Acute Bronchitis Treatment Online in California

Viruses and bacterias cause up to 95 percent of acute bronchitis in strong and healthy adults. If you are coughing continuously and you face shortness of breath, you may have acute bronchitis. 

Learn More About OnlineAcute Bronchitis

Bronchitis also termed as ‘acute bronchitis’ is a form of a lower respiratory infection that causes sudden inflammation in the bronchial tubes. The infection usually enters in the form of viruses and bacterias into the major airways of the lungs causing irritation, shortness of breath and cough that can last up to ten days.

Basic Facts About Bronchitis

• Bronchitis is not a permanent medical condition and usually causes minor breathing difficulties.
• The infection leads to inflammation and can last up to a period of seven days or more. However, the cough can continue for ten and in some cases lasts for more than 15 days.
• Most health experts believe that bronchitis gets better on its own and does not require immediate medical treatment.
• Although acute bronchitis is very different from chronic bronchitis. Usually, patients with chronic bronchitis suffer from a life long and more serious chronic medical condition.
• Elderly, young children and patients suffering from major illnesses are at more risk of getting acute bronchitis.

How to Tell if You Have Bronchitis?

Bronchitis can affect anyone and it usually starts when you breath-in substances such as fumes, dust, smoke, tobacco, and air pollution. However, to determine whether you have acute bronchitis or not you need to notice some of the common symptoms.

• Early symptoms of bronchitis include runny and a stuffy nose
• Medium or low-grade fever
• Chest congestion
• A whistling or wheezing sound while exhaling and inhaling breath
• Dry cough in the early stages which later may produce green or yellow colored mucus, also commonly known as sputum.
• Feeling of fatigue and tiredness at various intervals.

If you notice any of the above-mentioned symptoms, you likely have acute bronchitis. For the same, you need to seek medical advice or consult a doctor. The doctors at online medical clinics are adept at providing medical care for patients suffering from acute bronchitis. You can get in touch with our team of healthcare professionals over a video call or to be precise through the process of telemedicine. The doctors will analyze your condition and give you a prescription and a proper acute bronchitis treatment plan.

This is How Bronchitis Affects Your Body

Bronchitis will affect your body temporarily and the cells lining the bronchi will get infected. The infection will affect the nose in the initial on the onset and then move through the throat into the bronchial tubes. Anybody can get affected by this disease, even healthy individuals, but it is vital to learn that our body is adept at fighting back. When your body tries to fight the infection it automatically causes the bronchial tubes to swell up. The inflammation leads to both dry and mucus cough. In addition, the swelling also contracts the airways, allowing less air to pass through the lungs. As a result, you will hear wheezing and whistling like sounds while breathing. The narrow airways will also cause the chest to tighten and you will face difficulty in breathing.

How Do You Get Bronchitis?

Acute Bronchitis affects the body with the same type of viruses and bacteria as cold and flu. You will get bronchitis only if you come in contact with someone who has similar medical conditions, particularly acute bronchitis and a cold. You are vulnerable to the disease and there is no immunization against the flu. You will also get affected by bronchitis if you are exposed to certain types of lung irritants. Those irritants include dust, air pollution, fumes, tobacco, and smoke. Also, the most common viruses that cause acute bronchitis are adenovirus, influenza A and B, rhinovirus, and parainfluenza. Bacteria causing this medical condition are usually commensals.

Treatment for Acute Bronchitis

On the onset of acute bronchitis, you will witness the same symptoms as cold and healthcare providers usually diagnose this condition by asking a few questions related to the medical condition. The diagnosis also involves a physical examination in order to identify additional symptoms such as fever. Though physical examination is not necessary for acute treatment for bronchitis. However, if you have low to mild fever, your health care provider may advise you to take a chest X-ray to rule out the chances of pneumonia. Also, treatment for acute bronchitis consists of two main methods The first is antibiotic therapy and symptoms management.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are not used routinely in the treatment of acute bronchitis. Although 90 percent of the infections are caused by viruses and two-thirds of the American population diagnosed with viral diseases are treated on antibiotics. To rule out the use of antibiotics in the treatment of acute bronchitis, a survey was conducted and it showed that 55 percent of the patients believed that antibiotics helped them get relief from the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. And up to 25 percent of them showed resistance against the upper-respiratory tract illness through self-treatment.

However, it is vital to note that the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) strictly advises the patients to not use antibiotics for the treatment of acute bronchitis. Instead, they suggest health care providers should explain the cause behind non-antibiotic treatment for acute bronchitis. And it is also vital to learn that patients with regular bronchitis will not get antibiotics prescriptions until patients are suspected of pertussis in the cough. In this case, doctors usually prescribe macrolide antibiotics to prevent future transmissions.

