bronchitis
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| bronchitis: symptoms, causes and treatment |
Definition:
Bronchitis is a respiratory disease caused by viral or bacterial infections, or environmental pollutants that attack the mucous membranes of the trachea or airways within the respiratory system. Its symptoms include coughing accompanied by phlegm, which may be thick, yellow, or green, or accompanied by watery mucus, along with shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, fever, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Its main causes are viral infections and smoking.
Types of Bronchitis:
Acute Bronchitis:
Acute bronchitis, also known as bronchial inflammation, occurs due to a viral infection and typically resolves spontaneously within a few weeks. Most individuals with acute bronchitis do not require treatment.
Chronic Bronchitis:
Chronic bronchitis causes a cough with mucus most days of the month for at least three months of the year, for at least two consecutive years. Chronic bronchitis may indicate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
bronchitis symptoms:
- Shortness of breath: Patients with bronchitis often experience general shortness of breath, which worsens with physical exertion and may include chest pain (in severe cases). Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may experience shortness of breath, blueness, and other symptoms indicating reduced lung function.
- Fever: Bronchitis may cause mild fever and chills.
- Fatigue: Bronchitis can lead to fatigue and other cold-like symptoms such as mild headaches and body aches.
- Mucous cough: If you have bronchitis, the cough may persist for several weeks after other symptoms have disappeared. Persistent coughing may also cause muscular pain in the chest and abdomen.
- Sore throat: You may experience irritation or pain in the throat.
Prevention:
· Quit smoking.
· Avoid allergens from environmental pollutants and chemical pollutants.Bronchitis treatment :
Pharmacological Treatment:
Bronchodilators (Salbutamol) or (Minoxidil) and antibiotics that eliminate bacteria, as well as antitussives (Antitussive) and expectorants (Expectorant) according to symptoms.
herbal Treatment:
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica):Boil two small spoonfuls of dried herb in a cup of water, sweeten with honey, and consume about three cups daily.
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus):This herb has the property of expelling phlegm, helping to remove the mucus accompanying airway inflammation. Additionally, it aids in relieving muscle contraction associated with coughing and has a bactericidal effect, soothing the throat. The herbal drink of mullein can be consumed with a generous amount of water.
Garlic:Garlic is a natural antibiotic that protects against both bacterial and viral infections, making it effective against the common cold. Garlic produces chemicals with a pungent odor, including allicin, which is one of the most powerful broad-spectrum natural disinfectants. This aromatic compound is released through the lungs, which is why the smell of garlic is noticeable in the breath. To minimize the odor, parsley, mint leaves, or dried clove flowers can be chewed and held in the mouth for as long as possible.
Eucalyptus:Eucalyptus is a good expectorant herb that helps clear the airways of phlegm. Inhaling eucalyptus steam can be achieved by boiling the plant's leaves in a container and breathing in the steam that rises from it. Eucalyptus tea can also be made by adding a tablespoon of dried herb to a cup of boiling water and drinking it three times a day. This tea has antiseptic and soothing properties that help alleviate coughs and phlegm in the airways.
Soapwort:Soapwort is an expectorant herb used to treat respiratory problems such as bronchitis. It contains pain-relieving substances called saponins. To make tea from soapwort, add a small teaspoon of dried herb to a cup of boiling water, let it cool, and drink three cups a day.
Primrose:Primrose is used to treat the common cold, cough, and bronchitis, and as an expectorant. Half a teaspoon of dried herb can be added to a cup of water and drunk three to five times a day.
Knotgrass:Knotgrass is widely used to treat respiratory problems, sore throats, and bronchitis. It has a soothing effect on the throat and an anti-inflammatory effect on the respiratory membranes.
Horehound:Beneficial in treating common colds, and coughs, and soothing respiratory passages, two teaspoons of dried herb are added to a cup of boiling water, sweetened, and consumed in the morning and evening.
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare):Studies have demonstrated that the herb Horehound is indicated to be one of the most effective herbs in treating acute respiratory tract infections. Horehound tea is prepared by steeping two small teaspoons in a cup of boiling water, sweetened with licorice extract or honey.
Plantain:Plantain is a soothing remedy for coughs, safe and effective, as it possesses antibacterial properties. The drink is consumed cold after adding a small spoonful to a cup of boiling water, covered, and left to cool. Add a few drops of lemon for flavor and the medicinal effect of lemon.
Couchgrass:Couchgrass has been used for ages in treating respiratory tract infections, dry coughs, and those accompanied by phlegm.
Herbal Formulations:
The herbs mentioned above can be used individually, but it is preferable to use them in combination to achieve a direct and effective impact.• Bear's ear, fenugreek, and lamb's tongue are combined, ground together, and taken as a spoonful in a cup of boiled water sweetened with woodruff syrup, lemonade syrup, or cherry juice.
• A mixture of cat's claw, red clover, and astragalus is blended, ground, and administered as a small spoonful followed by a cup of lemonade or fresh orange juice.
• Saw palmetto is taken with mulberry leaves, slippery elm bark, and bear's ear leaves, all ground together to create a powder that can be consumed dry or made into an herbal drink by adding a spoonful to half a cup of boiled water sweetened with honey.