Lung and Respiratory Problems

Coughing is a natural reflex to quickly get rid of germs, harmful or foreign substances in the airways. A severe irritable cough can develop into an acute asthma attack.  

The inflammation of upper airways in the lungs, the bronchial tubes, is called bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is very common as it often develops from a cold or other respiratory infection. An acute bronchitis cough usually lasts for 10 days, sometimes up to 3 weeks. In the beginning, cough is the first symptom. This cough will be dry at first, then becomes productive, meaning you will cough out mucus because bronchitis causes the accumulation of mucus in the airways. Other symptoms are shortness of breath and low fever.

Coughing is a natural reflex to quickly get rid of germs, harmful and foreign substances in the airways. A cough can last several weeks, but anyone who struggles with coughing for more than eight weeks has a chronic health problem.

The inflammation of upper airways in the lungs, the bronchial tubes, is called bronchitis.

According to the World Health Organization, bronchitis is chronic when the mucus cough appears on almost every day within three months and this for two consecutive years. Like acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis is characterized by coughing with mucus (especially in the morning), but it lasts longer. Chronic bronchitis is often the result of regular smoking and can have serious consequences. The ingredients of cigarette smoke, such as nicotine, irritate the bronchial mucosa of our respiratory tract, which is equipped with many small cilia, which consequently become inflamed. Therefore, the body, to get rid of penetrating foreign bodies, has to loosen the stuck mucus through recurring coughing attacks.

Bronchial asthma is one of the most common widespread respiratory tract diseases. The bronchial tubes become constricted in attacks, caused by the contact to personal allergy triggers, resulting in a hypersensitive immune system reaction and symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath.

The real flu (influenza) is a severe acute illness of the respiratory tract, caused by influenza viruses, which are constantly changing. Less dangerous are colds or “flu-like infections” caused by other pathogens. While influenza begins with a sudden feeling of illness – with fever (high, often above 40°C), sore throat and dry cough, accompanied by severe muscle, limb, back or headaches – a cold develops slowly and is less severe. Typically, exhaustion and fatigue are much more pronounced in influenza.