For life to keep going it is necessary to breathe in and out. It is a constant process that keeps occurring without consent. If somehow this process gets interrupted, the condition aroused can be life-threatening. The disease of asthma and Bronchitis causes such conditions where breathing becomes troublesome.
Asthma vs Bronchitis
The main difference between Asthma and Bronchitis is that the symptoms found in Asthma are shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing while Bronchitis includes tightness in the chest, white or yellow mucus in coughing, soreness, etc. Both terms can be very comfortable for the person and can be avoided with some medical help.
In Asthma, the condition of inflammation, swelling, and narrowness arises in the airway of a person. The breathing procedure gets interrupted and it becomes difficult for a person to breathe normally. To treat or calm the trouble of Asthma, inhalers are available in the market. It is also known as lung disease.
In Bronchitis, the tube that carries air get swollen or inflamed and the throat fills up with mucus or cough. Bronchitis can be both common and serious, where it can last for a few weeks to months. Sometimes it keeps coming back or in some cases, it gets cured completely.
Comparison Table Between Asthma and Bronchitis
| Parameters Of Comparison | Asthma | Bronchitis |
| Meaning | It is the inflammation in tubes carrying air to the lungs. | It is an irritation in the bronchial tubes caused by some irritant. |
| Treatment | The symptoms of asthma can be treated by rescue inhalers and steroids. | The symptoms of bronchitis can be treated by taking prescribed antibiotics. |
| Duration | The duration of Asthma can be 2 weeks to 8 weeks. | Depending on the episode, it can last for one day to weeks. |
| Age group | Asthma can suffer 5 years old children to 75 years old people. | Bronchitis is commonly found in children under 2 years. |
| Diagnosis | The diagnosis of Asthma is a high level of eosinophils and troubles in the lungs. | Diagnosis of bronchitis includes fatigue, nausea, runny nose, headache, etc. |
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a disease where a person suffering may feel problems in breathing or may even cause serious attacks. This is due to the inflation of airways or an increase in the production of mucus. Asthma may vary in different patients. For some, it is just some minor nuisance but for others, it may prove to be a fatal disease that may result in different life-taking asthma attacks.
It can interfere with daily life activities. Asthma patient shows the following symptoms: (i) Chest pain (ii) Coughing attacks which can be worsened by a respiratory virus (iii) Trouble while sleeping due to shortness of breath and coughing. (iv) Wheezing when exhaling breathe Asthma can be just a minor problem or also can be a fatal disease depending upon the condition or symptoms of the patient. Asthma can be worse if there is great difficulty in breathing if the symptoms occur more often and are aggravating.
Different surrounding conditions may differently affect the patients like cold and dry air, gases, smoke, dust, etc. Asthma attacks can be life-threatening so we should not ignore the symptoms and consult a doctor in case your symptoms are worsening or if there is no improvement even after using a quick-relief inhaler or if you are facing shortness of breath while doing any small physical activity. Although Asthma is not a curable disease, its symptoms can be controlled with certain medical procedures.
What is Bronchitis?
Inflammation of lining bronchial tubes which carries air from and to the lungs causes bronchitis. A Bronchitis patient coughs often with thick mucus. Bronchitis can either be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is very common as it is caused by the flu or a cold or other respiratory infections. It is also called a chest cold. It improves within a few days. Acute bronchitis is not serious while on the other hand Chronic bronchitis is a very serious condition.
It causes frequent irritation in the lining of bronchial tubes along its inflammation. Following are the symptoms of bronchitis: (i) Shortness of breath (ii) Fever with chills (iii) Fatigue (iv) Cough with thick mucus which can be in different colors like Yellowish, grey, green or white, etc. Also, it can be streaked with blood. Patients suffering from acute bronchitis can have symptoms of headache, fever, cold, etc.
Besides coughing, all the other symptoms may improve within a few days. But if it lasts more than three months then the patient might be suffering from chronic bronchitis which needs to be taken care of. Chronic bronchitis is caused due to pollution, smoking, and dust or toxic gases. If the symptoms last more than three months then we should visit a doctor for its proper treatment.
Main Differences Between Asthma and Bronchitis
- There is no particular type of asthma. On the other hand, there are several types of bronchitis. The most known types are acute and chronic.
- Asthma is common in every age group while acute bronchitis is found in children younger than 2 years and chronic bronchitis is found in 9 to 15-year-olds.
- To treat the symptoms of asthma bronchodilators and medicines like corticosteroids are used while rescue inhalers are available for Bronchitis.
- A patient with asthma cannot breathe properly because of the information in the throat while the tubes carrying air to the lungs get swollen.
- The level of eosinophils increase in Asthma while the symptoms of bronchitis are more like getting a cold.
Conclusion
Bronchitis and asthma can affect people of any age group. Sometimes they are mild and gone within some weeks, while sometimes they can be severe and very serious and last for months. But new innovative medical equipment and procedures are very helpful in providing treatment and comfort to people who are suffering from asthma and bronchitis.
These diseases can not be avoided by taking precautions. Only proper treatment can cure them. Both asthma and bronchitis should not be taken lightly because if not being properly healed they can cost one his life. Discomfort is the additional issue that the person has to bear.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674909008793
- https://www.cabdirect.org/cabdirect/abstract/19542701436