Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection. The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis include: a persistent cough that usually brings up phlegm (sputum) breathlessness.
Bronchiectasis can affect just one section of one of your lungs or many sections of both lungs. It can lead to serious health problems, such as respiratory failure, a collapsed lung, and heart failure.
Your bronchiectasis will be considered to be more severe when symptoms start to affect daily activities. Factors linked with more severe bronchiectasis include: Breathlessness: being unable to walk 100 metres without stopping. Chest infections: having three or more in a year.
Bronchiectasis complications include pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema, septicemia, cor pulmonale, respiratory failure, secondary amyloidosis with nephrotic syndrome, and recurrent pleurisy.
Fevers and/or chills. Wheezing or whistling sound while you breathe. Coughing up blood or mucus mixed with blood, a condition called hemoptysis. Chest pain from increased effort to breathe.
A rare, but serious, complication of bronchiectasis is coughing up large amounts of blood (the medical term for this is massive haemoptysis). This can occur when a section of one of the blood vessels supplying the lungs suddenly splits open.
Avoid Lung Irritants
Where possible, avoid being in environments with secondhand smoke, pollution, chemical fumes, dust particles and other substances which may be harmful to lungs.
A diagnosis of bronchiectasis should be suspected when a patient presents with a recurrent or persistent (>8 weeks) cough with production of purulent or mucopurulent sputum.
In fact, respiratory related deaths have been known to be a major cause of death in bronchiectasis [9, 19, 20].
Most people with bronchiectasis will have a normal life expectancy. They may be troubled by a few infections a year. For the vast majority of people, these are mild and manageable at home. However, the severity of this condition is variable.
feel very tired. cough up blood, if you have not already done so. experience a sharp chest pain that's made worse when breathing (pleurisy) feel generally unwell.
Frequent lung infections and airways blocked with mucus are common in bronchiectasis. Because the lungs cannot clear properly, flare-ups are one of the main concerns of bronchiectasis.
These include tobramycin, colistin, gentamicin, aztreonam, and vancomycin. Expert opinion, early-phase studies, and even some phase III trials suggest that these agents result in significant improvement in QoL and reduce frequency of exacerbations in some patients with bronchiectasis 22, 23.
Sleeping. Lie on your side with a pillow between your legs and your head elevated with pillows.
Bronchiectasis is a common, progressive respiratory disease characterised by permanent dilatation of the bronchi and presenting with a clinical syndrome of cough, sputum production and recurrent respiratory infections.
Bronchiectasis and Caffeine
“Significantly high levels of caffeine intake may contribute to dehydration by stimulating the body to release more liquid than usual” [11]. In a previous article, we discussed the importance of staying hydrated when you're living with a chronic lung condition like COPD or bronchiectasis.
Bronchiectasis is associated with several autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Sjogren's syndrome, relapsing polychondritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
HRCT scan. Currently, the most effective test available to diagnose bronchiectasis is called a high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan. A HRCT scan involves taking several X-rays of your chest at slightly different angles. A computer is then used to put all the images together.
Around 1 in 3 cases of bronchiectasis in adults are associated with a severe lung infection in childhood, such as: severe pneumonia. whooping cough. tuberculosis (TB)
Having fatigue doesn't mean you have very severe bronchiectasis - it can be a symptom across all stages. People who have bronchiectasis often say that fatigue can be worse when they feel an exacerbation or infection coming on. If you have recognised this, you may have found that this is an early warning sign for you.
Stay hydrated always
Drinking plenty of water will not help keep you hydrated, but also assisting in thinning the mucus for easier removal. Drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water daily and spread over the entire day.
Weight Loss
This can happen due to a loss of appetite that develops when you have a bad taste in your mouth. Additionally, bronchiectasis causes your body to consume more calories due to the physical demands of coughing and effortful breathing.
Cystic bronchiectasis is the most severe form and exhibits saccular dilatation of bronchi. Bronchial dilatation is the hallmark of bronchiectasis and is evaluated in relation to the accompanying pulmonary artery.