Treatment of Bronchitis For Older People

Maybe you have heard about bronchitis maybe not. But regardless, this condition is becoming almost as common as coughs and colds. While not generally dangerous or fatal, without proper medical attention bronchitis can damage your respiratory system just enough so that other, more severe respiratory ailments can set it (think asthma or pneumonia).

For older people bronchitis can be a real pain in the neck as the frequent and chronic coughing it presents can be painful. Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tree which serves as the filtration system of the lungs. When the bronchial tubes are inflamed the filtering process is compromised making you more sensitive to irritants and thereby further inflammation and irritation. Bronchitis can be caused by the development of common respiratory ailments like the flu or cold, bacteria, smoking, and continuous exposure to certain chemicals whether household or industrial.

Bronchitis is further broken down into two categories namely; chronic and acute. While the treatment for acute bronchitis takes nothing more than the usual care for common respiratory illnesses which includes plenty of rest, lots of fluids, over the counter decongestants and others, chronic bronchitis on the other hand poses more of a problem. As of the moment individuals diagnosed with chronic bronchitis will find it somewhat difficult to cure their condition because there is either limited solutions or none actually exists.

Conventional medication as of the moment has no cure to offer to individuals. The only methods will be in the alleviation of the condition and prevention of further damage to the lungs. So basically this is simply saying that for those who are diagnosed with bronchitis (chronic to be exact), prevention would be the way to go. Taking simple steps like cleaning the house to prevent build-up of dust, bringing a face mask along when going out, and having your yearly flu shots can minimize the chances of worsening your condition thereby giving your natural immune system time to recover and handle the condition better in the future.

The main issue when it comes to bronchitis is with misinformation. The chances where bronchitis can be caused by bacteria is somewhere in the range of 5% or lower which simply means that antibiotics are not the solution to the problem. On the other hand, doctors are warning patients over the misuse or overuse of antibiotics to take care of bronchitis as it can make way for stronger strains of bacteria to manifest.

Remember, bronchitis can be managed and not everything will be dependent on your medication. You will need to take personal steps in order to make sure that your condition is well controlled and managed so that further damage can be prevented.