---Doesn't want to drink cold stuff now

Dear Doesn't want to drink cold stuff now,

When you have bronchitis, the mucous lining of the bronchi (the airways which connect your trachea to your lungs) becomes inflamed. This inflammation causes a persistent, phlegm (yellow or green in color) - producing cough. Other common symptoms of bronchitis are wheezing and breathlessness. You will also feel congested, and may experience some pain or discomfort behind the breastbone (sternum), as well as a fever.

There are two types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. Neither of these types of bronchitis are caused by drinking cold drinks! Chronic bronchitis, as the name implies, tends to stick with a person for a considerable length of time. It is common among smokers and people who live (or work) in highly polluted areas. Acute bronchitis usually strikes a person suddenly and clears up within a few days. It, too, seems to be more common among smokers, and others who are more susceptible to respiratory infect ions (i.e., babies, the elderly, and people with lung disease). However, in most cases, the cause of acute bronchitis is a complication of a viral infection (cold or flu), but it can also be brought on by the effect of air pollutants.

In either case, if you suspect you have bronchitis, you may want to see your doctor. Sometimes bacteria, such as the one responsible for pneumonia, cause bronchitis. If your doctor suspects this, s/he will prescribe antibiotics. However, since most cas es are usually viral in origin, antibiotics would be unnecessary; so, your best treatment will be drinking lots of fluids and getting some sleep. You can also try a humidifier to relieve some of the symptoms. And, if you smoke, the problems may not go a way completely until you quit. (For information on smoking cessation, see Weight gain and quitting smoking under Alice's General Health archives.)

At any rate, you can keep on drinking cold stuff!

Alice

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