Interesting Facts About Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is very common among people with respiratory conditions. This type of bronchitis can occur in anyone, at any age. Acute bronchitis usually accompanies flu or cold and in most cases it doesn’t need medical treatment. When acute bronchitis is caused by viruses, the illness can clear on itself within a few days. However, more serious forms of acute bronchitis may require specific medical treatment. If acute bronchitis is caused by infection with bacteria, an appropriate treatment with antibiotics is required for overcoming the illness.

Bronchitis causes inflammation, irritation and obstruction with mucus of the respiratory tract. The majority of patients who suffer from respiratory conditions are diagnosed with bronchitis. Bronchitis can be either acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis generates intense symptoms and evolves rapidly (has a short period of incubation), while chronic bronchitis generates moderate, time recidivating symptoms.

If acute bronchitis is caused by viruses, it doesn’t require medical treatment and usually ameliorates within a few days. Acute bronchitis generates symptoms like cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, chest soreness when breathing. When patients with acute bronchitis also have moderate or high fever, it is a sign of bacterial infection and therefore medical treatment with antibiotics is required. The presence of yellowish mucus in cough or spit can also point to infection with bacteria. If patients are coughing blood, it is a sign of complication (pneumonia) and immediate medical treatment is required.

Acute bronchitis doesn’t last more than a few weeks. However, patients with acute bronchitis can sometimes experience an aggravation of their symptoms in time or they can develop chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis is a form of bronchitis that generates less intense symptoms, but the illness can lead to serious complications in time. Unlike acute bronchitis, which can clear on itself in a short period of time, chronic bronchitis persists in time and needs ongoing medical treatment.

Acute bronchitis can be very difficult to diagnose. The symptoms it generates are also characteristic to many other respiratory conditions (asthma, allergies, sinusitis). Acute bronchitis can be effectively diagnosed only through the means of elaborate physical examinations and laboratory analyses.

If you suffer from acute bronchitis, it is advised to keep away from external irritants (dust, smoke, pollutants, chemicals), as they can aggravate the illness. If you have difficulty breathing, drink plenty of fluids (still mineral water, warm tea) and avoid taking left-over medicines! Self-medication can cause a lot of harm. Antibiotics shouldn’t be administered without the doctor’s permission and children shouldn’t take aspirin or anti-inflammatory medicines when suffering from acute bronchitis. Use air humidifiers and maintain a warm temperature in your bedroom. If you are a smoker, stop! Smoking can cause serious damage to the respiratory system and smokers who suffer from acute bronchitis are also susceptible to developing chronic bronchitis.

Allergies Or An Upper Respiratory Infection- Find Out Now

Many parents become confused about the proper way to treat a coughing, sneezing child, because colds and allergies often have overlapping symptoms. When in doubt, talk to your Austin, TX pediatrician who will know exactly what is causing your child’s symptoms, especially if they are persistent or worsen with time.

Cold and Upper Respiratory Infections

Colds, upper respiratory infection, and URIs are common terms used to describe viral illnesses that cause nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, fever, and cough. A fever will typically last for 2-3 days, and the cough with congestion and runny nose may last for 5-10 days. The typical preschool-age child may experience 6-10 colds per year. Most colds resolve on their own with rest and fluids, but some may lead to ear infections, sinus infections, asthma attacks, or other complications.

Caused by viruses, colds can be spread through a sneeze or cough. The virus may also be spread indirectly, through touching the hand of a healthy person, or even by using door handles with your hand you may have just sneezed or coughed into. Once the virus is present and multiplying, your child will develop the familiar symptoms and signs:
*Runny nose
*Sneezing
*Mild fever, particularly in the evening
*Decreased appetite
*Sore throat
*Cough
*On-and-off irritability
*Slightly swollen glands

What are Allergies?

Allergies are reactions that are usually caused by an overactive immune system and typically begin in childhood. These reactions can occur in a variety of organs in the body, resulting in diseases such as asthma, hay fever, and eczema. They are by far the most common chronic diseases among children in the United States, with approximately 50 million Americans experiencing some form of allergies – that’s about 1 in 5 people in this country! The most common type of allergy is hay fever, but many aspects of allergies, eczema and asthma are still not fully understood. However, with advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders, millions of sufferers are finding the help they need to relieve their symptoms.

