Bronchitis Treatment Specialist Q&A

Chronic bronchitis is long-term inflammation of the bronchi. The most common cause of chronic bronchitis is smoking cigarettes but can also be caused by environmental pollutants and sometimes by the work environment you are exposed to.

There are many different signs and symptoms of chronic bronchitis. One of the most common signs and symptoms of chronic bronchitis is a cough. The cough is often productive and can be known as a smoker’s cough. Other common symptoms that can arise in a person with chronic bronchitis can include fatigue, nasal congestion, headaches, sore muscles, shortness of breath, and loud wheezing when inhaling and exhaling.

A trigger can also be referred to as a flare-up. A person can experience a chronic bronchitis flare-up if they are exposed to certain aerosolized particles, which can cause their symptoms to come on quickly and are much worse than their normal symptoms.
 
One common trigger for a person can be cigarette smoke. If a person is around secondhand smoke, it can exacerbate their symptoms and make them worse. Other irritants to a person who has chronic bronchitis can include certain perfumes, dust, hairspray, paint fumes, coal, fire smoke, smoked meats, air pollution, gasoline, and many more. A person may have different irritants that may cause worsening symptoms.

Leaving chronic bronchitis untreated can cause a variety of health issues. The most common side effect of untreated chronic bronchitis is pneumonia. Chronic bronchitis affects the bronchi, and when it is left untreated, this can lead to an infection that spreads to the lungs.
 
When the lungs are inflamed, the body produces more mucus to help fight off the infection taking place in the body. A person who has developed pneumonia from leaving chronic bronchitis untreated can cause a variety of problems for the patient and can be serious and harder to get rid of. Pneumonia is known to cause lung damage, but if a person suffers from chronic bronchitis and develops pneumonia, it can leave devastating effects on a person’s lungs.

There are many complications a person goes through when suffering from chronic bronchitis. The first and most common complication is difficulty breathing, and sometimes it can be severe. When there is inflammation of the bronchi, it narrows the passageway for oxygen to be delivered to the lungs, which can cause a person to have difficulty breathing, and if the inflammation is severe, then a person can experience severe difficulty breathing.
 
Another complication of chronic bronchitis is pneumothorax. A pneumothorax is a collapsed lung, due to the narrowing of the airways this can cause air and pressure to build up in the lung causing it to collapse. This is a medical emergency, and a person will need to be seen in the emergency room as soon as possible. Other complications of chronic bronchitis can include but are not limited to, the following: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, polycythemia, respiratory failure, chronic progression of the disease, difficulty breathing, and a high mortality rate. Chronic bronchitis is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
 
To learn more about chronic bronchitis, reach out to our team at Reddy Urgent Care. We are a team of medical professionals that work with many patients who suffer from chronic bronchitis and offer many other services as well. We are a team that is dedicated to all our patients’ health and being there for every need they have. You can also find information on our website regarding the different types of services we offer. We serve patients from Downtown Long Beach CA, Paramount CA, East Side CA, Bixby Knolls Long Beach CA, and Los Altos CA.