Symptoms and treatment of allergic bronchitis in adults

28.07.2017
Many residents of the country are familiar with allergic bronchitis. This inflammatory disease can appear at any age, and is very often observed in children, although adults also suffer a lot from this disease.

Allergic bronchitis appears as a result of an allergic reaction of the medium or large bronchi and is formed against the background of prolonged contact with a variety of allergens.

What kind of disease is this, why does it occur, what are the symptoms and treatment of allergic bronchitis? These questions are often asked by people who suspect an illness.

A diagnosis such as allergic bronchitis in preschool or adolescence can be quickly cured. But, if treatment is not started immediately, the disease becomes chronic and cannot be completely cured.

Modern medicine continues to invent medicines for various diseases, but today it is not possible to cure a person from such a unique type of bronchitis as allergic bronchitis.

You can only diagnose the problem and try to alleviate the course of the disease. But any allergy sufferer should know how to treat allergic bronchitis and prevent complications.

The main symptom of allergic bronchitis is a lingering dry cough.

Features of allergic bronchitis

A disease such as bronchitis appears as a result of inflammatory processes on the bronchial mucosa, which can appear for various reasons. But sometimes the bronchial mucosa is affected not by ordinary viruses, but by various allergens.

And in this case, the immune system responds to an external stimulus, which consists of:

irritation of the nerve endings of the organ;
dilation of blood vessels;
muscle contraction.

And such an immune response leads to the appearance of a cough, which is allergic bronchitis. This type of bronchial disease is also called asthmatic bronchitis.

This disease lasts for a long period, and after completing a course of treatment, relapses may occur. This is a serious problem that makes the usual way of life difficult; if allergic bronchitis appears, treatment is necessary.

As soon as the first symptoms appear, you should quickly contact an allergist, who will identify the cause of the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Causes of allergic bronchitis

Allergies have many varieties.

Some people react to the flowering of some plants by sneezing and a runny nose, while others, while washing, their eyes begin to water from the powder, and for others, after consuming a product or using a cosmetic, a rash begins to appear on the skin.

Some people experience a prolonged coughing attack for no apparent reason.

From all this we can conclude that the main cause of allergic bronchitis in adults and children is the effect of irritants on the bronchi, which settle on the mucous membrane as a result of inhaling air with an allergen.

In the second stage, a dry cough becomes wet

There are a number of common allergens that cause bronchitis from allergies:

plant pollen;
animal fur - domestic;
feathers of some birds;
detergents and cleaning products;
apartment dust and mites;
cosmetics;
nutritional supplements;
tobacco smoke;
medical preparations and their components;
bacteria;
food products.

Food products can be especially highlighted from this list, since almost any product is a potential allergen. If the cause is a certain product, then it is difficult to establish, since the diet is different and it can be difficult to identify which product is an allergen.

Causes of bronchial disease

The root cause of the formation of allergic bronchitis in people of different age groups is exposure to allergens contained in the air. Once in the body, the particles settle on the bronchial mucosa. Medical experts consider the most common sources of the disease to be:

animal hair;
plant pollen;
Food;
dust particles;
medicines;
mold;
components of perfumery and household solutions.

In the process of examining people suffering from allergic diseases, it is often possible to establish a genetic predisposition to allergies.

Symptoms of allergic bronchitis

The first and main symptom of allergic bronchitis in adults and children is attacks of dry cough, which either disappears or appears again, and intensifies when an allergenic irritant is nearby. In particular, coughing attacks can be annoying at night, which interferes with proper healthy sleep.

Occasionally, body temperature may rise to 37-37.5 degrees, but this happens rarely. And if a runny nose is added to everything, then your health becomes as painful as during a cold.

At the first stage of the disease, the patient suffers from a dry cough, but over time, as allergic bronchitis develops, the following symptoms appear:

cough becomes wet;
breathing becomes difficult;
During inhalation and exhalation, whistling and wheezing may be heard;
shortness of breath appears while walking.

If you have symptoms, you should consult a doctor immediately

As the disease progresses and the cough changes from dry to wet, the general condition of the patient becomes a little easier. When visiting a doctor, he observes distinct wheezing while listening, which, unlike ordinary bronchitis, is heard during inhalation and not exhalation.

