How Can Chronic Bronchitis Be Prevented?

Getting sick can be one of the worst things that can happen to a person. Having to be bed ridden for long periods of time can be extremely irritating, not to mention it puts a hold on your everyday life. Bronchitis is one of these sicknesses that can make you feel horrible for weeks, so you want to do whatever you can to prevent it. It is much easier to prevent acute bronchitis than it is chronic bronchitis, since chronic bronchitis sets in after a long period of time of cigarette abuse, or long exposure to pollution. Some of the damage that comes along with chronic bronchitis is irreversible, and it can actually lead to other complications. Luckily, there are many ways a person can prevent bronchitis. You should take these steps so you do not acquire acute bronchitis, and so you can stop the progression of chronic bronchitis.

The first thing you are going to want to do if you want to prevent bronchitis is to stop smoking. Many people mistake their bronchitis as just a  “smokers cough,” and this can be very dangerous. If you do not smoke, do not begin smoking. If you did not smoke, then most cases of bronchitis would not even develop. Cigarette smoke increases the chance of the development of bronchitis. The smoke can be very hard on your lungs, which will already be irritated by the bronchitis. It has been shown that nine months after a person stops smoking, their coughing, congestion, shortness of breath and tiredness will diminish. All of these things are symptoms of chronic bronchitis, so if you have chronic bronchitis and you smoke, stopping will make your symptoms better. If you are around people that smoke, either exit the area, or wear a mask that covers up your mouth so you do not have to breathe in the smoke.

Bronchitis is a highly contagious disease, just like the flu or the cold. One of the best ways to prevent yourself from getting bronchitis is to wash your hands regularly. If you are in an area that has a lot of people, like an office building or a school, you will want to wash your hands after touching anything that a lot of people have touched. You can also use hand sanitizer if there is not a sink or a bathroom around you if you have touched something that may have a lot of germs on it.

Since acute bronchitis is a viral disease, it is important to vaccinated. Although getting your yearly flu shot sounds like an awful chore, it can be extremely beneficial. If you get your flu shot, you can be protected from that virus. If you get bronchitis, you will not have to deal with the flu on top of that, and you may be protected from bronchitis as well. You may want to get a vaccination that protects from pneumonia as well, because bronchitis can cause pneumonia.

If it is very cold outside, or you live in an area that has a lot of pollution or cigarette smoke, you may want to consider wearing a mask in order to avoid the pollutants in the air. Cold air, cigarette smoke, and pollutants can irritate the lungs, as well as cause more damage to them.

If you take the steps to prevent bronchitis, you may never develop it, and if you have bronchitis already, you can take these steps in order to ensure that your symptoms do not get worse.