Obstructive bronchitis in adults

Obstructive bronchitis is one of the types of complex, extensive inflammatory process of the bronchi, occurring with complex symptoms. Children of early and preschool age are predisposed to the acute form of obstructive bronchitis. Obstructive bronchitis in adults often manifests itself in exacerbations of its already chronic form. Both the acute form and exacerbation of the chronic process of obstructive bronchitis are equally difficult.

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What causes obstructive bronchitis in adults?

It would seem that adults with sufficient life experience and quite strong immunity should not be subject to frequent bronchopulmonary diseases. However, practice shows the opposite data. Obstructive bronchitis in adults is a very common problem and there are many factors to blame, most of which are provoked by people themselves. First, we should name the reasons beyond human control that can cause inflammation not only in the bronchi, but also in other organs. These are bacteria and viruses.

It is impossible not to see the virus, and it is impossible to avoid meeting it. These small "animals" are present in any organism in large numbers and are ready to "explode" with a rapid demographic increase of their species at any gaps in immunity. Obstructive bronchitis can occur against the background of any viral infection. Most often, the disease is caused by influenza and parainfluenza viruses, adeno- and rhinoviruses, as well as a simultaneous combination of viruses and bacteria.

Exposure to frequent colds and the presence of foci of chronic infection in the nasopharynx are other predisposing factors for the development of obstructive bronchitis. It is important to remember that any infection can spread both ascending and descending.

It is not for nothing that doctors recommend staying in bed during colds, especially when it comes to such an insidious disease as the flu. There is a popular expression: "the cold has descended into the lungs." So, bronchitis, in particular obstructive, as well as pneumonia, can become a severe complication of a simple acute respiratory disease or flu.

Now it's time to move on to bad habits, specifically smoking. Many information sources promoting the fight against smoking instill in the population a terrible thought - smoking causes lung cancer. Yes, it is. But not everyone develops cancerous lung tissue, but any smoker gets bronchitis.

The term "smoker's chronic bronchitis" has been around for a long time and is characterized by specific breathing, shortness of breath, a strong, hacking cough that bothers a person mainly in the morning. After another cigarette, the coughing fit noticeably decreases, after which it returns again. Smokers accept this fact as the main relief from the situation, thus, they "treat" their cough, each time completely destroying their bronchi.

Obstructive bronchitis in adults can develop not only in direct smokers, but also in those who are commonly called "passive smokers". Frequent inhalation of nicotine smoke, especially in the body of a person predisposed to frequent colds and other diseases, against the background of a greatly weakened immune system, can serve as a favorable platform for the addition of a bronchopulmonary inflammatory process.

In addition to tobacco smoke, obstructive bronchitis often affects people engaged in so-called hazardous production: work in mines, metallurgical plants, in construction and agriculture, in printing houses and railway services. Workers at enterprises with increased professional health risks are at risk for bronchopulmonary pathologies.

Until recently, it was believed that chronic obstructive bronchitis is a disease that most often affects men. Observations over the past ten years have shown that the statistics on this disease have become almost equal between men and women. This is due to the fact that the female population has become more interested in smoking, and the deterioration of the general environmental situation, and the fact that the female body is less resistant to the destructive effects of such common "voluntary poisons" as alcohol and nicotine.

How does obstructive bronchitis progress in adults?

It has already been stated above that adults, in their majority, suffer from the chronic form of obstructive bronchitis. During the period of remission, there is a constant cough, often dry, with a small amount of sputum, which is mainly mucous in nature. Shortness of breath is constantly or periodically present.

During periods of exacerbation, the sputum changes. It becomes either mucopurulent or consists entirely of purulent bronchial secretions. In severe cases, sputum with streaks or even blood clots may appear, the so-called hemoptysis. The cough is constant, strong, with a specific wheezing.

Another symptom of obstructive bronchitis is shortness of breath. It may appear from the first moments of the onset of the disease or join later, but it is always present. The intensity and degree of shortness of breath depends on the severity of the disease, the presence of concomitant complications and other chronic diseases that may worsen at the same time.

In patients with obstructive bronchitis, an increased period of inspiration appears, during which not only the respiratory muscles, but also an additional group of muscles of the back and shoulder-scapular region participate in the expansion of the chest; with a lack of oxygen, blueness (cyanosis) of individual areas appears, most noticeably in the area of the lips and on the nail plates.

It is necessary to note the general malaise of the patient, increased sweating, which increases as shortness of breath or coughing increases, aches, pain in muscles and joints, increased blood pressure and body temperature. Shortness of breath, even minor, always provokes a feeling of fear and anxiety, therefore, obstructive bronchitis in adults has a negative effect on almost the entire body as a whole.

How to recognize obstructive bronchitis in adults?

Obstructive bronchitis is diagnosed quite simply. In most cases, the symptoms themselves are the most indicative. Using auscultation, it is easy to determine the characteristic sounds, wet clucks, in the lungs, indicating inflammation of the bronchial sections, which is subsequently confirmed by an X-ray. Of all the instrumental diagnostic methods, X-ray is the most effective for this disease. Additionally, more detailed diagnostic methods are prescribed, which may include:

• Spirometry
• Bronchial tissue biopsy
• Pneumotachometry

These methods allow us to determine the degree of damage to the bronchi, the severity of the inflammatory process, and the reversibility or irreversibility of changes occurring in the bronchopulmonary tissue.

In addition to instrumental methods, laboratory research of biological material is also carried out: blood, urine and sputum.

How is obstructive bronchitis treated in adults?

Treatment will directly depend on the form of the disease. In the acute form of obstructive bronchitis, full-scale drug therapy is carried out, which is aimed at suppressing viral activity, relieving bronchial spasm, restoring respiratory function, facilitating the discharge of sputum, and relaxing the chest muscles.

They start with the prescription of effective antiviral drugs, introducing plenty of fluids into the diet. Special massage procedures aimed at relaxing the chest muscles and thinning the sputum (percussion massage) are mandatory. To relieve bronchial spasm, antispasmodics are used, among which the most popular drug is no-shpa.

Prescribed drugs are aimed at relieving shortness of breath - bronchodilators (berotek, astmopen), easing the cough reflex - mucolytics (for example, lazolvan). Special breathing exercises have a good effect. The use of antibiotics is advisable only in the case of concomitant pathological process of microbial genesis.

Obstructive bronchitis in adults in the form of a chronic process requires the use of methods aimed at combating specific symptoms. Such an approach is called symptomatic treatment. The main goals are to slow down the pathological process, reduce the number of exacerbation attacks and their duration. Of great importance during this period is complete cessation of smoking, a change of profession if it is associated with hazardous production, as well as improvement of living conditions if they are assessed as unsatisfactory.

The drugs prescribed include bronchodilators and bronchodilators, mucolytics and xanthine drugs, such as theophylline. If there is no result from the selected treatment or it is insignificant, then drugs from the corticosteroid category are administered.

Prevention of obstructive bronchitis

In childhood, a favorable outcome of acute obstructive bronchitis is considered the norm. The older the person, the more difficult it is to fully recover without chronic consequences. Recovery largely depends not only on the patient's age, but also on the presence of concomitant diseases, which, in some cases, aggravate the course of the obstruction process. The most effective preventive method in this case can be called a habit of a healthy lifestyle. A healthy diet, including food rich in vitamins and microelements, paying special attention to the microclimate at home and at work, working to strengthen your immunity.

Obstructive bronchitis in adults can develop as a secondary disease against the background of an existing advanced source of chronic infection, so it is very important to take all necessary measures to treat acute and chronic diseases in a timely manner.