Bronchitis is an inflammatory disease in the lungs that causes swelling and excessive mucous production. It is normally caused by a viral infection and/or a bacterial infection (CDC, 2017). But it is not a serious illness, it’s often recommended to let the sickness pass. Also, the cause is a viral infection, which means antibiotics cannot help someone get better faster. Although, bronchitis is sometimes a bacterial infection. People can have either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term & recurring) bronchitis (Ekberg-Aronsson et al., 2005).
Symptoms
The symptoms are similar to that of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. It will start in the nasal cavity with mucous build-up and runny nose. It can then spread to the lungs. Short term-bronchitis can last up to three weeks but chronic or long-term is an indicator of COPD. Therefore, these two health concerns share symptoms but the length and severity of the symptoms is the determining factor for treatment.
As with COPD, asthma, and allergies, the airway is inflamed causing chest discomfort, shortness of breath, fatigue and fever (Jindal et al., 2012). Bronchitis can lead to further sicknesses such as a cold, flu or pneumonia.
Remedies
Remedies for bronchitis symptoms include hot showers, rest, drinking plenty of fluids and avoiding air pollutants (smoking or dust). However, a doctor can prescribe an inhaler if it causes wheezing or antibiotics if they determine the infection is bacterial. Halotherapy is also another effective treatment for people suffering from either acute or chronic bronchitis.
Treatment
The atmosphere in a salt chamber is optimal to remove mucous, clear airways, reducing coughing & wheezing, clear bacteria and improve the immune system. A study published in 2000 found that people with chronic bronchitis who use halotherapy had less cellular damage (Farkhutdinov et al., 2000). Another study found halotherapy improves quality of life in people suffering from it but had COPD (Weinreich, 2014). These results show us that halotherapy is an effective treatment option for people suffering from respiratory diseases especially bronchitis.
Ekberg-Aronsson, M., Pehrsson, K., Nilsson, J. Å., Nilsson, P. M., & Löfdahl, C. G. (2005). Mortality in GOLD stages of COPD and its dependence on symptoms of chronic bronchitis. Respiratory research, 6(1), 98.
Jindal, S. K., Aggarwal, A. N., Gupta, D., Agarwal, R., Kumar, R., Kaur, T., … & Shah, B. (2012). Indian study on epidemiology of asthma, respiratory symptoms and chronic bronchitis in adults (INSEARCH). The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 16(9), 1270-1277.
