Bronchitis, which is the medical term for inflammation of the windpipe, is a disease of the respiratory tract. The respiratory tract is the passage of air from your mouth, nose, throat, and lungs, which allows you to breathe. While bronchitis is generally not considered a deadly disease, it can cause discomfort and result in a nasty coughing up phlegm. Luckily, bronchitis isn't that hard to avoid! See step 1 below to learn more.
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Method 1 of 3: Making Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Quit smoking
Studies show that people who smoke cigarettes or are exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to develop chronic bronchitis. Therefore, it is important for you to stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke if you are worried about getting bronchitis. The substances contained in cigarettes cause the respiratory tract to become inflamed, which makes you more susceptible to viral or bacterial infections.
Step 2. Limit your exposure to anything that irritates the lungs
Dust and other airborne particles, such as bleach, asbestos and sulfur dioxide, can irritate the lining of the throat and respiratory tract. When irritated, the respiratory tract will also become inflamed and this greatly increases your chances of developing bronchitis. If you work in a place that exposes you to a lot of airborne particles, you should really consider wearing a mask that protects your mouth and nose so you don't inhale those particles all day long.
You should also shower after work to wash off any extra particles that may have stuck to you during the day, so your home and bed aren't filled with the particles you brought from work
Step 3. Try to avoid breathing in very cold or humid air for long periods of time
Both high humidity and cold air are perfect conditions for the growth of bacterial and viral microorganisms. When you are in cold air or high humidity for long periods of time, you increase your chances of getting a bacterial or viral infection.
This is the reason that most cases of bronchitis occur during winter – it is very cold outside and generally humid indoors
Step 4. Keep your surroundings clean
A clean house means a happy respiratory tract. While this statement may sound strange, it is true that a messy and dusty environment is the perfect place for dust to accumulate and the growth of harmful bacteria. In fact, these two things-dust and bacteria-work together to cause bronchitis.:
Dust particles irritate the throat and respiratory system, making you sneeze and cough. When you sneeze and cough, your airways become inflamed, meaning they become the perfect place for bacteria to enter and thrive, leading to bronchitis
Step 5. Follow a diet that focuses on boosting the immune system
In particular, vitamin C and zinc are the two nutrients that have the most effect on the immune system. If you feel that your immune system is quite weak, and you are afraid of developing bronchitis because of this, increase your intake of foods that contain lots of vitamin C and zinc.
- Foods rich in vitamin C: lemons, grapefruit, grapefruit, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, kiwi, oranges, limes, pineapple, brussels sprouts, spinach, onions, garlic and radishes.
- Zinc rich foods: spinach, mushrooms, beef, lamb and pork.
Step 6. Take a daily multivitamin-especially in winter
It is very important for the body to get all the vitamins and minerals it needs to fight infections such as bronchitis. Multivitamin supplements containing vitamins A, B, D, and E are best. You can also take magnesium and zinc supplements to give your immune system an extra boost.
Step 7. Avoid people with infectious diseases
This may seem obvious, but you wouldn't expect it to be so difficult. You're constantly exposed to people who can make you sick, from a coworker with a cold to your friend's child who has the flu. If you know someone is sick, try not to get too close. If you must be near them, wash your hands when they are away and avoid sharing anything.
Step 8. Take care of your personal hygiene
This procedure usually involves washing your hands whenever you are exposed to something that could make you sick. When washing your hands, make sure you use warm water and soap. Times you should wash your hands include:
Going to the bathroom, taking public transportation, being around sick people, handling raw meat, and whenever you sneeze or cough
Step 9. Get a flu shot every time it's flu season
Flu season, which runs between October and December, is when you're more likely to get bronchitis. Because of this, getting a flu shot is a good idea to reduce your chances of getting the flu, which can lead to the development of bronchitis.
Method 2 of 3: Treating Conditions That Cause Bronchitis
Step 1. Watch for recurrent upper respiratory tract infections
The upper respiratory tract includes the nose, nasal cavity, and nasopharynx (upper part of the pharynx). If you have frequent infections in this area, your respiratory tract may become semi-permanent, which makes you more likely to get an infection.
Most upper respiratory infections are limited, meaning they will go away on their own because they are the result of a viral infection. You can also use a nasal decongestant or breathe in hot steam to relieve symptoms and start healing
Step 2. Talk to your doctor if you have cystic fibrosis
This genetic disease causes the body to produce more mucus than it should. In addition, the mucus produced is much thicker than normal mucus. Because it's thicker (or more sticky), you're prone to infection because it prevents movement of the cilia (hairs in the airways that trap bacteria and viruses and prevent them from hurting you). Think of the slime as quicksand trapping the cilia. When the cilia are immobile, you are more likely to develop bronchitis.
Although there is no cure, you can take medication that will break up mucus and prevent you from getting frequent infections. The drugs in question include Visclair and Erdotin. Talk to your doctor about other options
Step 3. Add caution if you have an immune disorder
When your immune system is weak, your body is more likely to allow bacteria or viruses to enter accidentally and make you sick. If you have a compromised immune system, you should take every precaution to avoid bronchitis, because later it will be more difficult to get rid of. Immune disorders include intense allergies, asthma, lupus, type 1 diabetes, and complex sclerosis.
Ways to boost your immune system include taking a multivitamin, reducing stress, getting enough sleep, exercising at least four days a week, and getting immunizations. You can find more about this in the wikiHow article entitled How to Strengthen the Immune System
Step 4. Realize that diseases that paralyze the cilia can increase your chances of developing bronchitis
The cilia are the hairs that line your respiratory tract-they trap bad nuisances (called pathogens) that can give you disease and irritate your lungs. Primary ciliary dyskinesia, particularly Kartagener syndrome (which is a type of ciliary dyskinesia) causes the cilium to freeze and become immobile. If you have this disease and think you have bronchitis, talk to your doctor right away because bronchitis will strike you more severely than anyone else.
There is currently no treatment for ciliary dyskinesia, but there are ways to reduce symptoms and strengthen the respiratory system. Ways that can be done include chest therapy, lots of exercise and taking antibiotics
Method 3 of 3: Watch for Symptoms
Step 1. Know that there are several types of bronchitis
There are two main types of bronchitis-acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is more common and less worrisome. This condition is usually caused by a bacterial or viral infection that hits you and then disappears. You can get rid of it by treating the accompanying cough, or in more intense cases with antimicrobial treatment.
On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is persistent and more difficult to cure. Chronic bronchitis is generally recognized by coughing up phlegm that lasts longer than three months and is accompanied by a lot of mucus production that you will produce and have to spit out. This type of bronchitis can lead to other, more severe respiratory illnesses, so it's important to get it treated early
Step 2. Watch for symptoms of acute bronchitis
This type of bronchitis generally develops when you also have an upper respiratory infection (perhaps a cold, flu, or other health problem caused by bacteria). You will generally have a fever (37ºC to 39ºC) and all muscles aches.
- In the first two or three days of your illness, you may have a dry cough (cough that doesn't produce phlegm) accompanied by a slightly burning sensation in your chest that is painful.
- Five or six days later, you'll be coughing up phlegm (meaning you're coughing up mucus) and then your symptoms generally stop.
Step 3. Monitor symptoms of chronic bronchitis
With this type of bronchitis, you generally won't have a fever or feel pain. Instead, you will have a persistent cough that produces a lot of phlegm. You may notice that the cough gets worse in the morning, after the body has had a night to accumulate mucus. You may also feel short of breath.