The causes of allergies are not fully understood, but children get allergies when they come into contact with allergens. Allergens can be inhaled, eaten, injected, or they can come into contact with the skin. Some more common allergens include:

*Pollens
*Molds
*House dust mites
*Animal dander and salvia
*Chemicals used in industry
*Some foods and medicines
*Venom from insect stings

Although allergies can develop at any age, they most commonly develop during childhood or early adulthood.

If your child has a typical cold without complications, the symptoms should disappear on their own after seven to ten days. Your Austin pediatrician may want to see your child if symptoms do not improve and is not completely recovered within one week from the start of their illness.

Adhatoda Vasica -vasa Best Herb For Respiratory Disorders

ADHATODA VASICA
(VASA)

Botanical Name: Adhatoda vasica, Justicia adhatoda

Family: Acanthaceae

Common names: Adatodai, Arusa, Vasaka, Adulsa, Adathoda, Adalodakam, Adusoge, Lions Muzzle, Stallions Tooth

Vernacular names:
Hindi- Adusa, English- Malabar Nut, Punjabi- Vamsa, Marathi- Adulsa, Telugu- Addasaramu, Tamil- Eidhabad, Bengali- Bakas, Gujarati- Araduso
Synonyms: Atarusa, Bhisagatma, Vasika, Vrsa, Simhasya, Simhi

Classcal Categorization :
Caraka: Tikta skandha
Susruta: –
Vagbhata: Durvadigana

General Discription:
Adhatoda is a well known herb which have been used extensively in Ayurvedic Medicine for over 2000 years,mainly for respiratory disorders. It is also used for bleeding disorders and febrile illness.

Properties:
Rasa: Tikta, Kashaya
Guna: Ruksha, Laghu
Veerya: Shita
Vipaka: Kattu
Karma: Kapha-Pittahara, Hrdya, Svarya

Origin:
A small evergreen, sub-herbacious bush which grows commonly in open plains, especially in the lower Himalayas (up to 1300 meters above sea level), India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Malaysia. This plant is also cultivated in other tropical areas. It grows well in low moisture areas and dry soils.

Botanical description:

Adhatoda vasica is a small, evergreen, dense shrub with elliptic or lanceolate, acuminate leaves.
Flowers- are white in colour with streaked purple lower lip., deeply five lobed, stamens gre glabrous.
Fruits- four seeded small capsules.
Seeds- are glabrous.
The flowers and fruits of Vasa appear during Februray- May.

Parts Used: Leaves, Roots, Flowers and Stem bark are used for medicinal purposes.

Major Chemical Constituents:
The chief principle present in Vasa is the quinazoline alkaloid, Vasicine. This herb also contains several other alkaloids such as vasicinine, b-sitosterol, kaempferol, vasicinolone, vasicol, peganine etc.

Pharamacology:
The alakalois vasicine has bronchodilatory and antihistaminic properties. The Uterotonic stimulant activity and moderate hypotensive activity of the alkaloids have also been reported. The leaves are a rich source of vitamin C and carotene and yield an essential oil.Vasicine also exhibited strong respiratory stimulant activity and cardiac-depressant effect.

Indications:
Swasa (chronic bronchitis, asthma)
Kasa (cold, sore throat, cough, whooping cough)
Jwara
Chardi
Prameha
Kshaya (tuberculosis)
Pandu
Raktpitta
Pyorrhoea and in bleeding gums(local application)

Therapeutic uses:
Vasa is a Expectorant (an agent that promotes the discharge of mucous and secretions from the respiratory passages)

Bronchodilator, Antiasthmatic

An Antispasmodic (an agent which relieves or eases muscular spasms, cramps or convulsions)

Antitussive (an agent that relieves coughing)

Oxytocic (an agent that stimulates contraction of the uterine muscle, facilitating or speeding up childbirth)

Uterotonic (an agent that tones, strengthens and invigorates the uterus or the entire organism giving a feeling of well-being)

It acts as a sedative, a bronchial antiseptic and is used in treating other lung and bronchiole disorders.Adhatoda vasica has also been used to speed delivery during childbirth.

