Bronchitis

What is Bronchitis?
Bronchitis is inflammation of the main air passages (bronchi) to your lungs. It causes a cough, shortness of breath and chest tightness. Coughing often brings up yellow or greenish mucus. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic.

Acute bronchitis: is often caused by the same viruses that cause colds. It usually starts as a sore throat, runny nose or sinus infection, then spreads to your airways. It can cause a lingering dry cough, but it usually reduces and improve with appropriate care.

Chronic bronchitis: is one type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The inflamed bronchi produce a lot of mucus. (see 2nd picture on Right) This leads to coughing and difficulty getting air in and out of the lungs. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis. Breathing in fumes and dusts over a long period of time may also cause ongoing problems. Treatment will help your symptoms, but chronic bronchitis is a long-term condition that keeps coming back or never goes away completely.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

What is the Chiropractic Approach?
The lungs are classified as a primary organ of the body. The nerve supply to lungs is very rich, with millions of receptors.

So let us consider one nerve for a moment. Information will travel up and down that nerve at 1000+ impulses a second! Then add to this 3-4 vertebra sending nerve trunks (with hundreds of thousands of nerves) to the lungs. The nerve traffic at any given moment become staggering with millions of impulses travelling in and out of the lungs. Below is an illustration of the primary nerve supply to the lungs from the spine at T2 (thoracic 2). It shows that nerve trunk feeding the skeleton (right) as well as the lungs (left).

How Research papers support Chiropractic
Chiropractic adjustments of the cervicothoracic spine for the treatment of bronchitis.... Hart, D.L. Libich, E, Ficher R. International Review of Chiropractic, 1991; Mar:31-33.

This is the case study of a ten-month-old female. She first presented with bronchitis at the age of 6 months. The symptoms were fever (pyrexia) runny nose (rhinorrhea) cough and difficult breathing. She had been prescribed repeated scripts of antibiotics, and had developed a middle ear infection (Otis media). Her condition did not improve. Antibiotics where again continued and she was put into an oxygen tent for four days and then discharged. Soon her symptoms returned.

Chiropractic treatment began as a 'last resort' and she slowly improved over the next month. Spinal adjustment where given to the dorsal (mid back region) and cervical region (neck region). Nine months later she was again reassessed. The patient was in good health with none of the previous symptoms.

The types and frequencies of non-musculoskeletal symptoms reported after chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. Leboeuf-Yde C, Axen I, Ahlefeldt G, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics Nov/Dec 1999:22(9) 559-64.

The study assessed the question of: Overall health improvements where no back related problems were reported. It assessed the effectiveness of Chiropractic adjustments on general health.

Eighty seven Swedish Chiropractors asked patients to complete a set questionnaire. Twenty consecutive patients where selected and they brought the survey sheet back on their returning visit. 1504 questionnaires where completed and returned.

Twenty three percent of the patients reported improvement in conditions outside of muscular skeletal symptoms.

This is what was reported;
Easier to breathe (98) This was the highest improved group.
Improved digestion (92)
Clearer improved vision (49)
Improved circulation(34) etc

When Chiropractic Help
Chiropractic care is very effective with treatment of bronchitis, whether it is children or adults. Do something good for yourself, or a loved one, with a natural drugless alternative. Call our office if you would like to talk with us.

DISCLAIMER This information is provided for Educational Purposes Only and has NOT been designed to diagnose, treat or cure any health conditions. Please consult a qualified Health Care Professional to diagnose your health conditions and avoid self-diagnosis.