The question ‘is bronchitis contagious?’ may seem like a fairly easy question but before we answer that, let us take a glimpse at the definition of bronchitis. Bronchitis is when the windpipe swells and spreads to the lungs therefore making the bronchial pathways to be irritated and lead to inflammation. This style of inflammation results in the excessive formation of mucus that obstructs the airflow on the air pathways, and thus creates problems with breathing. The virus that causes rhinoviruses and adenoviruses influenza is the same virus responsible for bronchitis infection.
The swelling is brought on by the virus infecting the airway as well as the bronchioles of the lungs. Other variables like tobacco use and chemical pollutants and a certain kind of bacteria like Mycoplasma pneumonia can be a contributory factor to acquiring bronchitis. People who have a friend who have this sickness could ask a physician or a medical practitioner, “is bronchitis contagious?
How can an individual get bronchitis?” When answering these questions, it’s reasonable to first discuss the types of bronchitis to understand how these can be prevented.
Types of Bronchitis
Bronchitis can be classified as Acute or Chronic
Acute Bronchitis
Once the virus infects the upper respiratory tract, then it is regarded as acute bronchitis. The symptoms of acute bronchitis can be revealed as cough and could be accompanied by mucus. These kinds of infections are associated with the common or cold influenza. Additionally, the infected person may also have slight problems with breathing, pain in the chest and fever.
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis isn’t always the result of a particular microorganism. Inhalation of hazardous chemical pollutants as well as smoking would be the major causes and contributory factors of this type of bronchitis. This type of bronchitis produces excessive production of mucus in the bronchi that may last for about 3 months and returns annually. Individuals with this type of bronchitis are highly vulnerable to bacterial infections such as pneumonia. Breathing difficulties with this type of bronchitis are much even worse compared to that of acute bronchitis.
So, is Bronchitis Contagious?
So, is bronchitis contagious? Yes it truly is! Bronchitis is infectious. As a matter of fact, it is highly contagious. Nevertheless, if this disease is defined as the swelling of bronchioles, then how could people’s swollen bronchioles cause other people’s bronchiole swell too? The truth is the bacteria that cause bronchitis spread to the air through sneezing and/or coughing. People who are subjected to these bacteria are definitely at risk of an infection. The bacteria could even be transmitted by simply touching any contaminated stuff that came in contact with the infected person.
Another interesting question is, ‘how long is bronchitis contagious?’ The duration of one’s bronchitis is very much influenced by the type and cause of the bronchitis that he or she is suffering from. There’s no certain period of time that states how long bronchitis is going to be contagious for.
In any event, which of these types of bronchitis is much more contagious- is it the acute or chronic type?
Actually, the answer to this question is both types of bronchitis are contagious since healthy individuals could possibly get either of them without knowing. That is why individuals are advised to take precautionary actions to stop the rapid spread of this respiratory disease to other people.
Preventing the bronchitis infection from spreading is possible personal hygiene like washing of hands frequently and covering of mouth when sneezing and coughing. A bronchitis patient needs to refer to a physician or medical specialist and use prescribed medications to relieve the infection because the smallest negligence may lead to pneumonia. Taking herbal solutions during the first stages of bronchitis is also beneficial in halting the spread of infection. Reinforcing these measures with bed rest, avoiding areas where you can come in contact with smoke and other pollutants and increasing water consumption is likewise essential.
Bronchitis is a major respiratory condition that can result in various and worse infections on the respiratory tract, which is why it is totally necessary to prevent it. Some of the effective strategies to avoiding getting this respiratory disease are strengthening your immune system. The question “is bronchitis contagious” is a smart one, hence gathering more information concerning this disease is your best move.
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