What are the Signs and Symptoms of Bronchitis?

This is a type of respiratory infection when mucous membranes found in the bronchial passage of the lungs become inflamed and irritated. The passage can become constricted or the lungs’ airways can be blocked, which induces breathlessness, phlegm, and coughing episodes.

The ten most common bronchitis signs and symptoms include:
1. Cough
This is an unexpected reflex that both animals and human beings experience so that they can clear the throat and passages of any particles. These include foreign particles, mucus, microbes, fluids, and irritants.

The bronchial tubes that ferry air into the lungs become inflamed in bronchitis. The irritated membranes then produce a lot of mucus, blocking the tiny airways. To be able to breathe easily, a cough occurs to remove this mucus build-up.
2. Breathlessness
Air is transported to the lungs by the bronchial tubes. These tubes become inflamed due to bronchitis resulting in the buildup of phlegm and mucus. You may experience shortness of breath since the airways become blocked.

Although this feeling is common in bronchitis, it is more evident during strenuous activities like exercise or sexual activity.
3. Swollen lymph nodes
Your lymph nodes will likely be affected anytime your body battles an infection. These are tiny structures located all over the body, and they sieve substances that are harmful. They consist of immune cells that battle infection by confronting the germs that go over this fluid. The lymph nodes become swollen due to this battle.

A bronchitis patient will experience swelling of the lymph nodes, although they normally go back to their initial size after the infection has cleared. Visit your doctor if swelling continues beyond the infection period.
4. Fatigue and reduced energy
The body uses a lot of energy every time it battles an infection. As an outcome of this, the patient becomes lethargic and fatigued. This is a common bronchitis symptom. Since your body constantly requires oxygen, when the supply is sufficient, it starts to slow down, saving its energy and making you feel tired. Bronchitis can lead to a lengthy feelings of fatigue.
5. Chills
Your body increases its temperature to battle an infection since the infection will find it hard to spread if the environment is warmer. As the human body tries to warm itself up, you will experience chills. A slight fever is also associated with bronchitis.
7. Inflammation of the bronchial tubes
This is the main symptom of bronchitis. Smoke, chemicals, air pollution, tobacco, bacterial and viral infections may contribute to this symptom.
8. Discomfort in the chest
If you have bronchitis, your body overworks to move air in and out of the lungs because of its nature and the effects it has on your body like inflammation, heavy breathing, and partially blocked airways. This in turn causes discomfort, pain, and strain in your chest, and in the muscles of the abdomen that help expel air.

Discomfort can also be felt as a result of the inflammation of the lymph nodes and lungs, which exacerbates pain when touching the affected areas.
10. Sputum generation
Bronchitis can be indicated by sputum. The sputum associated with bronchitis is yellowish-grey or expectorating clear white. It acts as one of your body’s defense against invading microbes. Your body collects, bundles and eliminates the viruses and bacteria that are not wanted by generating mucus.

The sputum can contain traces of blood in rare cases, but this should not be a cause for concern unless it persists. You should however, visit your doctor if the sputum is seen in large amounts and occurs frequently.