Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (the main tubes leading to the lungs). This inflammation is caused by viruses, allergies, bacteria, or autoimmune diseases. Bronchitis is characterized by excessive and prolonged coughing. Acute bronchitis is a condition that occurs once and lasts for several weeks, while chronic bronchitis lasts for at least several months or more. Although there are between 10 and 12 million visits to the doctor every year due to bronchitis, most of the cases are acute bronchitis, which can be treated at home and will go away on its own with proper treatment.
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Method 1 of 3: Treating Bronchitis at Home
Step 1. Keep yourself hydrated
By meeting the needs of fluids in sufficient quantities, the body will be able to function properly. Every hour or two you should drink 250 ml of liquid.
- Staying hydrated will help clear a stuffy nose and keep your body functioning properly.
- If your doctor has limited the amount of fluids you can drink because of another medical condition, follow the instructions regarding hydration.
- Most of the fluids should be water or other low-calorie drinks so that you don't overdo the calories.
- Some good options include clear broth, sports drinks that have been mixed with water, and warm lemon water mixed with honey. Warm liquids provide the added benefit of soothing a sore throat from excessive coughing.
- Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. Both of these drinks have diuretic properties (making you urinate frequently) so they can lead to dehydration.
Step 2. Get plenty of rest
Try to sleep as much as possible. You should sleep at least 7 hours a night, but if you can't sleep through the night because of this disease, at least lie down with your head down or propped up.
Sleep is important to keep the immune system functioning properly. Your body won't be able to fight off the virus if you don't get enough rest
Step 3. Limit the amount of physical activity when you have bronchitis
You can still carry out basic tasks, but avoid moderate or vigorous exercise. Activities that are too active can trigger a cough and make the immune system weaken.
Step 4. Use a humidifier
Turn on the humidifier while you sleep at night and don't turn it off. The mucus in your airways loosens when you breathe in warm, moist air. This makes it easier for you to breathe and reduces the severity of the cough.
- Clean the humidifier according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you don't clean it, mold and bacteria can grow in the water container and will be dispersed into the air. Mold and bacteria in the air can make bronchitis worse.
- You can also sit in the closed bathroom for 30 minutes while running hot water from the shower. Steam from hot water has the same function as steam from a humidifier.
Step 5. Avoid irritants
Pollution and cold air can make your condition worse. Although all pollutants will not be removed, you can do a few things to avoid them easily.
- Quit smoking and don't be around people who are smoking. Smoke is a major irritant to the lungs, and smokers are the most common chronic bronchitis.
- Wear a mask to avoid exposure to paint, perfume, household cleaners, or other substances that emit strong, pungent odors.
- Wear a mask when you leave the house. Cold air can constrict your airways, which can make coughing worse and make it harder for you to breathe. By wearing a mask when leaving the house, the air will warm before entering the respiratory tract.
Step 6. Take cough medicine only when needed
Only use over-the-counter cough syrups if the cough interferes with daily life. Under normal conditions, a productive cough (phlegm) can prevent the buildup of mucus in the lungs which can lead to more severe infections. For this reason, you should not use cough syrups and suppressants (drugs to suppress the urge to cough) continuously when you have bronchitis.
- Cough syrups are usually suppressants. This medicine suppresses or limits the urge to cough. As a result, the frequency of coughing will be reduced and the production of phlegm will be less.
- If you can't sleep because of a cough, or if you have pain from excessive coughing, replace a cough suppressant with another medication that can provide temporary relief.
- You should consult a doctor before taking cough medicine even though these drugs can be obtained without a prescription.
Step 7. Use an expectorant (phlegm-stimulating medication)
Over-the-counter expectorants can make you excrete more mucus. The risk of developing pneumonia (pneumonia) or other severe infections will increase in people who have bronchitis because the body produces too much mucus. Expectorants are useful for removing excess mucus, especially if you have a cough that doesn't produce phlegm.
Step 8. Find out about herbal remedies
Make sure you consult your doctor before consuming it. Scientifically, there is no evidence that herbal remedies are effective for treating acute bronchitis, but herbs have proven to be harmless. However, some preliminary studies have shown that South African geranium (pelargonium sidoides) has shown positive results. A study also proves that people who use this herb can recover faster than those who take a placebo.
The common cold can cause bronchitis, so if you take cold-preventing herbs, you are also helping to prevent bronchitis. Some herbs that are known to give good results include echinacea (300 mg 3 times a day), garlic, and ginseng (400 mg per day)
Method 2 of 3: Getting Professional Medical Treatment
Step 1. Know when to go to the doctor
Go to the doctor if the symptoms of bronchitis last for more than a week without showing any signs of improvement. In addition, consult a doctor if the symptoms get worse.
- Go to the doctor if the cough has been going on for more than a month.
