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The question ‘is bronchitis contagious?’ may seem like a fairly easy question but before we answer that, why don't we take a quick look at the definition of bronchitis. Bronchitis happens when the airway swells and spreads to the lungs as a result causing the bronchial passages to get aggravated and lead to inflammation. This type of inflammation results in the excessive production of mucus that blocks the flow of air on the air passages, thereby results in problems with breathing. Bronchitis comes from a simple infection that is the effect of a similar virus responsible for influenza, adenoviruses and rhinoviruses. The swelling is due to the virus infecting the windpipe as well as the bronchioles of the lungs. Other things like cigarette smoking and chemical pollutants and even some type of bacteria such as Mycoplasma pneumonia can be a contributory factor to acquiring bronchitis. People who have a friend who have this sickness could ask a physician or a medical practitioner, “Is bronchitis contagious? How can someone catch bronchitis?” When answering these questions, it is smart to first talk about the types of bronchitis to find out how these can be avoided. Overview of the Types of Bronchitis Bronchitis can be classified as Acute or Chronic Acute Bronchitis When the virus infects the upper respiratory tract, then it will be regarded as acute bronchitis. The typical symptoms revealed by a person are the typical cough with mucus. These kinds of bacterial infections are associated with the common or cold influenza. Moreover, the person who has acquired the infection may also have slight problems with breathing, pain in the chest and fever. Chronic Bronchitis Chronic bronchitis is not necessarily caused by a specific microorganism. Breathing in of harmful pollutants in the air as well as smoking cigarettes would be the major causes and triggering factors of chronic bronchitis. This kind of bronchitis results in excessive production of mucus in the bronchi that may last for about 3 months and recurs annually. Individuals with this type of bronchitis are highly vulnerable to bacterial infections like Pneumonia as well as other respiratory diseases. Compared to acute bronchitis, breathing problems can be a lot worse chronic bronchitis. So, is Bronchitis Contagious? So, is bronchitis contagious? Yes it really is! Bronchitis is contagious. As a matter of fact, it is highly contagious. Nevertheless, if the definition of bronchitis is the swelling of bronchioles, then how can people’s swollen bronchioles make other people’s bronchiole swell too? The simple truth is the bacteria that cause bronchitis spread to the air through sneezing and/or coughing. Individuals who breathe such microorganisms in the air are definitely vulnerable to an infection. The bacteria can also be transmitted by simply touching any contaminated stuff that came in contact with the infected person. Another interesting question is, ‘how long is bronchitis contagious?’ The duration of one’s bronchitis is heavily dependent on the type and cause of the bronchitis that he or she is suffering from. There is no certain time frame that states the length of time bronchitis is infectious for. In any case, which of these types of bronchitis is much more contagious- is it the acute or chronic type? The answer to this question is that both types are infectious as healthy people could possibly get one or the other without knowing. That’s why people are encouraged to take precautionary measures to stop the fast spread of this respiratory disease to other people. The prevention of the spread bronchitis is possible personal hygiene like washing of hands routinely and covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing. A bronchitis patient should refer to a physician or medical specialist and take the appropriate medications to alleviate the infection since the smallest negligence could lead to pneumonia. Taking herbal solutions during the first stages of bronchitis is also helpful in halting the spread of infection. Reinforcing these measures with bed rest, staying away from places where you can be exposed to smoke and other pollutants and increasing water consumption is likewise important. Bronchitis is a serious respiratory disease that can cause different and worse infections on the respiratory tract, which is why it's totally important to prevent it. Some of the effective means of staying away from being infected with this respiratory disease are quitting tobacco use, improving your immune system. Perhaps now, the question “Is bronchitis contagious” has been thoroughly justified, thus with the right knowledge and information, prevention of the disease is probable.
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