Chronic bronchitis (Treatment)
This post is also available in: हिन्दी (Hindi)
How to treat chronic bronchitis:
• Cessation of smoking as it improves the mucociliary function with decrease in the hyperplasia of the goblet cells.
• Including Pulmonary rehabilitation like chest physiotherapy, flutter valve and high frequency chest wall oscillators since they augment the shear stress to improve the mucociliary clearance.
• Expectorants
• Mucolytics (dornase alpha, hypertonic saline) they rehydrate the airway and cause hydrolysis of the mucus DNA.
• Methylxanthines, Short & long acting b-adrenergic receptor agonist as they increase ciliary beat frequency with increase in airway luminal diameter and increase mucosal hydration hence help in decreasing the mucosal viscosity
• Anticholinergics cause decrease in mucus production.
• Glucocorticoids and Phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors, they reduce lung inflammation and help in restoring the pulmonary functioning.
• Anti-oxidants help in breaking down the mucin and decrease its production.
• Macrolides as they reduce inflammation and goblet cell secretions.
• Oxygen therapy help since its difficult for individual to breath on their own. Devices like oxygen concentrators are available for those who need portable home oxygen machines.
• Lung reduction surgery where small wedges of damage lung parenchyma is removed, recommended in few of patients.
Remedies:
• Getting good sleep overcomes the fatigue caused by chronic bronchitis and helps in repairing the damaged tissues. One should try sleeping with head raised by use of pillows since this facilities a smooth breathing process and helps in clearing the mucus.
• Drinking loads of fluid to prevent dehydration which can lead to dry throat and mouth, headache, dizziness and confusion. It also helps to loosen up the nasal mucosal secretions and reduces viscosity of the mucus produced.
• Using a humidifier, symptoms are seen to get exacerbation in cold temperate and low humid air hence heated humidified air helps in loosing up and draining out the mucus.
• Using honey and lemon vs cough suppressants/ expectorants in initial stages.
• Pursed lip breathing technique where more quantity of air is let in and out and has shown to slow down the pace of breathing hence controls shortness of breath.
• Balanced healthy diet, taking nutrition and dietary supplements in speedy recovery and prevents infections.
• Dry ginger, long pepper and black pepper grinded to powder form taken along with honey, 3 times/day. This mixture has a highly anti-inflammatory action.
• Tomato soup with freshly grounded black pepper on the top they help in reduction of excessive mucus production
• Ginger soup/ tea
• Giloy juice brings down the inflammation and soothes the lining of the throat.
• Take Mustard oil and put few cloves of garlic and cook it / sauté to golden brown. Then switch off the gas , let it cool, strain and use a little to massage on the chest. This helps in relieving chest congestion to some extend.
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