But when the disease worsens and the body’s condition becomes much worse, some more symptoms of allergic bronchitis appear:

increased sweating;
conjunctivitis;
presence of mucous sputum;
the appearance of small rashes on the skin;
general fatigue, weakness.

Rhinitis may appear against the background of the main symptoms, resulting in nasal discharge and constant sneezing. This occurs due to changes in the sinus due to exposure to various allergens.

Symptoms

The most important symptom of allergic bronchitis is cough. The cough can be so persistent and severe that it causes vomiting and restless sleep. In the following days, viral bronchitis is characterized by the discharge of greenish-colored sputum. This situation may indicate the addition of a bacterial infection. A wet cough no longer causes such torment as a dry cough; the sick person feels relief.

The next symptom—fever—is a constant companion to acute respiratory infections and acute bronchitis. Depending on the type of disease, a person’s body temperature can rise from 38 degrees or more.

Often, acute allergic bronchitis in children and adults occurs as an independent acute respiratory infection caused by bacteria. In this case, acute bronchitis is manifested by the following symptoms: a slight rise in temperature, a wet cough, headache, and a general feeling of weakness.

Many sick people (especially adults) suffer the disease “on their feet,” mistaking fever and cough for a common cold.

The temperature in acute allergic bronchitis lasts about 1-2 weeks, sometimes much longer. If the cough persists for 3 weeks, the disease can be called sluggish bronchitis, the occurrence of which indicates that the body’s immunity is reduced, bronchitis threatens to become chronic.

Chronic allergic bronchitis should be mentioned only in situations where a person has a chronic cough (more than 3 months) for 2 or more years.

Allergic bronchitis in adults and children has a paroxysmal course. This means that a severe cough during periods of exacerbation turns into periods of remission.

Allergic bronchitis can be identified by the following symptoms:

coughing attack starts at night
During an exacerbation, the patient’s body temperature rises
there is a relationship between a cough attack and the consumption of food, medicine, and contact with animals
simultaneous discharge of clear mucus along with cough, skin rash, conjunctivitis
difficulty breathing when exhaling - wheezing and whistling may be heard.

Allergic bronchitis in children

Allergic bronchitis in children occurs in an acute form and occurs as a result of an immune reaction to some irritant. This disease is observed in children of all ages, regardless of gender and race.

Allergic bronchitis in children, the symptoms of which can only be identified by a doctor, is a common disease, the cause is often difficult to determine.

But you can independently make an assumption about the presence of a disease in a child based on some signs:

the child becomes lethargic;
constantly wants to sleep;
is constantly capricious;
refuses to eat;
The baby is crying and is in an excited state.

A feature of allergic bronchitis in children is the acute form of the disease

But the first and main symptom of allergic bronchitis in children is still periodic coughing attacks that get worse at night. These signs include: rash, sputum, runny nose, diathesis or laryngitis.

If you notice allergic signs and a severe paroxysmal cough in your baby, then you need to start treatment so that the disease does not occur in adulthood, but in a chronic form.

If asthmatic bronchitis exists for a long time, the child may experience a slight increase in body temperature, increased shortness of breath and the formation of cloudy, thick sputum.

In later stages, young children may develop respiratory failure. And to prevent this from happening, you need to immediately take the child to the doctor. The acute form of the disease usually lasts no more than 1 month. And having eliminated the source of the allergy itself, the disease may not return.

But if the disease becomes protracted and continues to progress, allergic obstructive bronchitis in children may develop, which will be more difficult to cure.

Causes of allergic bronchitis

An allergic reaction can be seasonal to the flowering of different plants, household chemicals, and dust. Symptoms can range from atopic dermatitis to urticaria. Often in children, allergic bronchitis can be triggered by food products and cosmetic products, which causes coughing attacks.

The main cause of bronchitis is an allergen; when a person inhales it, it settles on the bronchi. Most often on bird feathers, pollen, some animals, and various types of dust. Allergic bronchitis can be triggered by medications and bacteria.

The disease may be a consequence of persistent viral bronchitis, which is already chronic. It is necessary to consult with your doctor in time, this way it will be possible to prevent further complications, such as bronchial asthma or an allergic form of obstructive bronchitis.

Treatment of allergic bronchitis

Before prescribing treatment, it is necessary to first determine the cause of this disease and try to protect the patient as much as possible from the causative agent of the allergic reaction.

