What Are The Causes Of Bronchitis?

by Crystal Sharon

Coughing, gobs of mucous, wheezing, chest discomfort, hard to breathe… if you’ve ever had bronchitis, you’re familiar with all these things. Unfortunately acute bronchitis is widespread, one of the most common respiratory problems in the US.

Although anyone can get acute bronchitis, people over the age of 50 are more prone to it. You get acute bronchitis when the bronchial tubes get inflamed.

This results in an overproduction of mucous. Normally mucous acts a protectant, but when there is too much of it, airways can become obstructed.

There are different causes of bronchitis. Most commonly, acute (short-term) bronchitis is caused by a viral infection.

The normal viruses that trigger acute bronchitis include adenovirus, influenza virus, Para influenza virus, corona virus, Coxsackie’s virus, enterovirus, rhinovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus.

Another cause of bronchitis is due to bacterial infections. Bronchitis caused by viral infections is far more common than bacterial. Some of the bacteria that cause bronchitis include streptococcus, pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Bordatella pertussis, Bordatella parapertussis, and Branhamela catarrhalis.

On rare occasions, bronchitis can be caused by an organism that carries the properties of both a virus and bacteria, called mycoplasmas. If this is ever the case, the bronchitis symptoms are severe and come on quickly. Some mycoplasmas can be deadly. The few that are known to cause bronchitis include mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Legionella.

Sometimes causes of bronchitis can include infection from fungi. Some of the common ones known for this include Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Blastomyces dermatitidis, Histoplasma capsulatum, and Cocciodioides immitis. When bronchitis is caused by fungal organisms the symptoms are usually less serious and milder.

Some other things that can trigger bronchitis include chemicals, pollutants, pollen, dust, smoke, and second-hand smoke. Fortunately the symptoms caused by these things are usually mild.

When bronchitis is caused by these factors, the treatment you get usually helps you deal with the symptoms. By reducing or eliminating the irritants in your environment (if possible) will also help alleviate some of your bronchitis issues. Cough suppressants for decongestion will also help open the airways.

Hopefully, learning about these causes of bronchitis has informed you why you may be experiencing bronchial problems.

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