| The term "bronchitis" is derived from two Greek | | | | event of chronic bronchitis, acute respiratory failure. |
| words "bronchos" and "itis," which mean "windpipe" | | | | These symptoms might be similar to the symptoms |
| and "inflammation," respectively. True to its name, | | | | of other respiratory disorders, which is why patients |
| bronchitis is a respiratory disorder characterized by | | | | must never try to diagnose the condition on their |
| inflammation of the windpipe and the large and small | | | | own. Consulting a doctor is of utmost importance. It |
| bronchi due to bacterial or viral infection or factors | | | | is possible to mistake chronic bronchitis for other |
| such as environmental pollution or cigarette smoking. | | | | respiratory disorders such as asthma, sinusitis, |
| Chronic bronchitis is the more lethal of the two types | | | | tuberculosis, pulmonary emphysema, and so on. |
| of bronchitis, that is, acute and chronic bronchitis. | | | | Various Medical Tests to Diagnose Chronic Bronchitis |
| While acute bronchitis lasts for a short time and is | | | | Physicians conduct a number of tests to facilitate |
| chiefly caused by bacterial or viral infection, chronic | | | | correct diagnose of a respiratory condition. Some of |
| bronchitis lasts much longer. It is also considered to | | | | the tests and examinations are: |
| be one of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease | | | | Pulmonary function tests are done to calculate the |
| (COPD), a group of respiratory diseases commonly | | | | capacity of the lungs to exchange oxygen for |
| characterized by abnormal breathing patterns. | | | | carbon-di-oxide. In order to conduct pulmonary |
| Recognizing Chronic Bronchitis | | | | function tests, doctors use peak flow monitoring |
| If the patient coughs and expels sputum for about | | | | (PFM) and spirometry. Spirometry is a medical tool |
| three months in a year for two consecutive years, | | | | used to determine and understand the working of |
| the patient might be suffering from chronic bronchitis. | | | | the lungs while PFM is used to determine the |
| Chronic bronchitis is also characterized by excessive | | | | maximum speed with which a person can exhale or |
| production of mucus, cough, and dysnea, or | | | | inhale. PFM also assesses the ways in which the |
| difficulties in breathing while exerting oneself | | | | malady can be controlled. |
| physically. | | | | Pulse oximetry is a small appartus that measures the |
| Chronic bronchitis is accompanied by abnormal signs in | | | | oxygen content in the blood. |
| the lungs, edema of the feet, coronary failure, and a | | | | Chest x-rays are a common diagnostic tool to view |
| bluish tinge on the skin and around the lips. The | | | | pictures of the internal conditions of organs, tissues, |
| symptoms disappear with the passage of time and | | | | and bones. |
| are usually followed by the development of abnormal | | | | Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) is the name of a blood test |
| breathing patterns. | | | | to ascertain the capacity of the lungs to supply |
| Dyspnea, characterised by labored breathing, | | | | oxygen to the body and to eliminate carbon-di-oxide |
| interferes a lot with the sufferers' daily routine. It | | | | from it. In addition, it helps measure the acid content |
| turns out that breathing takes up all of a person's | | | | of the blood. |
| energy. Subsequently, the patients loses a lot of | | | | Computed Tomography or CT Scan is a medical |
| weight because even the normal process of eating | | | | technique that combines x-ray and computer |
| involves a major expenditure of energy. | | | | technology to obtain a comprehensive image of |
| Due to dyspnea, even the slightest exertion will be | | | | different parts of the human body. |
| exhausting for the person. As chronic bronchitis | | | | Chronic bronchitis usually lasts throughout life, and |
| progresses, patients experience difficulties in | | | | treatment is taken only to alleviate its distressing |
| breathing even when they are taking rest. At this | | | | symptoms. In spite of this, the patient can live a |
| stage, patients become more susceptible to | | | | comfortable, productive life by properly managing the |
| infections of all types and to respiratory | | | | symptoms of this disease. The disorder, though |
| insufficiencies, which pave the way for the terminal | | | | incurable, is controllable. |