Bronchitis refers to an inflammation of the bronchi or air passage of the lung. It is a breathing disorder affecting the expiratory function. In most cases, some infection also occurs in the nose and throat.
Bronchitis may be acute or chronic. IN chronic cases, the disease is of long duration. It is more serious than the acute type as permanent changes may have occurred in the lungs, thereby interfering with their normal movements.
Chronic bronchitis is a condition of ageing and presumably degeneration of the respiratory tract that has been subjected to years of irritation by atmospheric pollutants, inhaled organism and , in smokers, to many years of self-inhaled irritants. It has been more frequent in males than in females and morality rate is also higher in males.
Symptoms
In most cases of bronchitis, the larynx, trachea and bronchial tubes are acutely inflamed. The tissues are swollen due to irritation. Large quantities of mucus are secreted and poured into the windpipe to protect the inflammed mucous membranes. There is usually some fever, and difficulty in breathing as well as a deep, chest cough.
Other symptoms are hoarseness, pain in the chest, lack of energy and depression. The breathing trouble continues till the inflammation subsides and mucus is removed. In chronic cases, besides excessive production of bronchial mucus, there is infection and lung destruction.
Causes
Acute bronchitis may very often occur as a sequel to a common cold or as a result of an attack of influenza. The severity of the disease depends on the extent of the spread of infection which is aggravated by exposure to cold, damp and smoke.
The disease becomes chronic due to recurring attacks of acute bronchitis and wrong food habits. The habitual use of refined foods such as white sugar, refined cereals and white flour products results in the accumulation of toxic matter in the system and this toxic waste collects in the bronchial tube.
Other causes of bronchitis are excessive smoking, living or working in a stuffy atmosphere and the use of drugs to suppress earlier diseases. Atmosphereic position and climate are important causal factors for the onset of the disease. The greater the pollu tion ,the higher will be the rate of chronic bronchitis.