Bronchitis: diagnosis and treatment at the Kandinsky Clinic

Bronchitis is a common disease that affects the lower respiratory tract. Constant coughing, chest pain, and difficulty breathing significantly impair the quality of life. Dmitry Shilov, an allergist and immunologist at the Kandinsky Clinic in Dubai, talks about the causes, symptoms and how to treat bronchitis.

According to the Khaleej Times, the number of cases of bronchitis and pneumonia is increasing in the UAE. More than 5 out of 10 patients are diagnosed with bronchitis, and one in ten has pneumonia.

Doctors attribute this to changes in the weather, the spread of dust and extreme heat. They lead to the emergence and further spread of respiratory infections. Pilgrimages, mass gatherings, and lack of timely vaccination also have an impact.

Due to poor air quality, many people have a cough that can last 3-4 weeks. Smoking and vaping also worsen the situation and delay the process.

Symptoms of bronchitis

The main sign of bronchitis is a cough. At the beginning of the disease, it may be dry, and after a few days, sputum may appear, which can be difficult to cough up. At the same time, chest pain, coughing attacks, a feeling of tearing in the chest and wheezing may occur.

If an obstruction appears in the airways, that is, their narrowing, then wheezing in the chest and difficulty breathing are observed. With bronchitis, there is also a general intoxication of the body.

The main symptoms of intoxication in bronchitis:

• weakness, fatigue;
• chills, sweating;
• muscle pain;
• headache;
• temperature rise.

Treatment of intoxication syndrome is symptomatic, it is prescribed by a doctor.

Bronchitis can be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is characterized by a cough that lasts up to a month.

Chronic bronchitis — a prolonged form of the disease that can last from one to three months and recur several times a year during the period of exacerbation.

Bronchitis is also classified by the cause of its occurrence, the location of bronchial damage, the presence of complications and obstruction — narrowing of the airway lumen.

Diagnosis of bronchitis

The diagnosis of bronchitis is made by a general practitioner or a pulmonologist. To do this, the doctor talks with the patient and identifies complaints, examines the patient, listens to the lungs using a phonendoscope.

To determine the disease more accurately, it is important for the doctor to know how long the symptoms have appeared and how often they occur during the year.

Additional laboratory tests are sometimes required to clarify the diagnosis. This can be a clinical blood test, sputum analysis to determine the causative agent of infection, as well as a chest X-ray examination.

It is important to note that There is no "quick fix" for a viral infection. Treatment of bronchitis is aimed at relieving symptoms while the body's immune system fights the infection on its own.

Prognosis of bronchitis

Acute bronchitis it usually lasts from 2 to 4 weeks. If you follow the doctor's instructions and take the necessary medications, the disease passes faster.

Chronic bronchitis It can occur for a long time, during periods of exacerbations and remissions. If you follow the doctor's recommendations, you can achieve long-term remission, but exacerbations are possible depending on the seasons and the general state of health.

In our clinic, you can receive high-quality medical care for signs of bronchitis.

Doctors of the Kandinsky Clinic are engaged in the examination and treatment of diseases of the respiratory tract and respiratory organs, including the bronchi and lungs.

In the department allergy and asthma treatment The patients are treated by an experienced pediatric pulmonologist and pediatrician Alina Kuldibayeva. Over the 11 years of her practice, she has learned how to effectively treat various types of allergies, as well as chronic and acute diseases of the lungs and respiratory tract, such as bronchitis, rhinitis, pneumonia and asthma.

Adult patients are treated by Dmitry Shilov, Candidate of Medical Sciences, an allergist and immunologist with 14 years of experience.