BRONCHITIS - A COMPLETE REVIEW WITH HOMOEOPATHIC APPROACH.

Abstract

Do you have a cold, chest discomfort and an irritating cough that may be lasting for weeks? If these symptoms sound familiar then you possibly have Bronchitis. This article review about causes, risk factors, different type, clinical presentation general management including some home remedies management and homoeopathic way of treatment of bronchitis. Homoeopathy treats the person as a whole. It means that homoeopathic treatment focuses on the patient as a person, as well as his pathological condition.

Introduction

Bronchitis is inflammation of the mucous membranes of the bronchi, the airways that carry airflow from the trachea into the lungs. Bronchitis can be divided into two categories, acute and chronic, Acute Bronchitis is caused by a virus that gives you common cold whereas in Chronic Bronchitis the air passages are continuously red, swollen, become narrow and clogged with mucus which makes it easier for bacteria to settle in the airways and become infected.

Acute bronchitis is characterized by the development of a cough, with or without the production of sputum, mucus that is expectorated(coughed up) from the respiratory tract. Acute bronchitis often occurs during the course of an acute viral illness such as the common cold or influenza. Viruses cause about 90% of cases of acute bronchitis, whereas bacteria account for fewer than 10%.

Chronic bronchitis, a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is characterized by the presence of a productive cough that lasts for three months or more per year for at least two years. Chronic bronchitis most often develops due to recurrent injury to the airways caused by inhaled irritants. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause, followed by air pollution and occupational exposure to irritants.

Protracted bacterial bronchitis is defined as a chronic wet cough, with a positive bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). It is usually caused by streptococcus  pneumoniae, haemophilus influenzae, or moraxella catarrhalis.

Causes of bronchitis:

- Allergy (environmental and industrial pollutants, pollen, etc.)

- Tobacco

- Infections (viral, bacterial, fungus

- Immunological

- Exposure to temperature changes (extreme cold, change from cold to heat and vise versa, etc.)

Clinical Manifestations

Cough is the most common symptom. The cough may be either dry (without mucus) or wet (with mucus), depending on the cause and severity. Allergic cough is often dry while infective cough has a tendency to have mucus production. The symptoms of Bronchitis may be listed as under:

• Cough (with or without mucus)
• Fever
• Chest pain,
• Difficulty in breathing. (dyspnea)
• Throat pain
• Nose congestion,
• Body ache, joint pain, tiredness (usually due to infection.)
• Abnormal sounds in the lungs called rales or other abnormal breathing sounds may be heard.

Investigation may include:

·         Chest x-ray

·         Lung function tests provide information that is useful for diagnosis and outlook.

·         Pulse oximetry helps determine the amount of oxygen in blood. This quick and painless test uses a device that is placed onto the end of our finger. Arterial blood gas is a more exact measurement of oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, but it requires a needle stick and is more painful.

·         Sputum samples may be taken to check for signs of inflammation or bacterial infection.

Recurrent or long lasting Bronchitis make vulnerable to recurrent respiratory infections and also promote lung complications. A few of the most common complications are:

·        Pneumonia is a viral, bacterial or fungal infection of the lungs where the air sacs get filled with pus and mucus preventing oxygen from reaching blood stream appropriately.

·        Emphysema is a condition when the lungs lose its elasticity due to troublesome breathing causing air to be trapped in the air sacs and impairing the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

·        Respiratory failure occurs when the body fluids become acidic and the lungs are unable to expel all the carbon dioxide that the body produces.

General Management

·        Stop smoking and also avoid second hand smoke.

·        Avoid triggers of attack such as dust, allergens, etc.

·        Avoid contact with persons who have Bronchitis.

·        Wash your hands more often.

·        Get lots of rest so your body has enough energy to fight the infection.

·        Drink plenty of water.

·        Try coughing up the mucus.

·        Eat a healthy diet.

Home remedies

·        ½ tsp. of Turmeric powder in ½ cup of warm milk is an effective home remedy for Bronchitis.

·        1 tsp. of raw onion juice in the morning has beneficial expectorant properties, it liquefies the mucus and prevents its further formation.

·        Include garlic in your diet, it is a natural antibiotic.

·        Hot towel application over the chest in 3 consecutive turns for 3 minutes each followed by one cold towel turn is very helpful in Acute as well as Chronic Bronchitis.

·        Honey has been used as medicine since ancient times. It’s prized for its antibacterial properties. But the main reason honey is a bronchitis sufferer’s friend is that it soothes irritated mucus membranes, and it’s a sweet addition to tea or warm lemon water.

·        Hot chili peppers, which contain capsaicin, may also ease congestion by thinning out mucus. 

·        Vitamin C intake like fresh orange juice or fresh lemonade is very helpful in preventing and hastening cure of respiratory infections.

·        Fresh air and outdoor exercises are essential for Bronchitis patients.

·        Inhaled steam is widely recommended for loosening mucus and relieving wheezing. You can use a warm-air humidifier or vaporizer, Adding a drop or two of an essential oil, like eucalyptus, to the mix can also help open up a clogged airway.

·        Swishing warm saline water in mouth and throat several times a day may help wash away excess mucus. Gargling may also help stave off future upper respiratory infections, like colds, which can progress to bronchitis.

HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT

Homoeopathy, the most efficient solution to conquering Bronchitis, is very successful in managing all the symptoms of Bronchitis, and as well plays a significant role in preventing further complications and improving the general health of the person. Homoeopathic approach concentrates on the body’s natural healing ability for a genuine cure of the condition. Homoeopathic treatment does not treat the disease itself, but is prescribed on the basis of physical, emotional and genetic make up that individualizes a person. The healing response is the most arduous but harmonized activity within the human physiology and often cannot be enhanced appreciably without a comprehensive natural Homeopathic approach.

