Bronchitis
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus. It can also cause shortness of breath, wheezing, a low fever, and chest tightness. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic.
Most cases of acute bronchitis get better within several days. But your cough can last for several weeks after the infection is gone.
The same viruses that cause colds and the flu often cause acute bronchitis. These viruses spread through the air when people cough, or though physical contact (for example, on unwashed hands). Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute bronchitis. Less often, bacteria can also cause acute bronchitis.
To diagnose acute bronchitis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your breathing. You may also have other tests.
Treatments include rest, fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever. A humidifier or steam can also help. You may need inhaled medicine to open your airways if you are wheezing. Antibiotics won't help if the cause is viral. You may get antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Physician's Therapeutics Memoranda on Bronchitis
In the incipient stage, quinine with a little Dover powder and a laxative may ward off the attack. If inflammatory action is estab lished, active diaphoretics (the hot foot bath, hot lemonade witliwa little whiskey, Dover powder, chamomile tea or other hot infusion), yconite if required for fever, application to chest of Phenol Camphor; ipecac and potassium salts to promote secretion; inhalations of steam or of moisture-laden air. Later adapt remedies to condition of patient. As expectorants use ammonium chloride, ammonium carbonate, lobelia, senega, etc., combining these with henbane, heroine or codeine to allay excessive cough. As case progresses, use terpin hydrate or terebene, oil oi sandalwood, eucalyptol and similar remedies. Eucalyptol in spray or by inhalation is very eflicient. When there is hypersecretion, avoid ammonium chloride and use belladonna, strychnine and counter-irritation.1
Treat early stage as in acute bronchitis. The local congestion may be relieved by application of a 4 per cent. solution of cocaine, or a solution of suprarenal extract. Spray or vapor of camphor and menthol or use by inhaler of a little Phenol Camphor gives much relief. Alkal-Antiseptine with nasal douche is a useful remedy.1
The remedies most prescribed in the early stage are; aconlte and potassium citrate to control the febrile symptoms; phenacetin or acetanilid, often combined with salol, for their analgesic action; quinine salicylate, aspirin, salicylic acid; calomel followed by a saline purge. The bronchitis must be treated in the usual manner, avoid ing depressing agents such as tartar emetic. Cannabis indica is a safe sedative in these cases. Combat the peculiar depression as the case progresses by strychnine or nux vomica in full doses, combined often with belladonna.1
General treatment the same as in acute bronchitis or coryza, As special remedies, inhalations of steam from water to which has been added compound tincture benzoin or Antiseptine or in later stages eucalyptol (a few drops) or menthol, or these latter may be mixed with albolene and used in spray. As local application, at first Glyceroplasma or Phenol Camphor (a few drops several times a day), later oil turpentine or tincture iodine as counter-irritant.1
General treatment the same as ilr incipient bronchitis. Locally, use frequently as a gargle A ntiseptine or Alkal-antiseptine diluted with four to eight parts of hot water; paint the throat once or twice with tincture ferric chloride containing 5 grs. to the drachm of quinine sulphate; apply suprarenal extract to relieve congestion; gargle with a solution of potassium chlorate and ferric chloride; apply antipyrin by spray. In Chronic Pharyngitis occasional applications of a solu tion of silver nitrate, or of bordglyceride or of glycerite of tannin are often useful; lozenges containing cubeb or menthol.1