Often neglected as a symptom of a common cold, coughing and sneezing may at times indicate the onset of a serious condition. Apart from the common cold, coughing can be a sign of severe complications like asthma, bronchitis and even tuberculosis. Bronchitis, as the name suggests, affects the functioning of the bronchial tubes. Patients diagnosed with this condition are found to have inflamed bronchial tubes, which lead to excess mucus secretion in the area. In most of the cases, swelling of the tubes gets them closed or narrows them. If left untreated, bronchitis can become a chronic disease.

Confused with bronchitis, chronic bronchitis refers to the condition in which coughing continues for more than three months and may even remain present for over two years. Patients with chronic bronchitis complain of getting sputum with their cough. Like every other chronic problem, bronchitis affects the well-being of the patient significantly. But when diagnosed in time, it can be treated in chronic bronchitis treatment centers successfully.

Diagnosing chronic bronchitis
When looking through various chronic bronchitis treatment centers, you should make sure to verify whether it has facilities for conducting the medical examinations. Checking the infrastructure for your treatment is essential, but you should give more importance to the doctors. The center you select should be served by professionals an experienced pulmonologist.

When visiting the center, remember to carry all the detail of bronchitis treatment, as it helps in understanding the condition. Apart from the medical history, professionals of an ideal chronic bronchitis treatment center will conduct physical examinations to verify the condition. Physical tests are mostly done by listening to the wheezes produced while inhaling and exhaling. Breathing obstructions, if any are also diagnosed. Patients showing chronic bronchitis symptoms during a physical examination are advised for a chest x-ray, CT scan, and arterial blood gas count tests. Pulmonary function tests, as well as complete blood count tests, are also necessary.

Treatment facilities for chronic bronchitis
Treatment varies depending on the condition of the patient.

• While some are advised antibiotic medicines, others may need steroids to heal the inflammation. The patient could make use of oral steroids or inhale steroids.
• In severe cases, doctors may also recommend bronchodilators or a combination of medicines along with bronchodilators. Therefore, the center you select should have all the treatment facilities that you need for your recovery otherwise you may have to shift to some other hospital, which can be extremely inconvenient.
• Oxygen therapy is recommended at times. Usually, it is required for patients, who face difficulty while breathing. Though hospitalization of the patient is advised during oxygen therapy, in some cases, it can be provided at home.
• If left untreated for a significant period of time, chronic bronchitis may adversely affect the lung volume of the patient and may be asked for a corrective surgery. Surgical treatment mostly includes removal of the damaged tissues from lungs so that the breathing process becomes normal. Surgery is rare as bronchodilators and medicines heal the condition in most cases.

Rehabilitation is important
An essential part of the treatment procedure, successful rehabilitation techniques can help in remedying the condition from its roots. Pulmonary rehabilitation starts with educating and informing the patient about the graveness of the condition. It also explains the causes in details and guides him or her about the preventive measures to avoid such health problems in the future. Apart from that, rehabilitation also includes nutritious counseling. Last but not the least, patients are taught different breathing techniques and exercises for better respiratory functions. Getting back to normal life is often difficult for patients with chronic bronchitis as their respiratory functions are limited compared to a healthy individual. However, physical activities can help in overcoming the problems gradually.

Reputation of the center
Checking the list of doctors and other healthcare facilities for treatment of chronic bronchitis is critical. However, your decision should not be based on these only. Additionally, you should check the reviews and testimonials that the center has received from the patients. Do not trust any healthcare facilities if it has poor reviews by patients as they might not be able to give you the necessary treatment and your condition might degrade. Advertisements can be misleading, so verify the reputation.

Even though chronic bronchitis is an alarming condition, it can be treated with proper care. However, just curing yourself once does not guarantee your well-being. To stay healthy, you should go for regular check-ups and follow the directions given your doctor. Also, it is recommended to bring some healthy changes in your lifestyle. Avoid foods or drinks that can cause bronchitis. Make sure to avoid any kind of smoking as it can worsen your health conditions significantly. Also note, passive smoking is equally detrimental to your health and should be avoided.