Acute Tracheobronchitis

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Tracheobronchitis

General characteristics of the disease

Tracheobronchitis is an inflammatory process that occurs in the bronchi, trachea or bronchioles. The disease is characterized by rapid spread with damage to the mucous membranes of organs. In most cases, tracheobronchitis, which is treated by competent, qualified specialists, completely disappears within a few weeks, after which the affected mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract is restored.

Allocate acute, allergic and chronic tracheobronchitis. The acute form is very rarely an independent disease. Most often, it follows one of the clinical stages of acute respiratory infections, measles, whooping cough, acute pneumonia, or typhoid fever.

As for the sources of infection, tracheobronchitis occurs due to infection by aerogenic, bronchogenic or hematogenous routes.

Acute tracheobronchitis is a diffuse inflammation of the mucous membrane of the trachea and other organs of the upper respiratory tract. Among the main causes of the disease, it is worth noting factors that reduce the body's resistance to the effects of an aggressive external environment and pathogens of respiratory diseases. Most often, acute tracheobronchitis is caused by viruses and bacteria: staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci. Also, the disease manifests itself after hypothermia, excessive smoking, alcohol consumption, deformities of the nasal cavity and chest.

If a person is diagnosed with acute tracheobronchitis, treatment should be carried out as soon as possible. Otherwise, the patient will face numerous complications in the form of bronchial obstruction, hyperemia, severe damage to the tissues of the walls of the bronchi.

Acute bronchitis symptoms:

soreness in the chest;
dry, tearful cough;
dry wheezing and hard breathing;
dyspnea;
severe pain in the lower chest, which is due to muscle strain as a result of constant coughing;
in severe forms of the disease, mucopurulent or purulent sputum may be released;
an increase in temperature, which remains high for several days.

In the case of bronchiole lesions, acute tracheobronchitis in children and adults proceeds with severe complications, often progressing into chronic tracheobronchitis.

If the patient has a painful cough with mucous and bloody sputum, as well as shortness of breath, reaching the point of suffocation, then with a fairly high probability it is possible to diagnose him with toxic-chemical tracheobronchitis. The symptoms of the disease are similar to those of a number of other upper respiratory tract diseases, so the patient's examination includes X-ray diagnostics and a blood test.

Allergic tracheobronchitis

Allergic tracheobronchitis, which must be treated only after the causes of the disease have been eliminated, is characterized by acute inflammatory infections of the upper respiratory tract. The causative agents are pneumococci, staphylococci, streptococci and other microorganisms. In addition, the onset and development of the disease is influenced by respiratory factors: damage to organs by industrial or chemical warfare agents, as well as some drugs (potassium bromide, potassium iodide).

Allergic tracheobronchitis - symptoms of the disease:

burning sensation, pain behind the breastbone;
dry cough, sometimes accompanied by mucous sputum;
general deterioration of a person's condition - weakness, lethargy, decreased appetite;
the temperature rise, however, in most cases it is quite insignificant;
the appearance and development of focal pneumonia.

Chronic tracheobronchitis

In the absence of timely treatment, acute or allergic forms of the disease flow into chronic tracheobronchitis. Treatment of patients is carried out against the background of periods of exacerbation and remission, it can be complicated by the development of concomitant diseases, in particular, chronic bronchitis.

Chronic tracheobronchitis manifests itself as hypertrophic or atrophic changes in the mucous membrane of the trachea, profuse coughing for at least 3 months a year, discharge of serous-purulent sputum, constant pain in the chest area.

Tracheobronchitis in children

As you know, children often get sick with ARVI. One of the complications of infections is tracheobronchitis. Predisposing factors for the development of the disease are also: congestion in the vessels of the lungs, rickets, immunodeficiency states, hypotrophy, a decrease in the protective properties of the tonsils.

Tracheobronchitis in children must be distinguished from laryngitis and viral infections of the upper respiratory tract. The most typical symptoms of the disease are attacks of dry cough (especially at night), the presence of dry and dry wheezing in the lungs when listening, a short-term increase in temperature and a general deterioration in the child's condition.

Tracheobronchitis - treatment and prognosis

In acute form, it is necessary to ventilate the room several times a day in order to prevent the patient from overheating. In the event that acute tracheobronchitis proceeds with complications, the patient is prescribed antibiotics (oxacillin, penicillin, methicillin). The most effective drugs released in the form of a spray, since they easily penetrate into the distant regions of the upper respiratory tract and are distributed over the entire area of the walls of the bronchi or trachea.

A mild course of the disease involves the abandonment of antibiotics in favor of sulfa drugs. Their dosage depends on the age and weight of the patient. As a rule, the course of treatment lasts no more than 6-7 days. It is also recommended to use adrenaline inhalation 1-2 times a day.

In some cases, tracheobronchitis leads to circulatory disorders. In such situations, the patient is shown intravenous administration of strophanthin, glucose solution or other cardiac drugs. If tracheobronchitis in children occurs with respiratory rhythm disturbances or apnea, they are prescribed cititon and lobelia. Medicines are given intravenously.

In severe forms of the disease, oxygen therapy is indicated for patients. For this procedure, special equipment is used, which at regular intervals introduces oxygen into the patient's body. In case of hyperthermia, the patient is additionally prescribed 1% solution of amidopyrine or aminazine. The use of antihistamines is acceptable. Hypothiazide is sometimes prescribed for infants to dehydrate. A certain positive effect arises from taking vitamins, especially ascorbic acid and B vitamins.

What if a person is diagnosed with allergic tracheobronchitis? Treatment in this case is carried out with the help of expectorants, alkaline inhalations, antihistamines, physiotherapy exercises, warm foot baths and traditional medicine.

For allergic and acute tracheobronchitis, the prognosis is usually favorable. The chronic form of the disease requires an integrated approach, and the effectiveness of treatment depends on the degree of damage to internal organs, the duration of the disease and a number of other factors.

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The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!