after drying, retain all their properties and are very resistant. They are stored, for example, in dust. So, everyone can get infected. It all depends on your immunity, on basic measures that help avoid infection.

How to prevent bronchitis?

The most basic measures will help prevent people from bronchitis:

1. washing hands after the street;

2. ventilation of premises;

3. use a handkerchief for a runny nose, sneezing, coughing;

4. wear a mask.

Also, for the prevention of bronchitis, walks in parks, in the forest, classes physical education and sports. An excellent effect for the prevention of bronchitis is given by rest in resorts where the climate is moderately humid, where there are small differences in air temperatures. (Baltic, Black Sea, Crimea, Kislovodsk and many other famous resorts).

It should be remembered that any infectious disease can lead to bronchitis, which is dangerous for its complications. For the prevention of bronchitis, it is necessary to contact specialists in a timely manner, follow all the doctor's prescriptions, strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene, and take elementary precautions when communicating with a sick person. You should not neglect your health and the health of people around you, because children may be near you. So is bronchitis contagious? Yes! And again - Yes!

AstroMeridian.ru

Is acute bronchitis transmitted through kissing

Answers:

Just kseniya

Perhaps because exacerbations of chronic bronchitis quite often pass with the direct participation of staphylococci, pneumococci, streptococci and infections - both mycoplasmous and viral. Most of people in the winter, cold period of the year gets an infection of the bronchi, windpipe - that is, the upper respiratory tract. And in patients with chronic bronchitis, the penetration of harmful bacteria is deeper, they pass right down to the lungs, therefore, in winter patients with bronchitis often have sharp exacerbations.

Olga

Not bronchitis, of course, but the infection that caused it - easily!

Ekaterina Kushnir

better don't kiss

Is bronchitis transmitted through utensils?

Answers:

Postman Stechkin

if viral then yes!

Captain of the Lynx.

Transmitted.

๖ ۣۣۜ Massi

transmitted

Ksenia Fedorova

Transmitted by air, droplets, etc.

Victor Smirnov

Of course it is transmitted! Airborne droplets, saliva, etc.

Elena Tyrina

The people went ... Don't know, don't tell !! !
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi. There are many reasons. If it is a COMPLICATION of a viral or bacterial infection, then this very infection can be transmitted through dishes. I don’t wash. An example is drinking from the same glass with a sick person, eating with one spoon, eating one apple. A person can become infected by the virus itself (ARVI). But! This person does not have to have exactly bronchitis. He may have a runny nose, cough, and other symptoms of a cold. Bronchitis is already a complication!

Bronchitis - medical condition affecting the lungs and respiratory tract. It is characterized by inflammation of the bronchi, the main airways in the lungs. In some cases, bronchitis can be contagious, that is, it can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one.

To better understand the ways bronchitis spreads, we propose to consider the types of this disease.

There are two types of bronchitis - acute and chronic. In most cases, acute bronchitis occurs under the influence of a virus. Chronic bronchitis is a type chronic illness lungs.

Acute bronchitis can also develop in patients with chronic bronchitis. For this, it is enough for the patient's body to come under the influence of the virus. Cough is a common symptom of both forms of bronchitis.

People who have acute bronchitis can transmit the disease to others as soon as symptoms appear.

On early stages it is often difficult to determine the cause of the cough, as this symptom can be caused by bronchitis as well as many others medical problems... V preventive purposes people are better off assuming that they are capable of transmitting the infection.

In most cases, bronchitis spreads more easily in the early stages than in the later stages.

How does bronchitis get infected?

The bronchitis virus can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy person when they are close to each other.

If a person with bronchitis sneezes or coughs, infected droplets are released into the air and may remain on the surfaces of objects.

Bronchitis can spread when infected droplets get into the following parts of the body:

Airways.

Late symptoms

In many cases of acute bronchitis, some of the symptoms are observed for a long period of time after the body has already managed to cope with the infection. For example, a cough usually continues to bother people for several weeks.

Once a person recovers, he loses the ability to transmit infection. However, both the sick person and those around him need to continue to maintain healthy hygiene, in particular to wash their hands regularly.

Types of bronchitis

The main symptom of bronchitis is a regular cough. This cough is usually moist, meaning it contains a lot of mucus. Moist cough occurs when the airways become inflamed and produce mucus in response to the inflammation.

The difference between acute and chronic bronchitis is detailed below.

Acute bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is a short-term inflammation of the lungs and airways. Usually this problem bothers a person for no longer than three weeks. Acute bronchitis most often develops in the elderly, infants, and young children.

As a rule, acute bronchitis becomes a consequence viral infection, because this disease people are more likely to suffer in the winter months, when viruses have more comfortable conditions for reproduction.

Acute bronchitis usually has symptoms similar to those of a cold or flu. In addition to coughing, these include the following:

soreness in the chest;
headache;
fatigue;
muscle aches;
sore throat.

