|
Bronchitis is the inflammation or obstruction of the breathing
tubes (bronchi) that lead to the lungs. The inflammation
results in an accumulation of mucus, coughing, sore throat,
difficulty breathing, pain in the chest and/or back, and
fever or chills.
Bronchitis
can be either acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually
caused by an infection following a cold or the flu. The
majority of people who develop bronchitis will recover within
a matter of weeks, however in some, the condition may lead
to pneumonia.
Chronic
bronchitis is the result of frequent irritation of the lungs
(for example: from cigarette smoke or other toxic fumes),
or from allergies. Chronic bronchitis decreases the amount
of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs which makes the
heart work harder. Over time, the increased stress on the
heart can lead to pulmonary hypertension, enlargement of
the heart or heart failure.
In Traditional
Chinese Medicine, bronchitis belongs to one of three conformations:
cough, phlegm and fluid retention, or cough and asthma.
The
illness can be caused either by external pathogenic factors
(seasonal external pathogens) or interior pathogenic factors
(such as a disorder of the internal organs). In chronic
bronchitis cases, the most common cause is interior pathogenic
factors which often occur in the elderly.
|
