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Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
About me
Loudi Central Hospital, Department of Respiratory Medicine, attending physician, has been engaged in clinical work in respiratory medicine for many years, and has rich clinical experience in the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory system diseases.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in common respiratory diseases such as upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and tuberculosis.
Voices
What are the symptoms of chronic bronchitis?
Chronic bronchitis is also colloquially known as "old chronic bronchitis." From this name, we can tell that patients usually develop the disease slowly with a long duration, lasting for years, even decades. The symptoms, such as coughing and expectoration, can acutely worsen repeatedly. Most patients cough and produce phlegm mostly when indoors, particularly noticeable upon waking in the morning and also possibly at night. The phlegm is typically white, sticky, or serous and foamy; occasionally, it may be blood-streaked. During acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis or when accompanied by an infection, pus-like yellow phlegm or green bloody sputum may appear. Additionally, a small number of patients may experience wheezing, also known as asthmatic bronchitis.
Does chronic bronchitis cause chest tightness?
Chronic bronchitis is commonly known as "old chronic bronchitis." Its main symptoms are coughing and expectoration. These symptoms are chronic and recurrent, and the onset is gradual. Coughing and expectoration are usually more pronounced in the morning and may consist of white, sticky phlegm or frothy sputum. Occasionally, there may be blood in the phlegm, but significant hemoptysis or chest pain generally does not occur. A small portion of chronic bronchitis patients may experience wheezing, which some of them might describe as chest tightness, meaning that chest tightness can occur in some chronic bronchitis patients. Those experiencing wheezing are referred to as having asthmatic bronchitis. Additionally, some patients may also have coexisting conditions like bronchial asthma or, in later stages, chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema, which can also lead to symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, or respiratory difficulty.
Does chronic bronchitis hurt?
Chronic bronchitis, commonly known as "chronic bronchitis", generally does not involve pain. The main symptoms of chronic bronchitis are coughing and expectorating phlegm, which may or may not be accompanied by wheezing. The coughing and expectorating in chronic bronchitis are typically long-term and gradual, with recurrent episodes. The symptoms are usually more pronounced in the morning, characterized by white, sticky phlegm, and generally do not involve chest pain or pain in other areas. If a patient with chronic bronchitis experiences pain in various parts of the body, it is typically considered that they might have other concurrent illnesses.
Pneumothorax, which department should it go to?
Which department is better for pneumothorax treatment? There isn't a strict definition dictating which specific department one must visit for pneumothorax. Generally, you can visit the respiratory department or the cardiothoracic surgery department. If the patient's condition is very severe, then the first choice should be the emergency department, where emergency treatment can be provided before further referral.
How is chronic bronchitis diagnosed?
Chronic bronchitis: how is it diagnosed? First, we need to understand what chronic bronchitis is defined as. It refers to the chronic nonspecific inflammation of the trachea, bronchial mucosa, and surrounding tissues. We emphasize the chronic process, and currently, diagnosis is primarily based on clinical symptoms. This means the patient must exhibit symptoms such as coughing and expectoration, and these symptoms must persist for more than three months for at least two consecutive years. Additionally, it is crucial to exclude other diseases. Any organic disease that presents with symptoms of coughing, expectoration, and wheezing must be ruled out, such as tuberculosis, pneumoconiosis, lung abscess, lung cancer, heart disease, bronchiectasis, bronchial asthma, gastroesophageal reflux, and pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, among others.
What department should I go to for asthma?
What department should you visit for asthma? First, we need to clarify the definition of asthma. The term "asthma" most commonly refers to bronchial asthma, but also to cardiac asthma. Starting with bronchial asthma, it is a respiratory system disease, and the most appropriate department to visit is the Department of Respiratory Medicine. Of course, in the case of an acute attack of bronchial asthma, if the condition of the patient is very severe, then they may choose to visit the emergency department. Additionally, in some areas where there is no Department of Respiratory Medicine available, such as in rural areas or community health centers, patients can only visit a general internal medicine department. As for cardiac asthma, it is a concept that is gradually being phased out. Cardiac asthma, as the name suggests, is associated with cardiovascular system diseases. Under these circumstances, the most fitting department to visit is the Department of Cardiology. Of course, if the patient's condition is critical, then the most suitable choice is still the emergency department, where emergency physicians will decide how to handle the patient's condition based on their specific medical needs.
How is tuberculosis transmitted?
How is pulmonary tuberculosis transmitted? First, we need to know the pathogen of pulmonary tuberculosis, which is the tuberculosis bacillus. Tuberculosis bacillus is a type of bacterium that can live in our surrounding environment. Pulmonary tuberculosis also needs a source of infection, that is, a patient carrying the tuberculosis bacillus. The most common source of tuberculosis infection is usually patients with secondary pulmonary tuberculosis. Then, its mode of transmission mainly includes coughing, sneezing, laughing, and talking loudly, which can release the tuberculosis bacilli from the patient into the air, spreading them through droplets. Droplet transmission is the most important route for the spread of pulmonary tuberculosis. Additionally, pulmonary tuberculosis can also be transmitted through other routes such as the gastrointestinal tract or the skin, although these methods of transmission are less common.
COPD and chronic bronchitis differences
COPD stands for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, also commonly referred to as chronic obstructive lung disease. It is a chronic inflammation of the respiratory tract caused by inhalation of tobacco smoke, other types of smoke, harmful gases, or particulate irritants. This inflammation persists, eventually leading to structural changes in the airways, and symptoms such as coughing up phlegm and difficulty breathing. Chronic bronchitis is diagnosed primarily based on symptoms. Also known as chronic obstructive bronchitis, it is defined by symptoms of coughing, phlegm, or wheezing lasting more than three months per year and persisting for over two years, while excluding other diseases. There is a close connection between chronic bronchitis and COPD. If a patient with chronic bronchitis experiences worsening of their condition characterized by restricted airflow, as identified through pulmonary function tests indicating airflow limitation, they can then be diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. However, if a patient only exhibits symptoms of chronic bronchitis and maintains normal lung function, they cannot be diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease under such circumstances.
Does bronchitis cause asthma?
Bronchitis can be classified into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis based on the onset and progression of the condition. Acute bronchitis usually begins suddenly, with generally mild systemic symptoms. It can include fever and is mostly characterized by a dry cough or a small amount of mucous sputum. Over time, the amount of sputum may increase and the coughing may intensify, occasionally accompanied by blood-streaked sputum. There is generally no significant hemoptysis or chest pain. The duration of cough and expectoration can be quite long, potentially lasting two to three weeks. A small portion of patients may experience prolonged symptoms, eventually progressing to chronic bronchitis. The most common symptoms of chronic bronchitis are also cough and expectoration, but these symptoms last much longer, typically persisting for more than two years and occurring for three months each year. A small number of bronchitis patients may experience bronchial spasms or bronchial asthma, leading to varying degrees of chest tightness, shortness of breath, or wheezing.
Which department should I go to for bronchial asthma?
In our common areas, we would visit the Department of Respiratory Medicine for conditions such as bronchial asthma, which is a respiratory system disease. The Department of Respiratory Medicine is the most specialized department for treating bronchial asthma. However, in some areas, such as those below the county level like town health centers or community clinics, a respiratory medicine department might not be available. In such cases, we can only visit the general internal medicine department, also known as the major internal medicine department. Generally, bronchial asthma is treated in the outpatient clinics of these departments. However, if an acute attack of bronchial asthma occurs, causing breathing difficulties and a sudden exacerbation of the condition, it then becomes necessary to visit the emergency medicine department. Emergency doctors will handle the situation and then decide whether the patient should continue treatment under observation in the emergency department or need hospitalization, etc.