The bronchial tubes (also termed as bronchi) present in the lungs play an important role in carrying the air inside and out of the lungs. In Bronchitis, the lining of this bronchial tubes gets inflamed. Chronic Bronchitis, as the name suggests is a more severe condition whereby the bronchi lining suffers a constant inflammation and irritation. In most cases, the condition is found to affect people who are into heavy smoking.

Chronic Bronchitis triggers a myriad of complications including shortness of breath, cough (often associated with the production of a large amount of mucus), tiredness and mild fever. Affect people who are smokers. Heavily and regularly exposed to pollutants like dust, asbestos, fodder, vehicle pollutants(traffic police). Early diagnosis and treatment can help in preventing many serious complications including Pneumonia. In this article, we will highlight the effective treatments and medications along with the precautions in the case of chronic bronchitis.

Treatment and Medications in the case of Chronic Bronchitis
The severity of the condition often decides the course of the treatment.

Since most people with chronic bronchitis complain of breathing problems (shortness of breath) indicative of inadequate oxygen supply, the doctor may suggest an oxygen therapy. In this therapy, oxygen gas is made available to the body to deal with the breathing problem and also to enrich the lungs with sufficient amounts of oxygen to ensure proper functioning of the body. For this oxygen therapy, tubes are fitted either in the nose or placed right in the trachea. In some cases, a face mask may also be used to deliver the oxygen inside the body.
In the case of chronic bronchitis resulting in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD (obstructive lung problem that makes breathing difficult), the mucus tends to block and obstruct the airways. Thus, the use of bronchodilators may be helpful. The bronchodilators play an instrumental role in clearing the airway of this obstruction thereby improving the breathing.
Medications such as cough suppressant may also be prescribed to provide relief from a cough.
Precautions and Self-management:
For a speedy recovery, a person should take the necessary precautions. There are certain Do's and Dont's that one should take care of in the case of chronic bronchitis.

For people with chronic bronchitis, smoking is more like a poison. Refrain from smoking during the entire course of the treatment.
Keep away from things (such as paints, pollutants, or any cleaning products with a strong odor and fumes) that can irritate your lungs. The use of a mask (whether at home or outside) is advisable.
Many people with chronic bronchitis have had significant improvement by practicing yoga.
It is also important that you keep the body well hydrated. Make sure to drink water at regular intervals.
Ensure you have a proper rest and sound sleep.
Take care of your diet. Avoid refined sugar, salty and spicy foods, foods that contain high dairy fats (ice-creams, cheese cakes, whole milk, and any foods that contain high-fat cheese).

Chronic Bronchitis - Precautions To Be Taken And Treatment!

Tonsils are the two oval-shaped tissue pads at the back of your throat, which function as a mechanism to protect you from diseases. Any infection of the tonsils is referred to as  tonsillitis .

You can suffer from tonsillitis at any age, but it is more commonly diagnosed in children. Tonsillitis is highly contagious.

There are two types of tonsillitis:

Chronic tonsillitis Longer episodes of acute tonsillitis
Recurrent tonsillitis Recurrent episodes of tonsillitis in a year
Causes

Tonsillitis can cause viral and bacterial infections. The  Streptococcus (strep) bacteria  is a common cause. Some other causes include:

Adenoviruses
Influenza virus
Epstein-Barr virus
Parainfluenza virus
Enteroviruses
Herpes simplex virus
Symptoms

Since tonsillitis has various causes, symptoms too tend to differ. Some symptoms include:

An extremely sore throat
Painful or difficult swallowing
Scratchy-sounding voice
Bad breath
Fever
Chills
Earaches
Stomach aches
Headaches
Stiff neck
Neck and jaw tenderness due to inflamed lymph nodes
Tonsils that become swollen and red in colour
Yellow or white spots on the tonsils
In children, symptoms such as excessive drooling, increased irritability or poor appetite are usually noticeable.

Treatment

If the tonsillitis is mild, especially caused by a virus, it usually doesn t require any treatment. More critical cases of tonsillitis might require treatments such as tonsillectomy (a surgical process used to remove the tonsils) or administration of antibiotics.