Chronical bronchitis

People who smoke or have smoked before are more likely to develop chronic bronchitis

Unlike acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis is diagnosed when symptoms have the following characteristics:

do not stop;
observed at least three months within one calendar year;
occur for at least two years in a row.

Chronic bronchitis belongs to a group of conditions that medical practice are described by the umbrella term "chronic obstructive pulmonary disease" or "COPD".

If the symptoms of bronchitis recur and do not go away within three consecutive weeks, then in such a situation, a person should consult a doctor for medical examination... The doctor will perform certain diagnostic procedures to help you understand if bronchitis is chronic.

Chronic bronchitis is more likely to experience the following symptoms:

long-term cough with the production of significant volumes of mucus and phlegm;
constant shortness of breath.

People who have a history of COPD, who smoke or have smoked before, are more likely to develop chronic bronchitis.

Because the symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of many other conditions, doctors need to do accurate diagnosis to ensure patients receive the right treatment.

Causes

Whole line various factors can cause acute or chronic bronchitis. The causes of both types of bronchitis are described in more detail below.

Viruses and bacteria

Acute bronchitis usually develops under the influence of a viral infection, that is, in the same way as the flu or cold. This means that acute bronchitis can be transmitted from a sick person to a healthy one.

In rare cases, bacterial infections are the cause of acute bronchitis.

Environmental factors

Certain environmental factors can increase the risk of developing acute bronchitis. They cause inflammation of the airways and make the lungs more prone to infections.

These factors include the following.

Contaminated air. The air can be contaminated with harmful substances formed as a result of the operation of industrial enterprises, cars, thermal power plants.
Aggressive chemicals. Paints, solvents and other chemicals can harm the lungs and respiratory tract if inhaled.
Cigarette smoke. People who smoke not only increase their own risk of developing acute and chronic bronchitis, but also endanger the health of those around them who inhale cigarette smoke through secondhand smoke.
Other environmental factors. Airway inflammation can be caused by dust, smoke or large fires.

Prophylaxis

Regular hand washing helps prevent the spread of bronchitis

To completely avoid or reduce the risk of developing acute and chronic bronchitis, people can follow the guidelines below.

Stop smoking. It is important for people not only to quit smoking, but also to avoid accidentally inhaling cigarette smoke. Smoking weakens the immune system and thus makes it harder for the body to fight infection. Quitting smoking is the simplest step people can take to significantly improve the health of their respiratory system.
Avoid polluted air. Car exhaust fumes, dust, or harmful fumes increase the risk of bronchitis and other respiratory problems such as asthma.
Wear masks. Masks that cover both the mouth and nose help avoid irritants and reduce airway inflammation.
Get vaccinated. Most people need to get a flu shot every year, as well as get vaccinated against pneumonia and whooping cough. Such preventive measures help to maintain the health of the whole body for more high level during a year.
Wash your hands. Regular hand washing and damp cleaning indoors can help prevent the spread of viruses.

Treatment

Treatment for acute and chronic forms bronchitis is different.

Acute bronchitis treatment

Antibiotics are usually not used to treat acute bronchitis because the causative agent this state in most cases are viral rather than bacterial infections.

Typically, acute bronchitis resolves in a few weeks. Recommended therapeutic strategies for this condition include the following:

consumption of large volumes of liquid;
providing rest to the body;
using a humidifier to relieve coughing;
inhalation of steam from a shower or from a container with hot water;
taking over-the-counter medications recommended by your doctor.

Smoking cigarettes can exacerbate the symptoms of acute bronchitis and lengthen the time it takes for the body to recover. Therefore, doctors recommend giving up cigarettes at least for the duration of the illness, and ideally forever.

Chronic bronchitis treatment

Unfortunately, chronic bronchitis is an incurable disease. Physicians' therapeutic efforts tend to focus on managing and relieving symptoms.

Very often, doctors recommend controlling the symptoms of chronic bronchitis by making positive lifestyle changes. These changes include, in particular, healthy and balanced diet as well as regular physical activity.

Pulmonary rehabilitation also helps people with chronic bronchitis. In some cases, doctors prescribe them medications... Typically, these funds are available in the following forms:

aerosol inhalers and nebulizer solutions;
mucolytic agents;
steroids;
bronchodilators.

Mucolytics make mucus thinner, and bronchodilators help open the airways. Steroids allow you to eliminate or weaken.

Maintaining water balance- one of important points in the treatment of bronchitis. Adequate fluid intake thins the secretions and makes them easier to escape when coughing.

It is important to check with a healthcare professional on the optimal treatment for acute and chronic bronchitis. Only a specialist is able to develop such a therapeutic scheme that will take into account the current state of health of the patient, as well as problems that are just beginning to develop or may arise in the near future.

