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Understand bronchitis. Understand bronchitis treatment. Know the symptoms of bronchitis. Know the risk factors for bronchitis.
This condition can affect all ages and does not affect any gender more than the other. Bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles due to an infection or chemical irritant. It results from either a bacterial, viral, or chemical catalyst. This article will deal with the more common acute bronchitis, as chronic bronchitis is a separate medical condition that usually requires professional medical treatment. Acute bronchitis is a very common disease, in fact most people have had experience with it at some point. Almost all acute bronchitis cases resolve on their own at home with proper care, rest, and time. This disease goes away on its own and requires no treatment with antibiotics, though a cough may linger for weeks beyond the disease. Treatment of acute bronchitis focuses on alleviating symptoms and resting in order to allow your body to take care of itself and to recover.  There is no definitive test for identifying bronchitis. Doctors will usually diagnose bronchitis based on what symptoms you are presenting. Treatment and recovery from acute bronchitis usually occur at home completely unless further infections or complications set in. People presenting with acute bronchitis will usually describe a recent onset of cough. This occurs in the absence of other conditions such as asthma, COPD, pneumonia, or the common cold.  The typical cough of bronchitis is initially dry and unproductive. This can progress to a productive cough as the bronchitis progresses. Throat and lung pain can occur from constant and intensely forceful coughing to relieve irritation.  In addition to a red throat (infected pharynx), most people present with additional symptoms: difficulty breathing (Dyspnea), inspiratory or expiratory wheezing, fever over 101.1°F (38.3°C), and fatigue. In addition to common symptoms, there are many risk factors involved that can increase the likelihood of bronchitis. These include: very young infants or very elderly people, air pollutants, smoking or secondhand smoke, environmental changes, chronic Sinusitis, bronchopulmonary allergy, HIV infection, alcoholism, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) In healthy individuals, bronchitis is a self-limiting disease (meaning that your body can recover on it’s own without any specific treatment). In fact, most medical guidelines do not recommend antibiotics. If you have several lingering symptoms for more than a month and if you have any questions or concerns, consider visiting your doctor for a laboratory and/or imaging workup and professional treatment.