Bronchitis
Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes thicken, and become inflamed and or infected. This causes less air to flow into and out of your lungs. A thick greenish or yellowish mucous is produced. Coughing will be frequent and painful. A brief episode of bronchitis is brought on by a severe cold or viral infection. Chronic bronchitis is often referred to as “smoker’s cough”.
Chronic Cough
A cough that lasts a month or more is a chronic cough. A chronic cough can occur at any time in the day, it may only occur in the morning for one person, and in the afternoon for another person. It is also true whether it is a dry cough or a productive cough, one that brings up sputum. A productive cough that lasts for several weeks or comes back every year is usually a sign of chronic bronchitis.
Allergies are one of the most common causes of a chronic cough. In some cases, a decongestant drug may decrease allergic coughing. A chronic cough can also signal asthma, or even cancer. A cough that causes shortness of breath, extreme pain, or blooding of the throat should get medical attention right away. Taking cough drops or syrups for more than a week may only mask the illness while it gets worse.
Emphysema
Emphysema is a chronic disease that makes it hard to breathe because of physical changes in the air passages. When a person has emphysema the walls of the air sacs within the lungs, called alveoli, break down and over-inflate. The oxygen and carbon dioxide gas exchange that occurs in the lungs is slowed down. This person will experience chronic cough, shortness of breath, and ongoing lung infections. It is possible in extreme cases of emphysema that the person will have severe difficulty breathing, especially exhaling.