Author: Dr. Jyoti / 14/12/2019 10:40:40 AM

Do you have a stubborn cough and continuous sneezing that don’t go away? It may just be a more serious respiratory disease called bronchitis. The meaning of the disease is hidden in its name. Bronchi refer to large and medium-sized airways in the lungs. The word ‘itis’ refers to inflammation and hence goes the definition of bronchitis, ‘inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs that causes coughing’.

According to the time period for which it lasts, bronchitis has been classified into the following types:

• Acute Bronchitis: If you are affected with acute bronchitis, your cough would last for three weeks. More commonly, it is known as chest cold and 9 out of 10 times it is due to a viral infection. Some cases can also be caused by a bacterial infection such as Mycoplasma pneumonia or Bordetella pertussis.
   
• Chronic Bronchitis: The cough due to chronic bronchitis produces sputum. This productive cough shall last for three months or more every year for at least two years to be classified as chronic bronchitis.

Bronchitis is a communicable disease and there are different ways in which you can come in contact with the disease causing pathogens. These are:

• You need to come in direct contact with a patient!
  If it is a viral infection of acute bronchitis, you can get it through direct contact with the affected person. The virus can also reach you by travelling through air.
   
• If you are exposed to tobacco smoke!
  Smoking is very important if you want to suffer from chronic bronchitis and worsen your acute bronchitis. Yes, you read that correctly as sarcasm. Tobacco smoke acts as an irritant to your lungs and respiratory airway. Over time, tobacco smoke can cause permanent damage to the bronchi. This causes them to become permanently inflamed.
   
• You have low resistance!
  Another factor which can make you suffer from bronchitis is low resistance.  If you had already suffered from a chronic illness that compromised your immune system, you are more likely to suffer from bronchitis too.
   
• If you are exposed to respiratory irritants on job!
  Exposure to grains, textiles or chemical fumes on your job increases risk of suffering from bronchitis. These act as lung irritants and make your airways, including bronchi, inflamed.
   
• If you suffer from gastric reflux!
  Repeated bouts of severe heartburn can irritate your throat and can make you more prone to developing bronchitis.
   
• If you live in pollution and dust!
  Both, dust and pollution decrease the capability of your immune system to fight back and also irritate your airways. This makes the base for bronchitis.

By reading till here, you definitely know what NOT TO DO if you do not want to become a victim of bronchitis. As we look at the symptomatic sphere, we find that a patient of bronchitis can suffer from cough with production of mucus. The mucus can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in colour. The produced mucus may also be streaked with blood.

Being affected by bronchitis also makes your body weak and causes chronic fatigue. It gives way to other infections and your immune system is compromised.  Shortness of breath and wheezing can also be observed as one finds it difficult to breathe and gasps for a breath at certain times. Chest discomfort also troubles the affected patients.

Due to the infection and inflammation in bronchi, the body also suffers from slight fever and chills. If acute bronchitis is not managed within time, it may proceed to pneumonia. Repeated bouts of bronchitis may indicate that you have COPD i.e. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is an umbrella term for progressive lung diseases including emphysema, chronic bronchitis and refractory asthma.

To prevent and manage bronchitis, it is important to give herbal help to your lungs and respiratory tract which also improves your resistance against infections and diseases at the same time. Ensure that the herbs you take are pure in quality and potent in action. Providing you with such ready-made Ayurvedic combinations are the following products:

• Daily Strength Juice:
  Offering prevention and relief from cough, mucus production, inflammation of bronchi, fever and chills is a combination of tulsi, aloe vera and curcumin. Curcumin increases antioxidant activity, provides anti-inflammatory action, reduces irritation and boosts your immunity. It reduces mucus hypersecretion. Curcumin is also protective against lung cancer. Tulsi relieves allergic bronchitis, asthma and other lung diseases in lesser time. It heals damage caused by pollution, smoking and tuberculosis and can prevent lung cancer. Aloe vera soothes the inflamed airways and provides nutrients for improving immunity.
   
• Daily Boost Tea:
  A warm cup of herbal curcumin tea is always soothing in bronchitis. The composition of Daily Boost Tea is apt to strengthen the respiratory tract. Assam green tea, ginger, liquorice, cinnamon, clove buds, cardamom pods, long pepper, nutmeg and curcumin can reduce inflammation in bronchi and lungs and can make breathing easier for the patient. Over time, both these products can decrease dependency over conventional medicines.
   

A little expectoration is a good thing to cleanse your airways and lungs. Expectorating and coughing all the time aren’t. Dive in the benefits of herbs to prevent the onslaught of bronchitis.