Bronchitis is defined as an illness with acute inflammation of the respiratory area. The term is essentially coined from the Greek words broncos, which means windpipe, and its meaning irritation. Bronchitis takes place when the trachea or windpipe and the bronchi become inflamed which probable is caused by an infection or other factors. Bronchitis has two types, acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is generally caused by viral or bacterial infections and from the acute word itself, it is only for a short period of time, but that is another story.

Chronic bronchitis, conversely, is a long term bronchial inflammation therefore followed by a raise in the production of mucus. It is also a kind of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a set of respiratory diseases that hampers with usual breathing. Chronic bronchitis can be caused by no specific factor but cigarette smoking is believed to be the main culprit of the illness. Following smoking, other causes may comprise environmental pollution and bacterial or viral infections.

To be considered as chronic bronchitis, the patient must practice cough and expectorations for no less than 3 months in a year for two successive years. Also, other factors that may cause symptoms such as TB or other respiratory health problems must be excluded. As a class of COPD, primary symptoms of chronic bronchitis are mucus expectoration, cough, and dyspnea or labored breathing during physical exertion. These symptoms usually deteriorate over time. Unrelenting cough and mucus expectoration regularly come first years before the development of aberrations in the airflow of the respiratory area.

Dyspnea or labored breathing, due to its harshness, more often than not grounds interference in the patient’s day to day activities. Loss of weight is quite not uncommon since eating needs a definite amount of physical exertion and the sometimes only breathing itself can be energy consuming for the patient. There will come a time when the patient will find it hard to even participate in mild exercise because of dyspnea. As bronchitis progresses, labored breathing will be experienced by the patient even at rest. Then the patient will become in hazard of acquiring more respiratory infections and respiratory lack, which consequently raises the danger for both chronic and acute respiratory failure.

Further warning signs of chronic bronchitis may consist of swelling of the feet, abnormal lung signs, heart failure, and bluish discoloration of the lips and skin. Symptoms may be like to other respiratory problems; consequently it is advisable that the patient should consult a physician. This is due to the fact that chronic bronchitis is regularly associated with other diseases of the respiratory system such as asthma, tuberculosis, sinusitis, pulmonary emphysema, and other upper respiratory infections.

Furthermore, there are many examinations that are utilized by the medical professionals to recognize chronic bronchitis. These tests or examinations may include the following:

1. Pulmonary function tests, which help in calculating the lungs capacity to suitably exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through use of a spirometry and peak flow monitoring. Spirometry is equipment that is used by the doctor to estimate the function of the lungs. PFM is a tool that is utilized to decide the greatest speed in which an individual can exhale or blow air out of the lungs. PFM helps in assessing how the problem is being controlled
2. Pulse Oximetry. This is a little apparatus that measures the quantity of oxygen in blood.
3. Chest X-ray. This fairly general diagnostic test is used to create images of the internal tissues, organs, and bones unto a film.
4. Arterial Blood Gas or ABG. This is a blood test that is employed to evaluate the lungs’ capacity to provide with oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide. This also helps in determining the acidity of the blood.
5. CT Scan or Computed Tomography. This is an merger of x-rays and computer technology to produce sectional imagery of the body. This imaging device demonstrates a complete picture of any part of the body.

Even though once a person acquires chronic bronchitis, which generally lasts a lifetime, this illness can be controlled. Treatments are utilized mainly to alleviate the symptoms. But, the patient can still live a contented life if provided with a proper management of the symptoms. It may not be curable but it is manageable.