        ммммммммммммм                            ммм           мммм
     мллллллллплпппппллм       ммппппмммм млм  мллллллллмммммлпп плл
    пллллллллллллллм  плл   млллмллммм   пллллм плллллллмллмммллн лп
        пппллллллллллм он  лллллллллллпплмоллл    лллллм    пплллоп
Mo.iMP  мллм  плллллллнл  оллллллллл    олллл     олллллн      плп
      мллллллл  ллллллллн оллллллллн     ллл       лллллл
     млллллллн  олллллллл олллллллл       п        оллллллм   мл
    млллллллн    лллллллл  ллллллллн               оолллллллллп
   млплллллл мм  ллллллллн ллолллллн               оллллллпп
  млпллллллмллллмолллллллл ол пллллл           м   лнллллл             м
 мл оллллллллллп  ллллллллл плм  плллмм    ммлллп ол олллн         ммлл
лл   ллллллллп    ллллллллллм плм  пплллллллллп мммп ллллмммммммлллллп
 плм   млллп       пллллллллллм  ппмм ппмллпп  пллм   ппплплллллллпп
    ппппп                ппллп      ппппп        ппппппппппппп
          ARRoGANT                CoURiERS      WiTH     ESSaYS

Grade Level:       Type of Work           Subject/Topic is on:
 [ ]6-8                 [ ]Class Notes    [General Information on  ]
 [ ]9-10                [ ]Cliff Notes    [Bronchitis              ]
 [x]11-12               [ ]Essay/Report   [                        ]
 [ ]College             [x]Misc           [                        ]

 Dizzed: 10/94  # of Words:852   School: ?              State: ?
ФФФФФФФФФ>ФФФФФФФФФ>ФФФФФФФФФ>Chop Here>ФФФФФФФФФ>ФФФФФФФФФ>ФФФФФФФФФ>ФФФФФФФФФ
                                                           Page 1

                               Definition

     Bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchi.  It may develop
suddenly, following a head cold (acute bronchitis), or it may persist or
return regularly for many years, causing progressive degeneration of the
bronchi and lungs (chronic bronchitis). Certain people are more susceptible
than others; Men are more of a target to bronchitis than women, out
numbering them 10 to 1 -- the reasons are unclear.  Of course smokers are
50 times more likely to get chronic bronchitis than non-smokers.  Acute
bronchitis is a bacteria or virus infection, often following a cold
smoking. People who have acute bronchitis usually have a mild fever,
soreness under breast bone, irritated by coughing.  First they have a dry
cough then the cough later brings up green and yellow mucus. The cough may
persist to 4 to 6 weeks.  Chronic bronchitis is produced by other chronic
problem: sinusitis, smoking, TB, etc. The Bronchi becomes thick, inelastic,
and accumulate mucus and pus in lower part of lungs instead of bringing
discharges up and out. The result is chronic cough, shortness of breath,
sometimes spasm, and frequent infection.


                                                           Page 2
Symptoms

     In acute bronchitis, the basic symptoms are a head cold, fever and
chills, running nose, aching muscles and possibly back pains. This is soon
followed by the obvious persistent cough.  At first the cough is dry and
racking and eventually becomes phlegmy.  The persistent cough is worse at
night than during the day, and when the person breathes in smoke and fumes.

     The main symptoms most recognized in chronic bronchitis is, again, a
cough, with sputum, often occurring in paroxysms.  Other symptoms in
chronic bronchitis are dependant on how much, or how little, emphysema is
present.  This disorder causes the lungs to become overstretched, making
the breathing process difficult.

     The chronic bronchitic with no emphysema tends to be overweight and
often has a bluish tinge to his or her lips due to lack of oxygen.
Shortness of breath only occurs during exercise and other strenuous
activity.  The bronchitic with a great deal of emphysema, who has lost a
lot of his or her oxygen -- exchanging ability, due to the condition, is
short of breath at all times. The bronchitic with emphysema very often are
underweight and, as the disease comes worse, develops a barrel chest.  The
Chronic bronchitic also wheezes because of the obstruction.

     NOTE: Emphysema is a state of overdistention of the tiny air-
containing sacs of the lung.

                                                           Page 3
 Causes

     The cause of bronchitis are from viral or bacterial infections which
spreads to the chest.  The body uses defence mechanisms to try to prevent
the viruses and bacterias from spreading the infections.  Examples of
defence mechanisms are sneezing, coughing, etc.  There are also white blood
cells to help us the fight off the bacterias and viruses.  However if new
viruses and bacterias enters our body then the white blood cells will have
to take some time to recognize the new viruses and bacterias.  Fortunately,
a different kind of white blood cells try to fight off the bacterias and
viruses as much as they can but unfortunately as they are doing that, they
are releasing other chemicals.  The chemicals enter the tissue that
surrounds the trachea (see page 5 -- diagram 1) and they begin to expand
and swell up.  As they expand, they squeeze the trachea (see pg 5 --
diagram 2).  As a result, less air can pass through the trachea causing a
short of breath.  Generally, bronchitis occurs with greater frequency in
winter, in damp, cold climates, and in heavy polluted environments.


                                                          Page 4
Treatment

     The best treatment for acute bronchitis is bed rest in a warm room.
Cough medicines will relieve the cough and aspirin will reduce the fever.
Acute bronchitis that is viral usually runs it's course without medication.
A proper diet and avoidance of additional irritants such as smoking are
recommended.  Steam inhalations is helpful in eliminating congestive mucus.
Antibiotics may be needed if the cause is bacteria.

     Treatment of chronic bronchitis is more difficult.  The patients lungs
are already damaged and the destruction of the airways are not easily
renewed.

     Bronchial dilator drugs may be given to the patient to relieve any
such obstruction, while physiotherapy will help the patient get rid of any
sputum.  Yoga and breathing exercises may help shortness of breath.  In
severe cases, urgent hospital treatment may be required.  Oxygen may have
to be given through the course of the illness.

     Postal drainage can also be tried.  This is when the patient lies on a
bed, a large cushion raising the groin, and smaller pillows supporting the
chest.  Tapping the chest in this position causes the patient to cough up
sputum.

     The patient should stop smoking immediately, although this will not
reverse the chronic bronchitis, it will arrest it. Chronic bronchitis
should try to avoid environments where there are irritants that can bring
on attacks.

                                                           Page 5
Prevention

     Bronchitis is prevented by keeping good health habits and by giving
instant treatment to milder respiratory infections.  Living in a clean
environment and not smoking or not inhaling cigarette smoke is strongly
recommended.