The flowers of vasa are Kapha-pitta hara thus these are useful in treating various respiratory disorders. It is used to control bleeding conditions like menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding), postpartum (after childbirth) hemorrhage and assists uterine involution.

The hypotensive activity of the alkaloids present in this herb are useful in lowering blood pressure and other pulmonary diseases. It also is useful in Dyspepsia, intermittent fever, typhus fever and also in local bleeding due to peptic ulcer and piles (hemorrhoids).

Large doses may cause
Diarrhoea
Irritation of the alimentary canal
Vomiting, in some people.

Dosage:
0.5-1.5g/day dried root
1-3mL/day fluid extract

Imporatant Preparations:

Vasavlehya : 6-12 g b.d.
Vasarishta : 15 ml t.i.d.
Vasasvarasa : 10-20 ml b.d.
Vasadigutika : 250-500 mg t.i.d.
Vasaghrita : 6-12 g b.d.
Vasakhanda : 6-12 g b.d

Indoor Air Pollution – It is not a Myth

If you were asked to name a region that contains an enormous amount of air pollution, what would come to mind? More than likely, you would think of heavily polluted metropolitan centers like Beijing or Los Angeles. Actually, you dont have to look at large scale cities to see significant pollution. This is because large quantities of air pollution already exist inside your own home. No, the pollution is not in the form of industrial chemicals. Common, average, everyday matter and items have the potential to create a home health hazard. That is why it is important to be on the lookout for problematic components that create a number of pollution related problems.

What common items can create a safety hazard inside the home? Believe it or not, something a seemingly benign as dust can create a hazard. If dust collects to the point its presence is so thick, the occupants are ingesting it when they breathe, something must be done as soon as possible. It is never a good thing to inhale pollutants. When collected in high enough volumes, the presence of dust in the air is not good for the occupants safety.

Mold is another problem that presents itself when without warning. Even if you clean your kitchen or bathroom regularly, mold may collect in small quantities. If you are not thorough in cleaning these rooms, a huge mold outbreak can occur. Much like dust, mold can present a number of respiratory hazards when its presence reaches high enough volumes. So, when cleaning the rooms is not enough, it becomes necessary to purchase a humidifier to completely rid the room of said mold.

And, yes, anytime you have chemicals in your home you will experience the risk of ingesting polluted air. Now, when people hear about chemical pollutants, they will assume you are referring to extremely potent and powerful pollutants. Well, have you varnished a table and now discovered the aroma of varnish vapors are in the air? Perhaps you have used bleach or ammonia to clean a room. Do you sense the acrid smell of these liquids? Is so, the air you are inhaling may be rife with impurities. Yes, air pollution can develop from any foreign substance that enters the air. There are many common household chemicals that can corrupt the air you breathe. Thats why you have to be very aware of their presence and air out a room when it gets to thick.

Learn The Facts Of The Human Respiratory System And The Importance Of Oxygen

The body’s breathing system is known as the respiratory system and is most likely the most vital system within the body. When operating correctly it provides us with the oxygen we must have to survive and removes the carbon dioxide we simply do not need.

The human body can go without any food for weeks, without water for days – but without any oxygen from the air we breathe we cannot last more than a couple of minutes.

Of all the muscles in the body, the muscles we use to breathe are the only ones over which we have dual management; that is, they can work both automatically and voluntarily.

When enough air has been inhaled successfully the muscles and diaphragm rest and the air is exhaled as the lungs tighten. Then the diaphragm contracts once more and the cycle starts again.

When the air passes through the nose it enters the trachea and also the bronchi, Which are small airways that run through every lung.These bronchi turn smaller and smaller, eventually taking the shape of bronchioles, which finish as small air sacs known as alveoli. The alveoli are connected to blood capillaries, which switch over oxygen and carbon dioxide at a really fast rate.

