Acute Bronchitis
Doctor - patient conversation
Source: Diana Hysi
In this topic (14)
The patient is visiting a physician.
Doctor: Can you tell me what is bothering you?
Patient: I have had a cough for the past few days. A few days ago I had a cold.
Doctor: Is it a dry sort of cough or is it productive (with sputum, secretions)?
Patient: It is mostly dry, at times productive.
Doctor: Are you allergic?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you smoke?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you work in an environment where you are exposed to dangerous chemicals?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you take any other medication?
Patient: No.
Doctor: Do you cough constantly throughout the entire day, does it tire you out?
Patient: I have it almost constantly, very frequently throughout the day.
Doctor: Does it keep you from sleeping at night?
Patient: It gets worse or happens more often when I am lying down.
Doctor: Have you had a fever?
Patient: Sort of, very low, 37ºC, 37.5ºC.
Doctor: Besides the cough, do you have any other complaints?
Patient: A mild headache, when I cough my chest aches, and at times the muscles in my belly hurt.
Doctor: How long have you been coughing?
Patient: A little bit over a week.
Doctor: Have you taken any medication to stop the cough?
Patient: I have taken some cough syrup, but it didn’t really work.
Doctor: May I examine you with a stethoscope please?
Following the examination with a stethoscope, the doctor concludes:
- The patient has been suffering from a prolonged, relatively frequent cough, at times productive and bothering them during the night.
- Patient has been suffering from a sub-febrile temperature (low).
- During auscultation (the action of listening to sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, typically with a stethoscope, as a part of medical diagnosis), bronchial rales can be heard (Crackles, crepitations, or rales, are the clicking, rattling, or crackling noises that may be made by one or both lungs of a human with a respiratory disease during inhalation).
- Patient feels fatigue.
- Decreased apetite.
- Patient appears pale (due to the fatigue caused by the excessive coughing).
Based upon these conclusions, the physician speculates whether this is a case of acute bronchitis.
Articles for Acute Bronchitis
Diagnosis of acute bronchitis
Depending on the individual characteristics of the patient, doctors have to decide upon a variety of methods for diagnosing and treating the disease. If coughing is prolonged over several months, then the physician must further characterize and narrow down the causes behind the cough.
Doctor - patient conversation
Following the examination with a stethoscope, the doctor concludes: the patient has been suffering from a prolonged, relatively frequent cough, at times productive and bothering them during the night. etc
Introduction
Acute bronchitis occurs most often in the ages deemed most vulnerable (younger ages, including toddlers, and advanced ages). This is due to the fact that levels of immunity are especially lower for these ages.
Patient story
Patient a male 45 years old. Comes for a regular visit. Patient complains of severe, productive coughing, fatigue. Niko, 45 years old, had a light influenza that lasted about two weeks.
Symptoms of acute bronchitis
The main symptoms of cough bronchitis are: cough, viral infection, breathing difficulty, fever, chest pain, tiredness, allergy, smoking.
Treating acute bronchitis
Cough bronchitis treatments include antibiotics, a medication which serves to dissolve and thus help the patient remove the secretions from their bronchi and vitamins. At times, broncho-dilators may be used if the patient is suffering from moderate respiratory distress.
What are the symptoms of bronchitis in adults?
Symptoms of bronchitis in adults are coughing, sub-febrile fever, secretions, fatigue, etc.
What can I do to relieve a cough?
When coughing is dry, use an anti-histamine. If prolonged, visit a physician. When coughing is productive, use a mucolytic. If prolonged, visit a physician.
What do you do when you have bronchitis?
When the aforementioned symptoms, the coughing and the fever persist, the patient must refer to a physician for a visit.
What is dry cough and what is the difference between dry and productive cough?
Dry coughing is a response of the upper respiratory tract to unrest in its mucosal lining as a result of inflammation. Dry coughing could be spastic or non-spastic.
What is the cause of acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis can be caused by viruses, such as influenza, para-influenza or adenoviruses and bacteria such as pneumococcus, etc.
When do I need to see a doctor if I suspect acute bronchitis?
If coughing and fever persist for longer 3-4 days, and the aforementioned medication has not been utile, then one must visit the doctor.
When does my child need to see a doctor if I suspect acute bronchitis?
The symptoms of bronchitis in children are more visible than in adults; fever and coughing are more exhaustive, the patient becomes pale and perspires, has reddened eyes and sometimes, lips.
Why does it hurt my lungs when I cough?
While coughing, the chest and stomach muscles are involved in the process and an exhausting cough during the night or day, causes the muscles to feel sore and hurt.