Penicillin is the most commonly administered antibiotic. Once commonly performed, tonsillectomy (surgical removal of tonsils) is now reserved for extremely critical cases. 

Causes, Symptoms and Treatment of Tonsillitis

Uterine fibroids, also known as leiomyomata, are non-cancerous growths which develop in and around the uterus or the womb and form benign tumors in course of time. Though there are several types of uterine fibroids, they are all consistently similar in their genetic makeup. They are generally classified depending on their specific locations:

Myometrial or intramural fibroids
Submucosal fibroids
Subserosal fibroids
Pedunculated fibroids
Signs and symptoms

In most cases, uterine fibroids display little or no symptoms at all. Therefore many women are caught unawares and do not realize whether they have leiomyomata or not. When symptoms do show, however, they may include any one of the following:

1. Prolonged menstrual periods, usually for seven days or even longer
2. Bloating belly or pelvis
3. Intensive bleeding during periods
4. Pain during sexual intercourse
5. Constipation

Treatment

Since uterine fibroids do not cause any significant complications, they normally do not require much treatment. The condition, however, can be treated through either one of the following approaches:

1. Non-surgical approach

(1) Alert and careful inspection as well as watchful anticipation of the growth and development of uterine fibroids
(2) Birth control pills or oral contraceptives which help reduce heavy periods caused by uterine fibroids
(3) Pain relievers to help numb the pain
(4) Intrauterine device along with levonorgestrel to help reduce heavy periods
(5) Iron tablets are helpful in substituting the blood loss caused by heavy menstruation

2.Surgical approach

i) Myomectomy

ii) Hysterectomy

These two procedures can be performed using several techniques like:

Laparoscopy
Open abdominal surgery
Robot-assisted laparoscopy
Vaginal approach
Hysteroscope approach
iii) Uterine artery embolization (UAE)

Uterine Fibroids - Surgical & Non Surgical Treatment!

Cardiac or Heart Arrhythmia is a condition which results in disruption of heart s normal rhythm. Due to this, the heart may beat too quickly, too slowly or have an irregular rhythm. Though most of the arrhythmias are not harmful but at times they can have serious consequences, which might turn to be fatal. Differences in heart beats can lead to the restriction of blood, that gets pumped around the body, hence causing damage to the brain, heart and other organs of an individual.

Now we would take into account the causes behind the occurrence of this heart condition.

Causes

Interruption to the electrical impulses in any form that lets the heart to contract can result in arrhythmia. A person with a healthy heart should have a heart rate of anywhere between 60-100 beats per minute while the body is at rest.

There are a number of factors which can cause the heart to work inefficiently, which include:

Alcohol Consumption: If you are used to drinking alcohol varying from light to moderate, the chance of irregular heartbeat increases. A recent study has shown that with every drink consumed per day, the risk of atrial fibrillation increased by 8 percent. Men and women both are at equal risk for irregular heartbeat. Irregular heartbeat is caused because drinking leads to damage of the cells, which in turn leads to causing damage in small areas of fibrous tissue within the heart.

Anxiety: Arrhythmia from anxiety is when the heart feels like something happened due to which it tries to overcompensate and beat quickly. This leads to heart skipping a beat, getting squeezed or undergoing heartbeats at a rapid pace.

Excessive Cosumption of Coffee: Caffeine is a stimulant and tends to speed up heart rate, so consuming too much coffee can lead to the problem of arrhythmia.

Deficiency of Magnesium and Potassium: Magnesium and Potassium deficiencies in one s body can cause Arrhythmia. The deficiencies can be caused due to less intake of citrus fruits and vegetables like potatoes, kiwi, papaya etc.

Symptoms

Arrhythmia can produce a broad range of symptoms which affect the proper functioning of heart. Some of the most serious symptoms are:

Fatigue: If you feel that you are getting fatigued quite easily, then it s a clear symptom of arrhythmia.

Dizziness: A sense of dizziness creeps in when you are having the problem of irregular heartbeat.

Lightheadedness: Feeling light on the head is another symptom of Cardiac Arrhythmia, as there is fluctuation in the amount of blood that reaches the brain through the heart.