On average we take about twelve breaths per minute, and that rate is controlled by the body consistent with its desires at a particular purpose in time. If there is too much carbon dioxide and very little oxygen, the rate of breathing will increase and the body can gulp or gasp for air.

This could, as an example, occur during strenuous exercise, an asthma attack, or in fright. When the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide come back to normal, breathing returns to its normal rate. Breathing problems are very serious and it is imperative to treat them as soon as possible.

Understanding The Respiratory Alkalosis

Respiratory alkalosis will be the mild temporary condition or even the chronic disorder because of illness. It will involve the excessive alkalinity in your body; it means that the blood pH of the person will be elevated above the regular levels as the carbon dioxide levels will be reduced.

Here is more information for you. By reading the following information, you will understand the definition of this respiratory. This is really important for you since the health of your family will be the first priority of your life. By understanding many kinds of the disease that will be danger for your family, you can prevent of being suffering from those diseases. You can also find information that is related to this disease.
The Symptoms

Symptom of this respiratory may include the dizziness, lightheadedness and also numbness of the hands and also feet.

The Hyperventilation

Most of people generally think of the respiratory alkalosis as connected to the hyperventilating from anxiety, where an individual may breathe into the paper bag to inhale the carbon dioxide and also re-adjust the pH level of the blood.

The Illness

The lung disease just like pneumonia, asthma, and also chronic bronchitis will cause this respiratory because of the shortness of breath. The respiratory alkalosis also may be caused by fever.

The Considerations

Most people rarely experience this respiratory that will be life-threatening. However, the life-threatening conditions may cause this respiratory.

The Chronic Respiratory Alkalosis

Some ill people usually have the chronic respiratory alkalosis, but the symptoms will be not intense because the kidneys and also cells begin compensating for the pH change.

Allergy Effects On The Kidneys, Respiratory System And Stomach

The kidneys:

The two kidneys are responsible for many vital functions. Briefly, they perform the complex task of extracting from the blood, used up proteins, minerals and other elements making up the toxic waste of the metabolic process. This residual material, together with waste water, is then passed in the form of urine, through to the bladder before being finally expelled from the body.

Allergy-caused overloading may cause the liver to deteriorate and lose its capacity to cope fully with its detoxifying duties. As a result, the toxins, left to circulate in the blood, will poison the body and cause damage to the kidneys. Recent studies have shown that kidney failure can be caused by overloading with food toxins. Since undetected food allergies are known to overload the body with toxins, it follows that the kidneys will indeed suffer and may become a ‘target’ organ.

The respiratory system:

The respiratory system comprises the trachea (windpipe), the bronchials and the lungs. Air that we breathe passes through the trachea and bronchials into the lungs where it is used to oxygenate the blood. At the same time, carbon dioxide is extracted from the blood and expelled from the lungs into the atmosphere.

Victims of ecological allergies invariably suffer from chemical as well as food intolerances. Some of the more common chemical allergens are the hydrocarbon products, such as petrol and diesel fumes, pressure pack propellants, etc. When these substances are inhaled into the lungs they are absorbed along with oxygen into the bloodstream. To the allergic person, this ingestion through the lungs sets up the same allergic process as an allergy reaction, caused by eating an allergenic food. Consequently, the person becomes ill but often does not realize the cause, since chemical allergies, like food allergies, can be masked, with resultant symptoms that are seemingly unrelated to the chemicals concerned.

An example of food allergies causing respiratory symptoms is found ‘in a report from Dr Elmer Cranton, of Virginia, who says that recurrent coughs are due to food allergies, not colds. This view was also recently supported by the British Medical Journal. Dr Cranton said that the most likely causes were dairy products, yeast, wheat products, eggs and citrus fruit. He has found with people allergic to these foods, that once they have been removed from the diet, the coughing stops.

Milk and milk products are one of the commonest causes of food allergies. Often, the reaction is a general tendency for excessive mucus to form in the nasal and other respiratory passages. This, in turn, can lead to constant colds, sore throats, nasal catarrh and asthma – all by-products of an ongoing and debilitating food allergy.

