Bronchitis relief and prevention

This generally temporary illness often develops after a cold or the flu, but it can be a serious, recurring disease. Smokers are particularly vulnerable; 9% of Australian smokers develop chronic bronchitis, compared with 5% of ex-smokers and 3% of people who have never smoked.

What It Is
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the windpipe and bronchial tubes, the large airways that lead to the lungs. These airways swell and thicken, paralyzing the cilia, the tiny hairs that line the respiratory tract and sweep away dust and germs. Mucus builds up, resulting in a cough.

There are two types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is marked by a slight fever that lasts for a few days and a cough that goes away after several weeks. In chronic bronchitis, a hacking cough along with discolored phlegm persists for several months and may disappear and recur.

What Causes It
Acute bronchitis frequently follows a cold or the flu, though it can also result from a bacterial infection or exposure to chemical fumes. Chronic bronchitis occurs when the lungs have been irritated for a long time. The primary cause of chronic bronchitis is cigarette smoking. People with long-term exposure to secondhand smoke, workers routinely exposed to chemical fumes and people with chronic allergies are also susceptible.

Symptoms

Acute bronchitis

• Cough that produces white, yellow or green phlegm.
• Fever (37.5°C or higher).
• Coarse breath sounds (called rhonchi) that change or disappear when coughing.
• Pain in the chest muscles from coughing.

Chronic bronchitis

• Persistent cough producing yellow, white or green phlegm for at least three months of the year for two consecutive years.
• Wheezing and breathlessness.
• Coughing during exertion, no matter how slight.

When to Call a Doctor

• If a persistent cough interferes with your sleep or compromises your daily activities.
• If mucus becomes darker or thicker or increases significantly in volume.
• If your temperature is higher than 37.5°C.
• If your breathing is becoming increasingly difficult or if you cough up blood.
• If your symptoms last more than 48 hours.
• Reminder: If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before taking supplements.

How Supplements can Help
There are supplements that can help to strengthen your body’s immune response and also stimulate its normal process of loosening and bringing up phlegm. The supplements for acute bronchitis should be taken only while you are ill. Those for chronic bronchitis require long-term use.

The following vitamins should be used daily Vitamin C is particularly helpful in fighting off viruses that attack the respiratory system. Take it with powerful antioxidants called flavonoids (or bioflavonoids) which are natural anti-inflammatory agents. Vitamin A is also important for the health of the immune system. In chrome bronchitis, both these vitamins assist in the healing of damaged lung tissue.

For an acute attack, drink horehound tea to help thin mucus secretions. Or use the herb slippery elm in place of horehound if you prefer. The herb fenugreek also thins mucus, and has been reported to reduce the recurrence rate of bronchitis.

The herbs echinacea and astragalus have antibacterial, antiviral and immune-strengthening properties. At the higher doses, they can be used to fight off acute bronchitis. For chronic or seasonal bronchitis, try taking the following herbs in rotation: echinacea (200mg twice a day), astragalus (200mg twice a day), pau d'arco (250mg twice a day), and 1500 mg of reishi mushrooms or 600mg of maitake mushrooms a day. Use one herb for one week, then switch to another; continue this cycle as long as needed.

What Else You Can Do

• Give up smoking - and avoid situations where others smoke.
• Dehydration can cause mucus to become thick and difficult to cough up. Drink plenty of fluids, such as diluted fruit juices and herbal teas.
• Don't use aerosol products (hair sprays, deodorants and insecticides), which can irritate airway passages.
• If you have chronic bronchitis, stay indoors when the air quality is poor.

Facts and Tips

• People suffering from bronchitis often have difficulty in breathing while they're eating. So try to avoid foods that are hard to chew, such as meats and raw vegetables. However, vegetable juices are excellent for this condition.
• Antihistamines and decongestants won't do anything to alleviate lung symptoms - and they may actually make your condition worse. That's because these drugs can dry up and thicken mucus, making it more difficult for you to cough it up.
• Only 10% of bronchitis cases are the result of a bacterial infection, so don't automatically assume you need antibiotics for this condition. Such drugs can reduce the body's levels of 'good' bacteria, and they can also make individual bacterial strains more resistant to the antibiotics themselves.