How to Treat Bronchitis

Bronchitis has several different treatment options but one thing that all patients must remember is that if the bronchitis steams from a viral infection, antibiotics will not cure the problem. In the majority of cases, bronchitis is a short-term condition that does not require any treatment besides medications to relieve the discomfort due to the symptoms.

For at home care without visiting a physician the best medications to use will help with fever and pain. The medications that will help with fever and pain include Acetaminophen like Feverall, Panadol, & Tylenol, aspirin, or ibuprofen such as Motrin, Nuprin, and Advil. For the cough, the over counter cough suppressants that are most commonly used include Robitussin, Breonesin, Mucinex, Benylin, Pertussin, Trocal, and Vicks 44.

With any illness where mucus is involved, it is always recommended that the patient drink plenty of fluids. The main reason this is true is that fever will cause the body to lose liquid quickly and the mucus will be easier to expel. Some individuals use a cool mist humidifier or vaporizer that will help with the irritation of the airways.

Rest and staying away from inhaled irritants is always a great way to aid in relieving some of the symptoms. If you smoke or in the house with a smoker, it is best to stay away from smoke as it can irritate the airways and cause more coughing.

Even if you wish to treat your bronchitis at home, you should visit your physician to ensure that you do not have a bacterial infection that brought on the bronchitis. Bacterial infections will need antibiotics in order to recover in the majority of cases.

Talking with your physician you may be prescribed different treatments or he/she may recommend different treatment according to the cause of bronchitis. Coughing is the number one symptom of bronchitis and is the symptom that in most cases will need some type of medication to control whether over the counter or prescription. For individuals that have severe coughing spells, your physician may prescribe a stronger cough suppressant. To aid in opening airways and decrease wheezing, bronchodilator inhalers are often prescribed.

For individuals with severe cases of chronic bronchitis physicians often prescribe oral or inhaled steroids. This will help reduce inflammation.

Remember if you have chronic bronchitis, you should not treat this on your. Individuals with this type of bronchitis are prone to infections and will need the expertise of a doctor to prescribe the correct medications and treatment. Do not take over the counter medications until you have spoken with your doctor. Your physician may prescribe a round of antibiotics that will aid in fighting any type of bacteria you may have and will also recommend that you quit smoking if you smoke. If you are overweight, the doctor will more than likely recommend a diet so as to lose weight so you do not add more strain on your heart. Patients with chronic bronchitis are normally prescribed with an anticholinergic bronchodilator, which aids in dilating the airways so the patient can breathe easier. In severe cases, the doctor often prescribes oxygen therapy, as the individual may not be able to transfer enough oxygen into the bloodstream.

Prevention

There may not be an exact way to prevent bronchitis as the majority of the times it develops after a viral infection. On the other hand, studies have shown that individuals that smoke, children around second hand smoke, and those that are repeatedly around air pollutants often develop more cases of bronchitis.