Symptoms Management

As antibiotics are not recommended for the regular treatment for acute bronchitis, physicians usually provide the patients with inhaler medications and antitussives. Some treatment methods also include the use of expectorants and ACCP guidelines suggest that a patient should undergo a trial of antitussive medications (hydrocodone, codeine) given the fact that these medicines are effective in the treatment of acute bronchitis. Although it has to be noted that the FDA and American Academy of Pediatrics suggest against the use of antitussive medication in children younger than six years old.

Other Treatment Methods 

Besides all the methods mentioned-above it is also vital to note that most of the patients with acute bronchitis should be wary of certain bronchitis causing elements.

• Smoke
• Fumes
• Tobacco
• Air pollution

To help protect your lungs stay away from these substances and wear a mask while using lung irritants such as varnish, paint, and paint remover, especially if you are suffering from the symptoms of acute bronchitis. Also, wash your hands regularly and receive a flu shot to stay away from viral infections. In the case of elderlies (above 65 years or older) a flu shot is mandatory.

In most cases, bronchitis goes away on its own and no treatment plan is initiated. The infection requires it to run its course for a period of one week or more in order to come out of the system. However, in some cases, our team of health specialists recommend certain preventive measures.

• Complete rest along with optimum fluids intake
• Drinking ample amount of water will help you loosen chest congestion
• Pain relievers and cough suppressants
• Steam or humidifiers
• As mentioned earlier, antibiotics are not suggested for the treatment of bronchitis (viral infections) but if your doctor notices any bacterial activity, the doctors will give an antibiotic prescription.

Questions You can Ask Our Healthcare Provider About Bronchitis

If you have any questions about acute bronchitis and you need certain clarification on the treatment method, feel free to talk to our health specialists. You can also take a note of questions you need to particularly ask the doctor if you have acute bronchitis.

Question 1: How long does bronchitis last?

Question 2: Can I pass this disease to another individual through direct contact?

Question 3: Can I get a fever from acute bronchitis?

Question 4: Should I be concerned about catching bronchitis?

Question 5: Can I take over-the-top counter medicines for cough and cold associated with bronchitis?

Question 6: Are there any side effects of bronchitis medications?

Question 7: How long do the symptoms of bronchitis last?

Question 8: Can I treat acute bronchitis without taking any treatment?

Question 9: Do I have to visit a physical clinic in order to get treatment for acute bronchitis?

Question 10: How will the doctor treat an acute bronchitis patient over a video call?

Our team of health specialists are experienced and well trained. They will answer all your questions and provide you with the required information. In case you need more information and a treatment plan for your medical condition, make an appointment with the doctor and use our telehealth services. We will help you get in touch with our team of health care providers over a video call. You can ask questions, discuss your symptoms, and receive a prescription or a treatment plan as required.

Help us Create an Acute Bronchitis Treatment Plan for You

Patients with any type of bronchitis condition should meet with our bronchitis specialists or our health care providers. Our health care provider will figure out a specific treatment plan for the concerned patient. Also, the individual treatment plan will depend on the frequency and severity of this medical condition.

In addition to this, our doctors will also consider the patient’s medical history. And if a patient has been suffering from a cough and congested chest for more than 10 days, that specific patient will receive a proper treatment plan for acute bronchitis. Our doctors believe that some medications cannot be prescribed if severe medical conditions persist. Such medical conditions include kidney and heart diseases. Also, information like past allergies and any pregnancy plans should be conveyed to the doctor beforehand.

A patient’s treatment plan will only be created after a thorough analysis and the same will be tested for a few weeks. This will help our health specialists determine whether a plan is working effectively for you or not.

Consult Our Health Specialist from the Comfort of Your Home

Numerous treatment plans exist for acute bronchitis patients. The best thing you can do is consult our specialists, work closely with the concerned doctor, and then follow the provided treatment plan religiously. Our team of certified physicians also advises you to tell them about the ongoing treatment plan (if you have any). This will help them analyze your medical condition more effectively. And they will help you learn what works for you better and what hasn’t worked so far.

So, connect with our doctors via a video call and discuss your symptoms in detail. However, don’t forget to fill a medical form first and provide personal details. Soon after completion of the form, our team will help you connect with a doctor over a video call. You can talk to the doctor and receive a medical prescription for the type of acute bronchitis you have.