Over time, mucus that accumulates in the bronchi will close and clog the respiratory tract. This will trigger the emergence of shortness of breath and coughing in response to the sufferer's body to help expel mucus. Broadly speaking, there are two types of bronchitis, namely:
Acute Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis will usually last between 10 to 14 days. However, people with acute bronchitis can have a cough for up to about 3 weeks. This type of bronchitis can happen to anyone, but is more at risk for children younger than 5 years old.
Acute bronchitis usually occurs because of an infection that attacks the bronchi. The cause of the infection is the same virus that causes upper respiratory tract infections (ARI), one of which is rhinovirus. Well, acute bronchitis will appear if the ARI does not improve and instead spreads to the bronchi.
Chronic Bronchitis
Meanwhile, chronic bronchitis generally occurs about 3 months or several times within a period of 2 years. Chronic bronchitis itself is included in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. This type of bronchitis is more at risk in people aged around 40 years or older.
The cause of the emergence of chronic bronchitis, namely inflammation that occurs for a long time in the bronchi due to exposure to cigarette smoke or chemical compounds. This can trigger an inflammatory reaction that is known from the presence of mucus in the bronchial walls.
People with a bad habit of smoking will show a continuous inflammatory reaction. This condition causes the bronchi to narrow and eventually harden.
Bronchitis Risk Factors
There are several conditions that increase a person's risk of developing bronchitis, such as:
- Be an active or passive smoker.
- Age less than 5 years or 40 years and over.
- Do not do pneumonia and flu vaccines.
- Too often exposure to harmful substances, such as ammonia, chlorine, and dust.
- Weak immunity, as in people with cancer or autoimmune diseases.
- Have other medical conditions, such as GERD.
Symptoms of Bronchitis
The most common symptom of bronchitis is a cough. Cough experienced can be a dry cough or phlegm. In coughing up phlegm, the phlegm that comes out can be white, yellow, or green.
In addition to coughing, people with bronchitis may also experience other symptoms, such as:
- Body fever and chills.
- Hard to breathe.
- Weak.
- Sore throat and dizziness.
- There is a sound when breathing.
- Pain in the chest when coughing.
Other symptoms that appear besides coughing will generally improve in about a week. However, coughing can persist for weeks or even months
Bronchitis Prevention
There are several ways that can be done to reduce the risk of bronchitis, including:
- Do not smoke or avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Avoid exposure to air pollution and harmful substances by wearing a mask.
- Get enough rest, especially if you have a cold, fever, and cough.
- Take medicine according to doctor's advice and prescription.
- Maintain personal and environmental hygiene.
- Do not share personal items with others.
- Get the pneumonia and flu vaccines..
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