Treatment Options

Problem of irregular heartbeats, especially if it s on the slower side, can be solved through the placement of certain devices like pacemaker, which can speed up one s heart rate.
Faster heartbeats can be treated through blood-thinning medications, which would help keep threatening blood clots from getting formed.
Doctors can even go for Catheter ablation, wherein they would thread one or more catheters through the blood vessels of one s heart. Electrodes at the catheter tips can make use of extreme heat, cold or radiofrequency energy to damage a small sport of heart tissue and create an electrical block along the path, that s causing one s arrhythmia.

Cardiac Arrhythmia - Factors That Can Lead To It!

Spirometry is a common medical test that is conducted in order to detect whether your lungs are working properly. This is done by detecting the amount of air you can inhale and exhale along with the time taken to complete both of these procedures. Spirometry is useful to diagnose any underlying medical condition like asthma, Chronic Obtrusive Pulmonary Disease, persistent coughing or problem during breathing. If you are receiving treatment for chronic lung disorder, spirometry is also useful to check whether or not your lungs are responding to the specific kind of treatment.

Procedure: The process of spirometry involves the use a mouthpiece and a tube adjoined with a machine which displays the recorded results. Before the onset of the procedure, which generally takes place in a hospital, you will be prescribed by the doctor to wear comfortable clothing which will not restrict your normal breathing process and will be asked to have a light meal before the procedure. The procedure will be conducted while you are sitting. 

Spirometry takes an estimated amount of 15 minutes to get over with. The nurse will put a clip on your nose in order to close your nostrils. After that, you have to take a deep breath and then breathe out as hard as possible on the tube for a few seconds. You have to make sure that there's no air leakage during this procedure by putting your lips tightly over the tube. In order to arrive at a stable result, you have to conduct the test three times at least. If the results are hugely diverse, then you have to take the test again. The highest result among the three tests is usually denoted as the ultimate test result.

Risks: Spirometry is generally a low-risk inducing procedure. But in some cases, it might cause loss of breath, moments after the procedure. Also, spirometry should not be conducted if the patient has recently had a heart attack or surgery of the eye, abdomen or chest. If you are suffering from vomiting tendencies and you have regular instances of blood in your cough, you should also avoid spirometry.

The Procedure and Risks of Spirometry

Laryngitis is referred to as the inflammation of the vocal cord or the larynx situated in the throat either due to it s over usage or certain infections. This condition spreads rapidly and does significant damage to the larynx. Laryngitis can be acute or chronic. If not diagnosed timely, laryngitis can cause significant problems in the respiratory system such as experiencing trouble while breathing. Laryngitis can be treated with antibiotics and with other home remedies such as gargling with warm salt water, giving your voice some rest and drinking sufficient water (around 2-2.5 liters) in a day to keep dehydration at bay. Make sure you avoid any caffeinated beverage and alcohol if such a condition develops. In urgent cases of laryngitis, a prescribed dosage of corticosteroids and antibiotics can provide relief.

Causes
The causes of laryngitis depend considerably on the form of laryngitis. If the laryngitis is of acute nature, then it might have been caused due to an infection and it tends to go away after suitable treatment. In the case of chronic laryngitis, the inflammation is caused due to a frequent exposure to irritants. This condition has long sustained effect and tends to be painful. The causes of laryngitis are as follows:

Apart from viral and bacterial infections, an acute form of laryngitis can be caused due to the impairment of the vocal cord as a result of constantly talking or screaming at a high-pitched voice.
Acid reflux (acidity) and frequent instances of sinus infections can cause chronic laryngitis.
Excessive consumption of tobacco and alcohol might cause chronic laryngitis.
Constant exposure to toxic chemicals might cause chronic laryngitis.
In some cases, prolonged huskiness of the throat might be a symptom of a serious underlying medical condition such as cancer or vocal cord paralysis. In such a case, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
The symptoms of laryngitis are as follows:

A constant sensation of dry throat which might lead to permanent impairment of voice
Persistent sensation of titillation in the throat coupled with a persistent dry cough
Significant pain while swallowing food
Feeling of fullness in the throat
Severe pain in the throat

Laryngitis - Signs You Are Suffering From It!

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