Bronchitis

Story at-a-glance

• Bronchitis is a disease that targets an important component of your breathing — the bronchial tubes or bronchi
• Bronchitis can be prevented by simply opting for a healthier lifestyle and eliminating certain factors that can either cause or increase your risk for this disease

Because of the hustle and bustle of their daily lives, most people fail to pay attention to a vital process that's happening in their bodies: their breathing. Peaceful and proper breathing serves many purposes, such as:1

Oxygenating the body	Replenishing the organs, cells and tissues	Stimulating energy production
Eliminating toxins	Boosting focus and concentration	Lessening stress, tension and anxiety
Increasing feelings of calmness and relaxation	Enhancing the immune system	Improving bowel function

Oxygen enters via the nose or mouth and goes into the larynx and then the trachea, the main passageway to the lungs.

The trachea is divided into the left and right bronchus, where smaller pathways like bronchi and bronchioles exist. These tubes then divide into smaller collections of air sacs called the alveoli, where the exchange of vital oxygen and waste carbon dioxide occurs.2

These air passageways are lined with special hairs called cilia that are coated with a sticky mucus. They are very important because they trap germs and other foreign particles that you may breathe in and sweep these all the way to your nose or mouth, where they are either swallowed, coughed or sneezed out of your body.3

To say that breathing is important to the maintenance and proper function of the body is a huge understatement — each step is vital to make sure that this system works well and you end up breathing properly to perform your daily tasks. Should there be a disturbance to the function of this respiratory process, you could become sick with any one of a number of airway diseases such as asthma or bronchitis.

Breaking Down Bronchitis

Bronchitis is a disease that targets an important component of your breathing — the bronchial tubes or bronchi. Having bronchitis means that these passageways are swollen or inflamed. The patient eventually finds it difficult to breathe in air and oxygen into the lungs, and develops high amounts of mucus or phlegm in these airways.4

Common symptoms of bronchitis include shortness of breath, coughing, mucus production (either clear, white, yellowish-gray or green), fatigue, slight fever and chills and chest discomfort.5 Viruses, such as those that could cause either a cold or flu, or certain bacteria strains are responsible for most cases of bronchitis.

However, if the patient is frequently exposed to lung irritants such as tobacco or cigarette smoke, dust, fumes, vapor or polluted air, this could lead to the onset of this disease.6 Patients can be diagnosed with either acute or chronic bronchitis.7

Don't Let Bronchitis Affect Your Body

Diseases that involve the respiratory system, like bronchitis, may seem like they will be inevitable at one point in life, but this is where people are mistaken. Bronchitis can be prevented by simply opting for a healthier lifestyle and eliminating certain factors that can either cause or increase your risk for this disease.

However, make sure to be on the lookout for conventional treatment protocols that may look like they're treating the disease, but are actually exposing you to further harm. Over-the-counter (OTC) anti-viral or pain-relieving drugs and antibiotics are typically prescribed to bronchitis patients, yet research has shown that these come with risky side effects.

These Bronchitis pages will provide you with the vital knowledge that you need. Learn more about what causes the disease, the symptoms that you should look out for, the best natural treatments to follow and how to prevent further cases from happening. Don't wait until it's too late — there is no better time to shield yourself from bronchitis than right now.