Bronchitis

What is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a medical term for a condition in which the bronchial tubes are inflamed.

Bronchial tubes are nothing but a passage that carries air to lungs. It triggers regular phases of cough that usually brings up mucus. Bronchitis usually causes breathlessness, fever, wheezing, and congestion in the chest. There are two broad types of bronchitis. Those are acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD. Constant coughing produces mucus, which hinders regular breathing and further leads to breathlessness. The primary cause of bronchitis is the habit of cigarette smoking. Other causes of bronchitis include being constantly exposed to air pollution, industrial fumes, prolonged exposure to dust, and dirt.

Chronic bronchitis is a long-term medical condition occurs repeatedly. To diagnose and affirm chronic bronchitis, your medical health practitioner will look at your signs and symptoms.

Bronchitis Symptoms

• Listed below are the symptoms and signs of both chronic and acute bronchitis. Those are as follows:

• Tightness in chest
• Determined cough, which at times may produce mucus
• Wheezing
• Low fever and chills
• Severe body aches
• Constant or irregular sore throat
• Breathlessness
• Headaches for a prolonged time
• Blocked nose and episodes of sinusitis

However, one of the prime symptoms of an acute type of bronchitis is a cough that lasts for a phase of many weeks. At times, it can go on until many months, depending upon the time taken by bronchial tubes to heal completely. Note that a persistent cough could also be a sign of pneumonia or asthma.

Bronchitis Diagnosis

When you visit your medical health practitioner to get your condition diagnosed and examined, be ready to answer the following questions. Also, make sure to explain your symptoms in detail for your doctor to test you better.

How long have you had your cough and how persistent it is?

Do you discharge mucus while coughing?

Are you discharging blood in your sputum?

Do you suffer chest tightness and have prolonged fever?

What are the other symptoms?

Do you wheeze sometimes?

Are you finding it difficult to hold your breath?

Do you remember being around people who had the same types of symptoms?

Once you are able to answer these basic yet important questions, your doctor will be able to help you better.

Bronchitis Treatment and cost in India

People usually get astonished when medical practitioners recommend them to take rest and consume a lot of fluids. Proper rest and staying hydrated usually works wonders and makes the cough disappear sooner.

Other treatments might include:

• Sitting in a warm and steamy bathroom and sleeping close to a humidifier.
• Bronchodilators - These are the medicines that doctor prescribe you to inhale in order clear your blocked airways.
• If your healthcare practitioner thinks the cause of your bronchitis is bacteria, you might get a prescription for antibiotics.

Treatment cost of bronchitis in India varies on the cause of bronchitis, severity, and type of bronchitis.  In addition, the cost of treatment depends on the doctor or hospital you visit.

Health Insurance in India

With private hospitalization costs soaring high with every passing day, purchasing a suitable health insurance plan for covering yourself and your family is a both crucial and mainly cost-saving decision. The cost of the overall medical care has risen, especially in the private sector.

In times of illness, hospitalization can burn a hole in your pockets and take a dig at your savings. The situation gets worse when an earning person of the home falls sick. Well, all of this can be quickly taken care of by purchasing a health insurance policy by paying a small amount of annual premium. Also, the insurance policies are cheap, so that saves your money as well and makes it a compelling option.

A decent health insurance policy shall cover expenditures made towards consultation fees of the doctor, expenses towards expensive medical tests, ambulance charges, pre and post hospitalization recovery costs to an extent. You can also enjoy the benefits of cashless treatment at a range of hospitals across India.

Other Diseases in India

Tedious work-life balance, fast-paced life, and improper diet are some of the few reasons behind the rise of diseases in India. The ever-working and mismanaged life in India has made India a host to various diseases.

Some of those diseases are:

• Respiratory problems
• Mental stress
• Digestive issues
• Gastro-intestinal disorders
• Cardiovascular diseases
•  Malignant tumours and cancer.