Allergic bronchitis is a type of chronic bronchitis, which is a serious inflammation of the bronchial tubes, and the part of the respiratory system that leads into the lungs. There are actually a few different types of allergic bronchitis, which are acute and chronic.

In acute cases of the condition, there is a sudden onset, and it is usually caused by a respiratory infection, such as a virus or even the common cold. Chronic cases, on the other hand, do not have a sudden onset and are actually most commonly caused by a long term irritation of the bronchial tubes.

Causes

When it comes to the causes of allergic bronchitis, there are actually several different factors which are considered as being potentially responsible, but the most major is exposure to airborne pollutants, and this includes things such as cigarette smoke and dust in the air, for instance.

Symptoms

There are certain signs or symptoms of allergic bronchitis that you should be aware of so that you can recognize them, and the most difficult thing here is that the symptoms may actually not be noticeable for days or even weeks or longer. There are many different symptoms that you may experience, the most common including shortness of breath, chest pain and a chronic productive cough.

Treatment

Treatment is obviously a very important step here however you cannot be properly treated if you are not diagnosed. This is why it is so important to get yourself in to your doctor as soon as you notice any of the mentioned or similar symptoms, so that they can diagnose you.

The basic way to treat allergic bronchitis is to get the person to avoid the irritant that is causing the illness. This seems very simple, but it can actually often be much harder than it looks. For instance, if the allergic bronchitis is being caused by the person smoking, then they are really going to have to buckle down and quit smoking.

Prescription medications are also often recommended, bronchodilators in particular, which work by helping to open up the airways and make it easier for the patient to breathe. Your doctor will have to prescribe these medications for you, and so you will want to speak to them more about this.

There are so many different factors that come into play with this type of condition, but it is very important to do everything that you can to treat it properly because if left untreated it can grow to become potentially dangerous.