Asthma and bronchitis?!


Question: Asthma and bronchitis!?
whats the difference between asthma and bronchitis!? i'm diagnosed with chronic bronchitis, but only have attacks when the pollen count is high!.
and i've always heard asthma victims can drink coffee to help get through an attack!. it seems to be helping me too!. but why does it help!? and will hot chocolate or tea be helpful as well!?
is it the heat!?Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
Actually it is the caffene that helps!. Also, Chronic Bronchitis is a lung issue that affects people once or twice a year!. Asthma affects you all the time!. I have both!. I have an inhaler for asthma attacks (about three a week or more during the summer)!. Then during the summer, well bronchitis or/and a bout in the winter (or fall)!.!.!. my lungs are screwy!.
I take meds for it!.!.!. normally an inhaler and some good antibiotics and it clears up!. Takes about 2 weeks!. Make sure you take care of it though!.!.!. or it can go into pnemonia!.!.!. horrible!.
Make sure you have a humidifier on and also keep your house dusted!.
Cleaner (arosols) will bother you so get a spray bottle!. (white vinegar and water is the best no fumes)
All natural!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

Oh Michelle, I'm so sorry :( Yuk!.!.!. I'm asthmatic, and develop Bronchitis at time, but not chronic, as you've been dx with!.

The difference is that with asthma, the bronchii go into spasm, caused by an irritation to the aveoli (sp!?!?)!. The irritation causing inflammation and resulting in difficulty breathing!. In Asthma, mucous is rarely present, as it is with Bronchitis!. People are usually born with Asthma, but not with Bronchitis!. It can be triggered by a number of things, depending on the individual: dust, pollen, laughing, physical excertion, stress, allergies, colds, etc!.

In Bronchitis, the bronchii become irritated by a virus, usually!. There is always thick amounts of mucous present with Bronchitis, making it difficult to breath!. With Bronchitis, Pneumonia can develop, this doesn't happen with Asthma!.

There is no cure for either, but there are treatments and preventatives!.

Hope that helps some :)Www@Answer-Health@Com

Asthma and bronchitis, while both respiratory diseases, are quite different!. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the body's airways!. The disease causes the the airways to be hyper-reactive and leads to excess mucous production and swelling of the mucosa (moist tissue that line the airways) present in the airways!. Allergies are one of the strongest pre-disposing factors for it!. Other irritants such as cigarette smoke, dust, pollen and molds can also trigger a reaction!.

Chronic bronchitis, however, while also a disease of the airways, is defined as the presence of cough and sputum production for at least a combined total of 3 months in each of 2 consecutive years!. It is considered a form of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease!. While it can also be precipitated by smoke or other environmental causes, what happens afterward is where it differs from asthma!. The airway walls don't become swollen and tightened as with asthma!. Instead, the irritation causes mucus-secreting glands to increase in number and more mucus is produced!. The bronchial walls (the largest airways branching off your trachea or "windpipe") thicken and the airway is thus narrowed!. Mucous may end up plugging the airway!. Over time, alveoli, little sacks in the lungs where blood becomes oxygenated, can become damaged and fibrotic!. As a result, the person ends up becoming more susceptible to future respiratory infections!.

As for the coffee, it's been something of an old wives' tale though some people report success with it!. It has also been the subject of several clinical studies!. The general thinking is that the caffeine acts as a bronchodilator - it helps to expand those large airways that become narrowed during an asthma attack!.

There is no definitive proof, however, of this effect and it continues to be studied!. It's likely that may be what is helping improve your bronchitis!. The caffeine may be dilating your airways!. A long-winded answer!. Hope it helped!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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