- Call your doctor right away if you start coughing up blood, have a fever, have trouble breathing, or feel very weak and sick. Also go to the doctor if swollen feet due to congestive heart failure can cause fluid to build up in the lungs, which makes the sufferer cough continuously. People sometimes mistake it for bronchitis.
- Call your doctor if you cough up an unpleasant-tasting discharge. Usually, this happens because stomach acid gets into your lungs when you sleep. Doctors can prescribe acid-reducing medications to treat this type of bronchitis.
Step 2. Talk to your doctor about antibiotics
Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics if you suspect a bacterial infection. Understand that there is no concrete evidence to suggest that antibiotics can be used to treat acute bronchitis if the condition is caused by a virus, not bacteria.
- Under normal circumstances, the doctor will not give antibiotics. Bronchitis is usually caused by a virus, while antibiotics can only treat bacterial infections.
- If you cough with a lot of mucus or the mucus becomes thicker, you may have a bacterial infection. If this happens, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat it. Usually, antibiotic treatment will be carried out for 5-10 days.
Step 3. Find information about bronchodilators
This drug is often used to treat asthma. If you have difficulty breathing due to bronchitis, your doctor may prescribe this medication.
Bronchodilators are usually in the form of an inhaler (a device for spraying medicine into the lungs). The medicine is sprayed directly into the throat passages, which will open the passages and expel mucus
Step 4. Try going to a pulmonary rehabilitation center
If you have chronic bronchitis, you may need long-term therapy to strengthen your weakened lungs. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a special breathing exercise program. A respiratory therapist will help you personally by creating an exercise plan to slowly increase your lung capacity so that you can breathe easily.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding Bronchitis
Step 1. Understand bronchitis
This condition can affect all ages and genders. Bronchitis is characterized by inflammation of the bronchi (throat branches outside the lungs) and bronchioles (bronchial branches that have entered the lungs) caused by infection or chemical irritants. This is the result of a bacterial, viral, or chemical catalyst.
This article discusses acute bronchitis which is common in people. Chronic bronchitis is not discussed as it is a separate medical condition that usually requires professional medical treatment. Acute bronchitis is a very common disease, in fact almost everyone has experienced it at some time. Most cases of acute bronchitis resolve on their own with proper treatment, rest, and time
Step 2. Understand how to treat bronchitis
The disease goes away on its own and does not need to be treated with antibiotics although the cough can last for weeks after the illness has gone. Treatment for acute bronchitis focuses on relieving the symptoms and getting rest so the body can take care of itself and recover.
- There is no definitive test to identify bronchitis. Usually the doctor will diagnose bronchitis based on the symptoms you experience.
- Treatment and recovery from acute bronchitis should usually be carried out at home in full, unless infection or more severe complications occur.
Step 3. Know the symptoms of bronchitis
People suffering from acute bronchitis are usually characterized by the appearance of a recent cough. These symptoms appear in the absence of other conditions, such as asthma, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), pneumonia, or the common cold.
- Bronchitis cough is dry at first and does not produce phlegm. Furthermore, this condition can turn into a cough with phlegm as bronchitis progresses. Pain in the throat and lungs can occur due to coughing that is done continuously and very strongly in an effort to relieve irritation.
- In addition to a reddened throat (due to an infected pharynx), almost everyone experiences other symptoms, such as difficulty breathing (dyspnea), a squeaky sound when breathing, a fever over 38.3 °C, and feeling tired.
Step 4. Know the risk factors for developing bronchitis
Apart from common symptoms, there are many risk factors that can increase the chance of developing bronchitis. Some of these factors include: very young infants or very old elderly, air pollution, active or passive smoking, environmental changes, bronchopulmonary allergies, chronic sinusitis, HIV infection, alcoholism, and gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD (a burning sensation in the stomach). chest due to the rise of stomach acid into the esophagus).
In healthy people, bronchitis is self-limiting (the body can heal itself without special treatment). In fact, most medical guidelines do not recommend the use of antibiotics. If you have some symptoms that don't go away for more than a month, or you have any problems or questions, go to your doctor for a lab test and/or scan and get professional treatment
Warning
- Mild disease should be wary of if it afflicts the elderly, and special care should be taken if they also suffer from other illnesses, such as influenza, COPD, or congestive heart failure.
- If your child has acute bronchitis, it's a good idea to check for other respiratory conditions that may also be present. If bronchitis that affects children occurs repeatedly, this could be a sign of some underlying condition or a defect in the airways. In addition, chronic immune deficiency and asthma should be evaluated by a doctor and further examined. In very young children, acute bronchitis caused by the respiratory syncytial virus can turn into a life-threatening condition. You should consult a doctor if your child is suspected of having bronchitis.