The stomach:

The stomach is a simple, bag-like organ and is part of the alimentary canal. It lies between the esophagus and the small intestine. The upper end of the stomach connects with the esophagus, whilst the lower end opens into the doudenum, which is the upper part of the small intestine. The stomach serves as a storage place for food, enabling a large meal to be eaten at one time. It also produces hydrochloric acid and the enzyme pepsin, to digest the food partially.

There are a number of different foods that will irritate the mucous membrane lining the stomach. Highly spiced foods, extremely hot foods and alcoholic drinks can cause ulcers to develop in the stomach or duodenum. Another cause of stomach ulcers can be the regular ingestion of foods to which the person is allergic. It is interesting to note, that the Japanese have the highest rate of stomach cancer in the world, due to the high salt content in their diet.

Coshh And Respiratory Sensitisers

Breathing in substances called respiratory sensitisers at work can cause occupational asthma.

A respiratory sensitiser is a substance which when inhaled can bring on an irreversible allergic reaction in the respiratory system. Once a sensitisation reaction occurs, continued exposure to the substance will produce symptoms.

Sensitisation does not usually take place right away but can happen after several months or even years of breathing in the sensitiser.

Substances responsible for most cases of occupational asthma include the following:-

Substance Groups & their Common Activities

Isocyanates:Vehicle spray painting;foam manufacturing

Flour/grain/hay:Handling grain at docks;milling, malting, baking

Glutaraldehyde:Disinfecting instruments

Wood dusts:Sawmilling, woodworking

Electronic Soldering Flux:soldering

Latex:Laboratory animal work

Some glues/resins:Curing of epoxy resins

The symptoms of respiratory sensitisation are:

– asthma – attacks of coughing, breathlessness and tightness of the chest

– rhinitis and conjunctivitis – runny or stuffy nose and watery or prickly eyes

Once a person is sensitised, symptoms can occur either immediately they are exposed to the sensitiser or several hours later. If the symptoms are delayed, they are often most severe in the evenings or during the night, so workers may not realise it is work that is causing the problem.

– If exposure to the substance continues, this can result in permanent damage to the lungs. People with rhinitis may go on to develop asthma.

– Respiratory sensitisers are regulated by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health(CoSHH).

CoSHH guidelines recommend an assessment of the risks created by work which are liable to expose employees to respiratory sensitisers.

First, find out whether there is an activity or process in your workplace which uses or creates respiratory sensitisers.

If this is the case, then ask the following:

– Is the sensitiser likely to become airborne in use?

– Are there safer alternatives?

– Who is likely to be exposed, to what concentrations, for how long and how often?

According to CoSHH regulations, exposure must be prevented or controlled. To do this you will need to think about how you can:

– Stop using the sensitiser altogether perhaps by replacing it with a less harmful substance;

or if this is not reasonably practicable;

– Segregate work that may pose a risk; or totally end the process;

or if this is not reasonably practicable;

– Partially enclose the process and provide local exhaust ventilation.

If after carrying out the above you still have not achieved adequate control you will also need to use respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

Unless you are confident that your CoSHH assessment shows that there is an unlikely risk to your health, then a system of health surveillance will need to be set up if employees are exposed to respiratory sensitisers.

If health surveillance makes you suspect an employee has become sensitised you should:

– Remove the individual from working with the sensitiser and advise them to consult a doctor giving information on the work they do and the substances they may have been breathing in;

– Review your CoSHH assessment and existing control measures and make any necessary changes.

If employees are exposed to respiratory sensitisers then employers have a legal duty to inform, instruct and train them so that they know and understand:

– The risks to health;

– The symptoms of sensitisation

– The significance of reporting even possibly minor symptoms at an early stage;

– The proper use of control measures;

– The need to report promptly any failures in control measures

Baby Respiratory System Problems.

It is important to realize that the “mucus” that newborns so often gag on is not the same mucus that drips from noses or is hawked out of bronchial trees. Newborn mucus isn’t even reallymucus. It doesn’t come from mucous glands. Its chemical makeup is entirely different from the soft of mucus that discharges from the glands in our respiratory, intestinal, and reproductive tracts. Newborn mucus is a unique fluid that’s either secreted from the fetal lung alone or is a blend of amniotic fluid and fetal lung secretion. Before the baby takes his first breath, his lungs are filled with this juice. The full-termer arrives with about 80 to 100 milliliters of it in his lungs. As soon as the baby is born, this mucus must make way for air. Most of it is absorbed into the baby’s veins and the lymph channels of his lungs.