Treatment of allergic bronchitis should be prescribed by an allergist or pulmonologist. Self-medication is not recommended; it will most likely not only not cure the disease, but will lead to dire consequences.

After identifying the allergen and eliminating it, medications are prescribed, taking into account the patient’s condition and the degree of the disease.

The treatment of the disease should be carried out by a doctor - an allergist.

Treatment for adults and children consists of medications:

antihistamines. Without them, treatment of allergic bronchitis will not be complete; they block allergic reactions and relieve swelling of the mucous membrane. You need to take the medication within 7 days. Effective antihistamines are: Suprastin, Diazolin, Kestin;
anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents. They are prescribed if the patient has an elevated body temperature and purulent sputum is produced. If there is a viral infection in the body, then immunostimulants are prescribed;
drugs with expectorant effect and inhalation. They are necessary to treat cough and improve the separation and thinning of sputum. This can be inhalations with Dexamethasone, Bromhexine, Ambrobene, Mucaltin;
drugs to relax muscles. Such medications can reduce swelling, improve the general condition of the patient and reduce symptoms. Intal is a very good remedy;
sorbents and bifidobacteria. These products cleanse and normalize the functioning of the intestinal microflora, which is important for the body’s immune reactions. For this purpose, activated carbon, Linex, Bifiform are prescribed.

You should find out directly from your doctor about how to treat allergic bronchitis. In addition to drug treatment, the doctor may prescribe additional methods for treating asthmatic bronchitis, for example, physical therapy and massage, and traditional medicine.

Treatment

Treatment of allergic bronchitis consists of:

Complete limitation of contact with the allergen (of course, if it can be identified immediately);
Antihistamines: Suprastin, Tavegil, Diazolin, Zirtec, Zodak, Cetrin, Letizen, Fenkarol, Fenistil, Loratadine, Lomilan, Rupafin, Glenset, Xyzal.
Expectorants (facilitate the production of sputum, make the cough productive - from dry to wet): Pertussin, Bromhexine, Mucaltin, Bronholitin, special herbal-based breast mixtures.
Bronchodilators that relax the muscles of the bronchi: Atrovent, Cromolyn sodium, Cromoglin, Cromohexal, Lecrolin, Zaditen, Ketotifen.
To reduce pathological coughing attacks and alleviate the general condition: Salbutamol, Fenoterol, Hexaprenaline.
To expand the lumen of the bronchi: Albuterol, Asmadil, Ecovent, Salamol, Ventolin.
If conventional antihistamines are not effective, drugs with glucocorticoid hormones are prescribed: Becotide, Ingacort, Fluticasone, Nazarel, Avamis, Flixonase. But remember that you should not prescribe such serious drugs yourself.

Prevention of allergic bronchitis

Prevention of allergic bronchitis is the same in both adults and children. And the main preventive method is to avoid contact with an aggressive substance.

It is very important to prevent allergic bronchitis in adults and children, especially if there is a child in the house who suffers from allergies or has previously suffered from asthmatic bronchitis.

There are a number of preventive measures, which include:

constant dust removal;
carrying out wet cleaning at least 2 times a week;
frequent change of bed linen for the patient;
to give up smoking;
strengthening the immune system;
regular ventilation of the room;
consumption of low-allergenic foods.

The most important thing in the presence of any disease, including bronchial asthma, is proper nutrition, moderate exercise and hardening.

Allergic obstructive bronchitis

The obstructive form of allergic bronchitis involves the occurrence of respiratory failure due to swelling of the respiratory organs, which develops due to increased sensitivity to allergic manifestations.

The symptoms of this form of the disease vary somewhat in adults and children . So, for example:

In days there is the appearance of whistles and wheezing during breathing, which are clearly distinguishable from a distance. There is also a tormenting cough, during which no sputum is produced. During an attack, the sternum swells. Despite all the symptoms, there is no increase in body temperature.
Adults suffer from shortness of breath and spasms of the respiratory tract that are permanent. The discharge of sputum is unproductive, but with relapses its amount increases.

First of all, the effectiveness of therapeutic measures lies in the elimination of provoking allergens from the patient’s environment. It is also necessary to drink plenty of liquid, humidify and ventilate the room. Carrying out inhalation procedures based on alkaline components helps alleviate respiratory failure. People using medications with antihistamine, mucolytic and bronchodilator effects are prescribed a massage that restores proper breathing.