Causes, Symptoms of Allergic Bronchitis and its Treatment

Bronchial tubes allow easy passage of air between the nose, mouth, and lungs. Sometimes, these tubes can have infections. When there is any sort of inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the condition is known as bronchitis. A general physician will bring relief with correct bronchitis treatment.

Types Of Bronchitis

There are different types of bronchitis, such as:

• Acute bronchitis: This occurs due to a bacterial or viral infection. Older adults are more susceptible to this condition, although it can affect anyone.
• Allergic bronchitis: This occurs when there is inflammation of the bronchial tubes caused by an allergic reaction. Allergic bronchitis is also referred to as chronic bronchitis, especially when the disease persists for a long period of time.

The most common symptom of allergic bronchitis is cough. This holds true for both acute and chronic bronchitis. In the case of acute bronchitis, the cough dissipates after a few days or weeks. However, in chronic bronchitis, the cough can last for many weeks or months.

Other than a cough, there are differences in the symptoms of allergic bronchitis when compared with acute bronchitis:

Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis

• Cough – For a few days or weeks
• Formation of mucus – Cough produces yellow or green mucus
• Fever – Mild to high fever
• Chills

Symptoms of Allergic Bronchitis

• Cough – For many weeks or months
• Formation of mucus – Cough produces clear or white mucus
• Wheezing due to bronchitis – Due to infection in the lungs
• Pressure or tightness in the chest – Due to the infection in the lungs, people suffer from chest pain
• Fatigue

Here are some more common symptoms of bronchitis:

• Continuous cough – Persistent coughs, sore throat.
• Mucus – When a bronchitis patient coughs, he/she experiences mucus in the mouth.
• Body pain – Body pain is another indicator of bronchial infection.
• Headache and heaviness – A general physician knows that headache is another sign of bronchitis. You will also feel heaviness in the head.
• Fever – You will have mild to high fever, if you contract bronchitis.

The primary cause of allergic bronchitis, also known as chronic bronchitis, is smoking. Studies have shown that more than 90% of the patients with this disease have a history of smoking. Some other causes of allergic bronchitis include:

• Exposure to irritants – A quick look at bronchitis causes highlights that irritants can also trigger bronchitis. These irritants include:
  • Dust – People who inhale dust for long may develop bronchial issues.
  • Secondhand smoke
  • Fumes – If inhaled in large quantities, certain fumes can be dangerous for your body. These include hairspray (in hair salons) and house paint (if you are a building contractor).
  • Air pollution
  • Welding fumes
  • Engine exhaust
  • Coal and fire smoke
• Viral infection in the lungs – The main reason for this lung disorder is a viral infection in the lungs. The virus affects the tubes and spreads the bronchial infection.

It is best to consult bronchitis doctors nearby if your cough:

• Lasts more than three weeks
• Produces discolored mucus
• Produces blood
• Prevents you to sleep
• Is accompanied by high fever (higher than 100.4 F)
• Is present with wheezing due to bronchitis or shortness of breath

Experienced bronchitis doctors nearby, listed on MFine will check your physical symptoms. After evaluating/scrutinizing the symptoms, they would suggest some tests. These tests include:

• Chest X-ray
  • This test is conducted to see the cause of the persistent cough, sore throat that comes along with bronchitis.
  • A chest X-ray can help determine if there is pneumonia or any other condition.
  • A chest X-ray is extremely important for people who were or currently are a smoker.
• Pulmonary Function Test nearby
  • This test primarily checks for asthma or emphysema.
  • In this test, the patient is asked to blow into a device known as the spirometer. This device measures the amount of air that can be held in your lungs. It also measures how quickly you can get the air out of your lungs.
• Sputum Test nearby
  • Sputum is the mucus that is coughed out of your lungs.
  • Doctors conduct a sputum test nearby to check if you have any illnesses that can be aided by antibiotics.
  • We can also conduct a sputum test nearby to check for signs of allergies.

Allergic bronchitis is a tricky disease that can result in some complications. We have listed below a few of the major complications of showing symptoms of allergic bronchitis:

• Difficulty breathing – This can be severe at times
• Respiratory failure
• Enlargement and weakness of right heart ventricle – This is caused due to the lung bronchial infection
• Pneumonia
• Pneumothorax – refers to a condition where the air or gas in the lungs collects, resulting in lung collapse
• Chronic advancement of the disease
• Polycythemia – refers to the abnormally high concentration of red blood cells that carry the oxygen within the body
• Emphysema
• COPD (Full Form: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) – Chronic bronchitis is often considered a type of COPD
• High mortality rate

There are some common treatment methods for curing allergic bronchitis, which include:

• Bronchodilators
  • These are medications that relax the muscles around the airways, resulting in easier breathing.
  • Short-acting bronchodilators act quickly to resolve symptoms, but the effects do not last for very long.
  • Long-acting bronchodilators do not reduce the symptoms quickly, but the effects last for much longer.
• Steroids
  • Steroids reduce the inflammation of the bronchial tubes, resulting in reduced coughing and easier airflow.
  • If given through an inhaler, then the drug can reach the affected area faster and more effectively.
• Oxygen Therapy
  • This is prescribed by the doctor in case there is a lower efficiency of oxygen flow into and out of the lungs.
  • This lower efficiency results in the lower presence of oxygen in the blood, if not controlled quickly.
• Mucolytics
  • This medication is used to make mucus thinner and less sticky, hence easier removal of mucus through the process of coughing.
  • Patients can take mucolytics orally or through a nebulizer.
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation Classes
  • These classes involve supervised exercises.
  • They also include lessons on how to breathe better and manage allergic bronchitis.
  • The primary focus of these classes is to ensure that people know how they can prevent exposure to allergens to reduce the chance of catching symptoms of allergic bronchitis.

Can I reduce the symptoms of allergic bronchitis from home?
There are a few treatments that can be implemented at home to reduce the symptoms of allergic bronchitis. However, it is important to keep in mind that these treatments only help to reduce the symptoms, and do not help in curing the underlying cause of allergic bronchitis.

• Humidifier – Using a humidifier will make the surrounding air more moist, thus helping in loosening the mucus to make it easier to remove from the body. In some cases, it can also help decrease wheezing due to bronchitis.
• Drinking fluids – Similar to the role of the humidifier, drinking plenty of fluids will help in making the mucus thinner.
• Cough Drops – Cough drops can help in moistening the throat, hence enabling lesser amounts of coughing.
• Gargling – Gargling with salt water will help in easing the sore throat that can exist due to continuous and excessive coughing.

How can allergic bronchitis be prevented?
You can prevent the onset of allergic bronchitis by sticking to the basic rules, which include:

• The best way to prevent allergic bronchitis is to quit smoking, or never initiate it at all.
• Avoiding irritants that can result in allergic reactions, thus there is no need for curing allergic bronchitis.
• If outdoor allergens like pollen and dust tend to result in allergic bronchitis, then it is highly advisable to wear a mask whenever stepping out of the house. This may also help in preventing the symptoms of allergic bronchitis.