Indicated Remedies	Indications
Antimonium tartaricum:	This remedy is indicated when the person has a feeling of wet mucus in the chest, and breathing makes a bubbly, rattling sound. The cough takes effort and is often not quite strong enough to bring the mucus up, although burping and spitting may be of help. The person may feel drowsy or dizzy, and feel better when lying on the right side or sitting up.
Bryonia:	This remedy is often indicated when a cough is dry and very painful. The person feels worse from any movement, and may even need to hold his or her sides or press against the chest to keep it still. The cough can make the stomach hurt, and digestion may be upset. A very dry mouth is common, and the person may be thirsty. A person who wants to be left alone when ill, and not talked to or disturbed, is likely to need Bryonia.
Belladonna:	Sudden, violent attack of dry cough, which comes in short bouts and causes redness of the face, a sensation of constriction in the throat, the cough is worse when lying down at night. These symptoms require urgent need of the said medicine. The dry cough usually disturbs sleep, it lessens with warm drinks and in a warm room, and there is a dislike for open air also.
Calcarea carbonica:	This remedy is often indicated forbronchitis after a cold. The cough can be troublesome and tickling, worse from lying down or stooping forward, worse from getting cold, and worse at night. Children may have fever, sweaty heads while sleeping, and be very tired. Adults may feel more chilly and have clammy hands and feet, breathing problems when walking up slopes or climbing stairs, and generally poor stamina
Causticum:	Bronchitis with a deep, hard, racking cough can indicate a need for this remedy. The person fees that mucus is stuck in the throat and upper chest, and may cough continually to try to loosen it. A feeling of rawness and soreness can develop, or a sensation as if a rock is stuck inside. Chills can occur along with fever. Exposure to cool air aggravates the cough, but drinking something cold can help. The person may feel worse when days are cold and clear, and better in wet weather.
Drosera :	The symptoms that confirm the use of medicine Drosera 30 can be mentioned as violent, dry, whooping cough in young persons, bouts of cough follow each other so rapidly that the child gets breathless, turns blue and sweats profusely.Sensation of a feather in the throat that excites cough, the cough is worse from talking, singing, when lying down. These can be said as the other symptoms. At night; the person desires to be in open air.
Dulcamara:	When a person easily gets ill after being wet and chilled (or when the weather changes from warm and dry to wet and cool) this remedy may be indicated. The cough can be tickly, hoarse, and loose, and worse from physical exertion. Tendencies toward allergies (cats, pollen, etc.) may increase the person’s susceptibility to bronchitis.
Hepar sulphuris:	The cough that fits this remedy is usually hoarse and rattling, with yellow mucus coming up. The person can be extremely sensitive to cold—even a minor draft or sticking an arm out from under the covers may set off jags of coughing. Cold food or drink can make things worse. A person who needs this remedy feels vulnerable both physically and emotionally, and may act extremely irritable and out of sorts.
Ipecacuanha :	when the person is suffering from various problems such as dry cough with wheezing and rattling in the chest and accompanied by nausea and vomiting, a bout of vomiting does not relieve nausea, long bouts of cough render the person breathless and blue in face, cough is worse in cold, dry weather i.e. winter but improves by warmth, and thirstlessness.
Kali bichromicum:	A metallic, brassy, hacking cough that starts with a troublesome tickling in the upper air-tubes and brings up strings of sticky yellow mucus can indicate this remedy. A sensation of coldness may be felt inside the chest, and coughing can lead to pain behind the breastbone or extending to the shoulders. Breathing may make a rattling sound when the person sleeps. Problems are typically worse in the early morning, after eating and drinking, and from exposure to open air. The person feels best just lying in bed and keeping warm.
Pulsatilla:	Bronchitis with a feeling of weight in the chest, and a cough with choking and gagging that brings up thick yellow mucus, may respond to this remedy. The cough tends to be dry and tight at night, and loose in the morning. The fever may be worse in the evening and at night. Feeling too warm or being in a stuffy room tends to make the person worse, and open air brings improvement. Thirst is usually low. A person who needs this remedy often is moody and emotional and wants attention and sympathy. (This remedy is often helpful to children who are tearful when not feeling well and want to be held and comforted.)
Silicea:	A person who needs this remedy can have bronchitis for weeks at a stretch, or even all winter long. The cough takes effort and may bring up yellow or greenish mucus, or little granules that have an offensive smell. Stitching pains may be felt in the back when the person is coughing. Chills are felt more than heat during fever, and the person is likely to sweat at night. A person who needs this remedy is usually sensitive and nervous, with low stamina, swollen lymph nodes, and poor resistance to infection.
Sulphur:	This remedy can be indicated when a person has had many bouts of bronchitis (sometimes the resistance has been weakened by taking antibiotics too often for minor complaints). The cough feels irritating, burning, and painful; yellow or greenish mucus may be produced. Problems can be worse if the person gets too warm in bed, and breathing problems at night may wake the person up. Redness of the eyes and mucous membranes, and foul-smelling breath and perspiration are often seen when a person needs this remedy.

Conclusion

Homoeopathic treatment will clear up the infection, alleviate inflammation in the air passages and relieve discomfort, pain and pressure caused by coughing by opening the airways in lungs and aid in loosening the bronchial secretions making elimination of mucus easier helping to breathe better and naturally. Its constitutional approach furthermore boosts up the immune system of the patient hence preventing recurring infections. Since Homoeopathic remedies treats in totality, it leads to a long-lasting cure, rather than a temporary suppression of symptoms. Since it is safe and gentle, devoid of all chemical toxicity, it is the ideal medicine for people of all ages, even the most sensitive like a newborn baby. Along with Homoeopathic medicines, the lifestyle, personal habits & food habits modification may be useful for treatment of patients with bronchitis.