Are you coughing persistently? Think about how long your cough has lasted – you might have swelling in your bronchial tubes, which transport air to and from the lungs.
Fortunately, you can receive treatment for bronchitis via a primary care provider. The family medicine provider will first evaluate your symptoms and determine a firm diagnosis of your respiratory condition. Let’s talk about what bronchitis is and where you can go in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach to find relief from your symptoms.
What Is Bronchitis?
Bronchitis occurs when you have inflammation of the bronchial tubes: “bronch-” (for bronchial) and “-itis” (inflammation). The inflammation may cause you to experience shortness of breath, chest discomfort, and a frequent cough. You might also have an increased production of mucus. Fever and chills are possible as well.
Acute bronchitis occurs from a respiratory infection, such as a cold. This infection causes short-term inflammation and tends to last for 10 days or fewer. You may, however, continue to have a residual cough for another several weeks.
On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is a longer-lasting infection. You may have spells off and on. This should be addressed by a family medicine provider so that the underlying condition doesn’t worsen into a more serious infection.
When Your Cough May Be Bronchitis
Generally, you should visit a family medicine provider if you have a cough that has lasted for more than two weeks or has become progressively worse. You also should seek medical attention if your cough interferes with your sleep, if you’re coughing up blood, or if you’re having shortness of breath, wheezing, or chest discomfort.
Do not hesitate to see a family medicine provider for any unusual symptoms. It is always more prudent to overreact than to underreact when it comes to your health.
How Is Bronchitis Diagnosed?
The common cold, the flu (the influenza virus), allergies, asthma, and pneumonia all share similar symptoms, so your primary care provider will need to conduct a thorough examination to determine an accurate diagnosis.
Your family medicine provider will listen to your lungs through a stethoscope. You may also need to have an X-ray in order to narrow down the cause or to rule out certain factors.
With the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) virus as another possibility, do not be alarmed if you are being checked for that virus as well. Rest assured that all of these illnesses have viable treatments available to treat your symptoms and to address the underlying condition.
Primary Care Provider in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach
A cough may start out as seemingly harmless, but a relentless cough may indicate bronchitis or another type of respiratory issue. Be sure to see an experienced medical provider as soon as possible so that your condition doesn’t develop into pneumonia.
With offices conveniently located in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Advanced Medical Clinic is here for you and your whole family. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, call our friendly staff today at (561) 434-1935 or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to seeing you!
