Sunday, January 11, 2009

Chronic Bronchitis Symptoms

By Amy Cheung

Chronic bronchitis is characterized by the enlargement or inflammation of the airways or bronchi in the upper respiratory system. Chronic bronchitis is often accompanied by the abnormally high production of mucus. Chronic bronchitis can occur with several different symptoms, and is typically challenging to diagnose for the reason that the physical signs are so similar to other diseases that involve the respiratory system, particularly the lungs. To date, at least one in twenty Americans currently is afflicted with chronic bronchitis. Though the number of documented cases have been slowly decreasing from the 70s to the present, the majority of individuals suffering from chronic bronchitis is still a cause for concern as chronic bronchitis is usually life threatening. The following are some of the most common physical symptoms of chronic bronchitis:

Coughing - Coughing triggered by chronic bronchitis is frequently originallynoticed in the early morning, soon after rousing from sleep. The patient may cough|get a coughing attack) lasting up to several hours soon after waking up. As the condition further develops, the cough will last for longer into the day, and depending on the severity, will never be cured.

Shortness of Breath - Shortness of breath occurs in most people suffering from chronic bronchitis. This symptom can possibly be set off by overworking or even just mild activity. While the condition progresses this symptom may even be triggered by something as simple as covering a small distance, or walking up a few steps in the stairway.

Respiratory Infections - Chronic bronchitis is most commonly the primary cause of infections of the respiratory system. For the reason that an elevated amount of mucus is made by the body in patients with respiratory infections, this causes the upper respiratory system to become extremely damp and warm. The warmth and moisture can become a hotbed of sorts for infectious agents, and results in infections that are extremely tough to heal as soon as they have been caught.

Fatigue - Fatigue or exhaustion is usually experienced by individuals with chronic bronchitis. They easily become exhausted just after rising from bed in the morning, or at different random hours throughout the day. This is owing to the fact that the level of oxygen in their serum is significantly less than those who don't have chronic bronchitis.

Enlargement of the Ankles and Legs - Since chronic bronchitis can commonly cause more complications, due to deficient levels of oxygen in the blood, it may cause the skin to turn blue or cause the extremities to become swollen in the advanced stages of this disease. The swelling of the legs is additionally a sign of congestive heart failure, therefore individuals experiencing this symptom is advised to see a physician at the soonest possible time. - 18000

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