ACUTE BRONCHITIS

Acute Bronchitis is the inflammation of the breathing tubes. These airways are called bronchi. This inflammation causes increased mucus production and other changes. Although there are several different types of bronchitis, the most common are acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis may also be called a chest cold.

CLINICAL FEATURES:

• runny nose
• sore throat
• tiredness
• sneezing
• wheezing
• feeling cold easily
• back and muscle aches
• fever of 100°F to 100.4°F.

CAUSES:  It is usually caused by a viral infection, this is most often the same viruses that cause colds and the flu. It may also be caused by a bacterial infection, or by physical or chemical agents that are breathed in. These may include dusts, allergens, and strong fumes, including those from chemical cleaning compounds or tobacco smoke.It may come after a common cold or other viral infections in the upper respiratory tract

Risk factors

• cigarette smoking.
• weakened immune system
• gastric reflux
• frequent exposure to irritants, including dust or chemical fumes
• age older than 50 years

DIAGNOSIS:

• Chest X-rays. 
• Arterial blood gas. This blood test is used to analyze the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood.
• Pulse oximetry. An oximeter is a small machine that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood.
• Cultures of nasal discharge and sputum. Testing the sputum you cough up or swab from your nose may be done to find and identify the microorganism causing the infection.
• Pulmonary function tests. These are tests that help to measure the ability of the lungs to move air in and out of the lungs. The tests are usually done with special machines that you breathe into.

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT:

1. Bryonia –Bryonia is the best medicine for managing dry cough. Persons needing it have cough due to irritation in the throat. While coughing, pain is felt in the chest and head.  The cough gets worse after eating or drinking. It also increases from movement and talking. Besides, sneezing and scratchy sensation is felt in the throat. Fever with chills can also accompany.
2. Spongia – Spongia is another effective medicine for dry cough. This medicine can be used when dry cough is accompanied by difficult breathing. Cough is extremely dry, hard and continuous. Eating or drinking makes the cough better. Cough is attended with fatigue. One may feel pain and a heated sensation in the chest. At times, a feeling of fullness is felt in the chest.
3. Antimonium Tart – Antimonium Tart is natural remedy for Bronchitis with loose rattling cough. The bronchial tubes are overloaded with mucus and mucus is heard rattling in the chest on coughing. The mucus does not expel easily and if it does get coughed out, the quantity is meagre. Antimonium Tart is of great help in aiding the expectoration of the mucus present in bronchial tubes. Whistling in chest and a feeling of heaviness in the chest occurs along with the above symptoms.
4. Arsenic Album – Arsenic Album is highly recommended for cases in which there occurs cough with difficulty in breathing and wheezing /whistling in the chest. In most cases needing it, the cough gets worse at night. The phlegm is frothy white or thick yellow, may be blood streaked in some cases. During cough, soreness is felt in the chest, which may also feel tight sometimes. Following an episode of cough, one feels very weak.
5. Ipecac – Ipecac is considered when cough with rattling of mucus in bronchi is followed by vomiting. It is suggested when there is coughing with excessive mucus in bronchial tubes and constant coughing does not seem to expel the mucus from bronchial tubes. Ipecac helps in expelling the mucus out with the least effort. Slight blood can be noticed in the coughed out sputa. Shortness of breath and a constricted sensation in the chest may be present. Wheezing (breathing noisily), sneezing and cold may accompany the above symptoms.
6. Hepar Sulph - It is a well indicated medicine for cases having loose cough with yellow sticky sputum. The expectorated phlegm is abundant. Cough gets worse from exposure to cold air or from drinking cold water. In some cases requiring it, blood stained mucus is expectorated. While coughing, burning in the throat and chest are felt. Sneezing may occur.
7. 7. Pulsatilla – cough is attended with thick yellow or green mucus  The sputa may have bitter, salty or a bad taste. Cough gets worse in the morning and also in a warm room, while it gets better in open air.