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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Bronchitus Symptoms
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This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Bronchitus Symptoms
by tjjakdm07, Dec 16, 2004 12:00AM
I pose this question for my father as he has no access to a computer and this wonderful and supportive website. My father is a lung cancer survivor having had a portion of his right lung removed about 7 years ago. The problem is that he currently suffers from bronchitus (bronchitis). In addition to the white,yellow, and greenish mucus he coughs up it appears there is a little blood in the mucous too. This has been going on for a couple of years now and it breaks his spirit because he thinks his cancer has returned. I have visited many websites on broncitus and searched for the symptom of the blood in the mucous but have had no success. He has run this additional symptom by his physician and has had negative X-rays for cancer. The doctor continues to assert that the blood in nothing to be worried about as it in all probability a result of the bronchitus (bronchitis). Is the doctor's assumption correct and can you advise on an herbal treatment so that he won't have to continue to take antibiotics. Your advise would be deeply appreciated. Thankyou.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Dec 23, 2004 12:00AM
, Dec 23, 2004 12:00AM
After 7 years without recurrence of the lung cancer, your father is probably cured.
Bronchitis is swelling and inflammation in the airways of the lungs. Symptoms can include cough with mucus, chest discomfort, fever, and/or extreme tiredness. It is often, but not always, caused by an infection, which can be due to bacteria or a virus.
Chronic bronchitis is a cough with mucus that lasts for at least 3 months in a row 2 years in a row. The chest x-ray and spirometry may be normal with chronic bronchitis. Most instances of chronic bronchitis are due to cigarette smoking. However people who have not smoked may get chronic bronchitis from repeated exposure to high air pollution or from work exposures, especially when there is a family history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
There can be irritation in the airways of your lungs with either bronchitis or chronic bronchitis. This irritation can cause some blood to leak from the blood vessels that are close to the surface of the inside of the airways. This may appear as a little blood in the mucus. This is often referred to as blood streaking.
Even though your father is coughing up mucus, a lot of mucus could still be in his lungs. This creates an environment that is ideal for germs to grow and allow infections to fester. Assuming that your father is taking antibiotics to treat bacterial lung infections the goal would be to decrease their frequency and severity. One way of doing this is to clear more of the mucus from his lungs. Your dad should talk with his doctor to see if the routine use of a mucus clearance device would help him to do this. This is a small device that he would exhale into causing a vibration in his lungs that loosen mucus so that he can cough it up easier. The names of 2 types of devices are Acapella and Flutter Valve.
Bronchitis is swelling and inflammation in the airways of the lungs. Symptoms can include cough with mucus, chest discomfort, fever, and/or extreme tiredness. It is often, but not always, caused by an infection, which can be due to bacteria or a virus.
Chronic bronchitis is a cough with mucus that lasts for at least 3 months in a row 2 years in a row. The chest x-ray and spirometry may be normal with chronic bronchitis. Most instances of chronic bronchitis are due to cigarette smoking. However people who have not smoked may get chronic bronchitis from repeated exposure to high air pollution or from work exposures, especially when there is a family history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This is a combination of chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
There can be irritation in the airways of your lungs with either bronchitis or chronic bronchitis. This irritation can cause some blood to leak from the blood vessels that are close to the surface of the inside of the airways. This may appear as a little blood in the mucus. This is often referred to as blood streaking.
Even though your father is coughing up mucus, a lot of mucus could still be in his lungs. This creates an environment that is ideal for germs to grow and allow infections to fester. Assuming that your father is taking antibiotics to treat bacterial lung infections the goal would be to decrease their frequency and severity. One way of doing this is to clear more of the mucus from his lungs. Your dad should talk with his doctor to see if the routine use of a mucus clearance device would help him to do this. This is a small device that he would exhale into causing a vibration in his lungs that loosen mucus so that he can cough it up easier. The names of 2 types of devices are Acapella and Flutter Valve.
I have brochitis like symptoms now several times over the course of 3 years. Always following a severe cold or flu. The cough lasts for 4 mo to over a year episodes. The coughing attacks last from 1-3 minutes and are exausting. I can not function for more than 2 hours with out resting. I breathe very shallow and hold my breath as not to Cough. I have been to the Dr and lung specialist and they state that it MIGHT be asthma, but will not confirm it. All my tests come back normal. I am so worn out again. The last bout I had to quit my job and could not work for 9 months. I don't what this to happen again. Any help. No medications have helped. It seems I have tried them all.
jkg