Is chronic bronchitis treatable?

Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on September 15, 2024
00:00
00:00

Chronic bronchitis exists, but before treating it, we must first have a correct understanding of the disease. Chronic bronchitis is a long-term illness that can have a slow onset and may last for decades, with the possibility of acute exacerbations throughout one's life. Moreover, there is no cure for chronic bronchitis yet. Currently, the treatment for patients with chronic bronchitis mainly depends on the stage of the disease and its symptoms. Most of the time, patients are in the remission phase. The primary treatment during this phase involves addressing risk factors. For instance, patients who smoke must quit smoking, as most patients experience significant relief from cough and phlegm after quitting. Additionally, patients with a history of dust exposure or harmful gas exposure should avoid further contact as much as possible. Furthermore, when the condition is stable, patients may engage in physical exercise to improve their physical condition and prevent colds. A small number of patients may experience respiratory infections and repeated aggravations, in which case, consider using immunomodulators or traditional Chinese medicine as adjunctive therapies. Patients with chronic bronchitis may experience acute exacerbations of their condition, meaning an increase in cough and phlegm, or the appearance of purulent sputum that is difficult to expectorate. In these cases, the main treatment method is still anti-infection therapy. Commonly used anti-infection medications include quinolones, macrolides, and cephalosporins. Some patients may experience frequent and severe cough and phlegm, and have difficulty expectorating the mucus. In such cases, mucolytic and cough suppressant medications are required for symptomatic treatment, commonly using drugs such as ambroxol, bromhexine, and eucalyptus menthol. A few patients may also experience wheezing, known as asthmatic bronchitis, which may require the use of anti-asthmatic medications such as aminophylline and various nebulized medications. (Note: The use of specific medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
59sec home-news-image

Is chronic bronchitis contagious?

Chronic bronchitis refers to some chronic non-specific inflammation of the bronchial mucosa and surrounding tissues. Its main symptoms are coughing and expectoration, so many people are concerned about the contagion from patients with chronic bronchitis. However, chronic bronchitis itself is not a contagious disease and is not considered for acute infectious disease management. This means that most of the time, it is relatively safe to be in contact with patients suffering from chronic bronchitis. Nonetheless, there are some exceptions, such as certain cases where a chronic bronchitis patient might also be afflicted with mycoplasma infections or certain viral infections, such as H1N1 influenza, H3N2 influenza, or other infections like tuberculosis. In such cases, the chronic bronchitis patient may potentially be infectious.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
1min 31sec home-news-image

Chronic Bronchitis Clinical Characteristics

Chronic bronchitis often presents with symptoms of coughing, which are long-term, recurrent, and progressively worsen. Coughing is a very prominent manifestation of this condition. For mild cases, symptoms typically flare up during the winter and spring seasons, especially noticeable upon waking in the morning, with less coughing during the day. In the summer and fall, the coughing may lessen or disappear. In severe cases, patients may experience coughing throughout the year. It's crucial to take note and, under a doctor's guidance, use corresponding anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications, along with cough suppressants and expectorants to alleviate symptoms. Another characteristic is the presence of phlegm, typically white mucous sputum or serous foamy sputum. It's advised to use expectorants for treatment. During treatment, avoid smoking and alcohol, and maintain a light diet. Additionally, if there are symptoms of asthma or wheezing, it may be necessary to take medications to alleviate these symptoms. (Note: The answer is for reference only; medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional physician and should not be taken blindly.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
41sec home-news-image

How to expectorate phlegm in chronic bronchitis

Coughing up phlegm is a common symptom of chronic bronchitis. When patients with chronic bronchitis experience coughing up phlegm, they can initially use medications to expel the phlegm. They may choose some expectorant medications or bronchodilators to help expel the phlegm. If the phlegm is thick and sticky, cough suppressants should be used with caution to avoid affecting the expulsion of phlegm. Additionally, drinking more water and having a lighter diet can also facilitate the expulsion of phlegm. Another method is to use turning and patting on the back to help expel the phlegm. (Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a physician.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
58sec home-news-image

Chronic bronchitis symptoms

Chronic bronchitis is also known as "old chronic bronchitis." From the name, it can be inferred that its cough and expectoration last for a long time and its onset is slow, which can manifest as acute exacerbation. The main symptoms of chronic bronchitis are cough and expectoration, either with or without wheezing. The cough in chronic bronchitis usually occurs in the morning, meaning that the cough is more pronounced upon waking up. The sputum is generally white, sticky, mucoid, or frothy, and may occasionally contain streaks of blood but generally is not associated with coughing up blood. In addition to coughing and expectoration, a small number of patients may experience wheezing or shortness of breath. In cases where the wheezing is more pronounced, it is also referred to as asthmatic bronchitis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
51sec home-news-image

Chronic bronchitis etiology

The etiology of chronic bronchitis is not very clear at present, and it is now believed to be caused by the long-term interaction of various factors. The most closely related factors are harmful gases or particles that act on the respiratory tract for a long time, causing damage to some structures of the respiratory tract, such as cigarette smoke, fumes, dust, irritating gases, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, etc. These physicochemical factors cause damage to the airways. Additionally, some infectious agents, such as bacteria, mycoplasma, or viral infections, along with some immune-related factors, are believed to play a certain role in the development of chronic bronchitis.