Acute bronchitis is detected in every second patient who presented with a cough for a medical appointment. The routes of transmission of bronchitis are the same as for any ARVI, so the peak incidence occurs in spring, autumn and flu epidemics. You can get sick with it many times in your life, because there are no permanent mechanisms of immunity against it. Any person after contact with a patient with acute respiratory viral infections or acute bronchitis has every chance of getting sick himself and passing it on to others.

However, it should be understood that the likelihood of contracting acute bronchitis from a patient with the same ailment is not too great, since only an acute viral infection is transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets, and bronchitis usually develops as its complication: this is difficult to predict, depends on immunity, individual characteristics of the organism and initial therapeutic actions.

Symptoms of the disease in different categories of patients

Acute bronchitis is inflammatory disease the mucous membrane of the bronchi of an infectious nature with the main symptom in the form of a prolonged cough.

Most often they get sick during periods of decrease in the body's resistance to a viral epidemic. Viruses that entered the nasopharynx and caused the picture infectious disease in the form of rhinopharyngitis, descend into the lower respiratory tract and activate changes on the surface of the bronchial epithelium, which sloughs off and loses its function, which leads to the corresponding symptoms:

cough - at the beginning of the disease, dry, paroxysmal, a little later - with the release of mucous sputum;
a feeling of congestion in the chest;
shortness of breath with significant exertion (occurs when small bronchi are affected - an optional symptom);
moderate increase in temperature (within 37 ° C).

In pregnant women during acute bronchitis there are no fundamental differences, but the characteristic hormonal swelling of the mucous membranes of the whole body, including the bronchi, somewhat complicates the expectoration of sputum. In addition, there is a risk of intrauterine infection of the fetus.

People with a long smoking history tolerate ARVI and acute bronchitis in their own way. As a rule, they have a restructuring bronchial tree and natural protective barriers are reduced, and a certain number of smokers already have their usual set of diseases. The ingress of microorganisms into the respiratory tract provokes a protracted course of acute or exacerbation of existing chronic bronchitis. Often, such diseases are complicated by obstructive disorders (violations of the patency of the bronchi due to their edema and excessive sputum), which causes shortness of breath, wheezing in the chest and hacking cough for a month or more.

In infants and children under four years of age, the complication of viral infections in the form of acute bronchitis is observed more often, which is due to the physiological immaturity of the respiratory tract and the characteristics of childhood immunity. A small body is more susceptible to infections, besides, children are generally not protected from contact with infectious relatives when kissing, hugging and other manifestations of affection. The general picture of acute bronchitis corresponds to that in adults, but the symptoms of obstruction and short-term intoxication are more pronounced.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of acute bronchitis is carried out by a primary care physician (general practitioner or pediatrician) and does not present any particular difficulties. To make a diagnosis, it is enough to ask and examine the patient, in some cases, they are prescribed general analysis blood and chest x-ray.

Special indications for the latter are available in the presence of the following symptoms:

severe shortness of breath (frequency respiratory movements more than 24 per minute);
body temperature over 38 ° C;
fever for more than five days;
pulse more than 90 beats per minute;
purulent sputum.

Acute bronchitis treatment

Acute bronchitis in adults and children is treated similarly to an acute viral infection - symptomatically. Measures aimed at improving the microclimate of the patient's room are recommended: wet cleaning, regular ventilation, air humidification. Reception antiviral drugs makes sense in the first two days of illness or in the event of a severe viral epidemic with multiple serious complications and risk to life. The most effective are plentiful warm drinks and expectorants, but it should be remembered that sputum-thinning drugs are contraindicated for children in the first three years of life due to inability to cough up correctly, otherwise there is a risk of the so-called "flooding" of the lungs with an excessive amount of liquid intrabronchial mucus.

Antibiotics are prescribed only for complicated acute bronchitis, as evidenced by:

prolonged temperature rise at normal result chest x-ray;
cough with purulent sputum;
severe shortness of breath.

The use of expectorant and sputum-thinning drugs needs to be treated with caution in pregnant women. Herbal medicines based on thermopsis, marshmallow (Mukaltin) are allowed, but herbal substances can have irritating effect on the stomach, especially during the period of toxicosis. Many others are allowed only from the second trimester (ambroxol) or prohibited (codeine or alcohol tinctures).

The safest medical method for all categories of patients are inhalation with a nebulizer, but only in the presence of bronchial obstruction and only with the use of approved drugs:

bronchodilators (Berodual, Ventolin);
inhalation hormones (Pulmicort);
thinning phlegm (Fluimucil, Ambrobene, Lazolvan).

It is impossible and even dangerous to inhale tinctures, herbs, distilled and mineral water, antiseptics, oil and other non-sterile solutions. It is also impractical to carry out inhalation with saline due to the absence of any therapeutic effect, they are only diluted with the above substances.

After acute bronchitis in the convalescent stage, the cough can persist for up to three weeks, and this is not a cause for concern with well-being, normal body temperature and no breathing problems.