I think I might have bronchitis, not sure, help?!?!
Question: I think I might have bronchitis, not sure, help!?!!?
Ok so I've been sick since last Tuesday, so for a week now!. First i was just sneezing and coughing!. And then I started just feeling terrible, like body aches and probably a small fever!. And then my cough changed, like it got really rough, and I woke up Friday morning and I couldnt talk!. I finally got my voice back completely yesterday but my cough is horrible and it hurts really bad!. Even just when I'm breathing it feels like I have something stuck in my airway or something!. I dont know!. If I have to I will go to the doctor, but I cant really afford it so if anyone can help without telling me I need to go to the doctor that would be great!. ThanksWww@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Sounds like it could also be the flu, although that should clear up within the next few days whereas bronchitis won't!. If you can't afford a doctor, see if there are any walk-in clinics in your area that could diagnose you cheaper than a doctor can!. If you really have bronchitis it -is- treatable at home but it could also get worse and force you into the ER, so it's better to know than just guess!. There are two kinds of bronchitis, viral and bacterial!. For a bacterial infection, there are antibiotics available, but for a viral infection you will have to treat the symptoms and hope it clears up on its own - which it usually does within a month!.
You will probably want to have some cold or flu medicine on hand to treat your symptoms, if you are taking the home care route!. Make sure you have somewhere to sleep where you can prop yourself up if necessary - sleeping sitting up will help you breathe a little easier and actually get the rest you need!. Find a good expectorant (it will say it on the package), not a cough suppressant!. It might hurt to cough but you want to cough up the infected mucous, not keep it in!. Breathing will be easier if you cough it up, and you'll get rid of the infection sooner!.
Drink lots of liquids!. When I had bronchitis I ended up on a diet of chicken noodle soup, hot tea, toast, and ice cream because that was all I could keep down!. Mucous overproduction might make you feel nauseous or dampen your appetite so make sure you eat, even if it is only little bits at a time!.
Tissues, tissues, and more tissues! Since you will be staying in bed (or on the couch) for a while - don't even think about going to work if you're that sick! - you will probably want to get a few boxes of tissues and stack them nearby, along with a small trash can for the used ones, and some mild snack foods like crackers and ginger ale!. Be prepared to cough up or blow out a lot of mucous! It's gross, but again - the faster it comes out, the better you will feel afterward!
Good luck taking care of yourself!. :) If you like, you can search for home remedies that might speed up your recovery time - garlic and tomato juice are popular ones!. Just be careful about using any "homeopathic" remedies that look suspicious or go against what you know about health and safety!. It's better to stick with Robitussin and TheraFlu than to take chances with unknown herbal recipes!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
You will probably want to have some cold or flu medicine on hand to treat your symptoms, if you are taking the home care route!. Make sure you have somewhere to sleep where you can prop yourself up if necessary - sleeping sitting up will help you breathe a little easier and actually get the rest you need!. Find a good expectorant (it will say it on the package), not a cough suppressant!. It might hurt to cough but you want to cough up the infected mucous, not keep it in!. Breathing will be easier if you cough it up, and you'll get rid of the infection sooner!.
Drink lots of liquids!. When I had bronchitis I ended up on a diet of chicken noodle soup, hot tea, toast, and ice cream because that was all I could keep down!. Mucous overproduction might make you feel nauseous or dampen your appetite so make sure you eat, even if it is only little bits at a time!.
Tissues, tissues, and more tissues! Since you will be staying in bed (or on the couch) for a while - don't even think about going to work if you're that sick! - you will probably want to get a few boxes of tissues and stack them nearby, along with a small trash can for the used ones, and some mild snack foods like crackers and ginger ale!. Be prepared to cough up or blow out a lot of mucous! It's gross, but again - the faster it comes out, the better you will feel afterward!
Good luck taking care of yourself!. :) If you like, you can search for home remedies that might speed up your recovery time - garlic and tomato juice are popular ones!. Just be careful about using any "homeopathic" remedies that look suspicious or go against what you know about health and safety!. It's better to stick with Robitussin and TheraFlu than to take chances with unknown herbal recipes!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Get your rest!. That is paramount to healing!. Then stop all dairy products--too much mucus is produced with dairy!.
Use a vaporizer for moist air to breathe, or turn on the shower at least every other hours and breathe in the warm moist air!. Keep hydrated, drink lots of fluids, water, not sodas, and thin out the mucous and flush toxins!.
Try taking vitamin C hourly, while awake!. It is essential for healing!. I also suggest Alfalfa and Garlic; they are natural antibiotics!.
make certain that your nutritional supplements include Zinc and B-Complex!. Avoid sugars!.!.!.turns off your immune system!.
Lie down with lots of pillows to keep you head elevated--helps with drainage and the coughing!.
Blessings,
LindaWww@Answer-Health@Com
Use a vaporizer for moist air to breathe, or turn on the shower at least every other hours and breathe in the warm moist air!. Keep hydrated, drink lots of fluids, water, not sodas, and thin out the mucous and flush toxins!.
Try taking vitamin C hourly, while awake!. It is essential for healing!. I also suggest Alfalfa and Garlic; they are natural antibiotics!.
make certain that your nutritional supplements include Zinc and B-Complex!. Avoid sugars!.!.!.turns off your immune system!.
Lie down with lots of pillows to keep you head elevated--helps with drainage and the coughing!.
Blessings,
LindaWww@Answer-Health@Com