Up to 20 milliliters of the mucus is expressed through the baby’s nose and mouth by the squeezing of his chest as he passes through the birth canal. This gets suctioned out while the baby is still in the delivery room, often before the baby is fully delivered. The mucus that didn’t get high enough to get suctioned, and didn’t get absorbed into the lungs’ veins, is eliminated during the first week of life. The lining of the baby’s respiratory tree sweeps the mucus upward toward the mouth. Once it gets there, the infant swallows some, gags on some, and some ends up in your lap. Whatever the route of disposal, once it’s gone, no more is produced and that’s the end of the mucus.

SQUEAKY BREATHING (Congenital Stridor)
Some babies squeak when they inhale. If that sound came from your car, you would probably reach for a can of oil. If it came from your baby, read on. Doctors describe babies who produce a sound when they inhale as having congenital stridor (congenital means present at birth; stridor is harsh sound). Seventy-five percent of babies with congenital stridor also have laryngomalacia (the larynx is the voice box; malaria means softening). Doctors can recognize the great majority of laryngomalacia cases simply by the sound. Roughly one fifth aren’t obvious until a specialist looks at the voice box.

Babies with laryngomalacia produce a high-pitched, fluttery, staccato sound as they inhale. It’s loudest when the baby is excited, feeding, or lying on his back, and it may not happen with every breath, Despite the squeak, a baby with laryngomalacia has a strong voice, his color is good, and he has no special feeding difficulties. If he catches a cold the mucus and swelling may aggravate things, and he needs to be watched a bit closer than the baby who doesn’t squeak. A baby’s very first breath can produce a squeak, or the sound may not start until he’s six months old. Squeaks usually stop before the second birthday, but some babies squeak until they’re five. If a specialist looks at the baby’s larynx, she will see an epiglottis that buckles when the baby breathes in, a thick wall of cartilage that caves in, or both. She’ll tell you that, as the baby gets older, the voice box will become more rigid and the sounds will stop. She’ll be right, of course.

How to Protect the Respiratory Tract

Bacteria invade human respiratory tract, the first is through the nasal mucosa, so drink plenty of water, so that to keep nasal mucosa moist, help to effectively resist the invasion of viruses and bacteria. Meanwhile, in the daily diet should eat more chicken, fish, meat, eggs, soy products and fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts and other high-protein, high vitamins, trace elements and high gentle, easily digestible food. And also no smoking, no drinking, do not eat spicy food, can also reduce the stimulation of the respiratory tract, to protect and enhance the natural immune function.

Develop good health habits is the key to prevention of infectious diseases in spring. You must develop the habits to wash hands before meals and after sneezing and coughing. If you cannot immediately wash your hands, you can disinfectant both hands with a disinfectant wipe.

Experts said the nose diseases, sputum and other respiratory secretions of patients with respiratory contain large quantities of pathogens; can be transmitted through hand contact with secretions of a healthy person. Therefore, we should pay more attention to hand hygiene. Meanwhile, we should do frequently changes clothes, do not eat unclean food, refused to eat raw seafood and meat, do not drink unboiled water.

In the spring, children, the elderly, pregnant women and other weaker constitution people should be minimal to public places. To keep the office and home ventilation, regular cleaning indoors to keep clean and tidy. You can also display a number of green plants, which can play a role in regulating the indoor air environment. But you’d better not put flowers indoors, especially those with allergies to prevent induced skin allergy, asthma and other allergic diseases.

Speaking of air circulation, it’s not to say that everyone no matter what the weather outside, we must open the window ventilation. In rainy days, open windows and doors will increase the moisture inside and easier to breed bacteria.

Many people, especially young people, when they catch cold, they often think that they can carry over. Sometimes is the case, drink plenty of water, adequate rest, about a week, cold symptoms will eased on its own.