The disease is a condition that affects a specific body organ, and when the organ gets affected, its function also gets disturbed. Therefore a person should go through a full-body checkup at least once a month. Diseases are not related to external injury as it is developed internally.
Atelectasis and Bronchiectasis are disorders mainly associated with the breathing pipe or windpipe that is connected directly to our lungs. These disorders are caused by pressure on the lungs or the damage in the airway wall caused by some kind of inflammation.
Atelectasis vs Bronchiectasis
The main difference between Atelectasis and Bronchiectasis is that Atelectasis is a term used for sudden damage in the lungs or collapse of lungs, which is caused by the obstruction of the windpipe. And Bronchiectasis is a term used to describe the damage in the bronchi tissue that causes cough and releases unclear mucus.
Atelectasis is a condition used for representing lung collapse. Persons having asthma, breathing problems, tuberculosis, and other types of lung infections can easily get affected by Atelectasis and may face severe health-related chronic issues that are inoperable.
Bronchiectasis is a state in the human body where the mucus flow becomes unclear and hard. The mucus during this condition becomes infectious and develops several types of bacterial infections. And the growing infections can directly affect the immunity system of the person.
Comparison Table Between Atelectasis and Bronchiectasis
| Parameters of Comparison | Atelectasis | Bronchiectasis |
| Definition | Atelectasis is instant damage that happens especially in the lungs area and in the airway wall or bronchi area. | Bronchiectasis as the name describes mainly happens in the bronchi wall and affects the mucus flow through the wall. |
| Mucus development | Atelectasis does not change the function of the mucus and its development. | Bronchiectasis is only focused on mucus development and damages its functions. |
| Symptoms | The symptoms of this disorder include shallow breathing, cough, difficulty in breathing, etc. | The symptoms of this disorder include color-changing mucus, coughing, fever, and shortness of breath, etc. |
| Treatment | In Atelectasis bronchoscopy and inhalers are suggested. | In Bronchiectasis condition taking antibiotics are mostly suggested. |
| Bacterial Development | Atelectasis does not contribute to bacterial development. | Bronchiectasis develops bacterial infections in the mucus itself. |
| Duration of diseases | Atelectasis, if mild can go away easily with proper medications. | Bronchiectasis can become a chronic disorder, but mostly it lasts for about fourteen days. |
What is Atelectasis?
Atelectasis happens to a person when their air sacs or airway wall does not enlarge as they usually do. And is mainly a condition that targets the human lungs. During this disorder the breathing becomes shallow and, it becomes hard for those people who have this condition to take a deep breath.
Lungs are the organs that help us in taking oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, which is the basic process of the human body. There are two lungs in a human body and are directly attached to a windpipe or airway wall. But Atelectasis blocks the bronchi wall and affects its main functioning.
This problem can also happen to people who go through the anesthesia process during any type of surgery or operation because this process directly affects the working of the lungs. But for normal people, the symptoms are bluish skin, fast heart rate, and chest pain, etc.
What is Bronchiectasis?
Bronchiectasis causes an increase in the flow of the mucus and, the mucus becomes thicker than usual. Also, the color of the mucus becomes viscous dark green, and due to its hardness, its flow through the bronchi wall becomes tough. During this condition, other inflammations can also develop.
Exacerbations are common in this disorder, which means that the coughing and the process of breathing becomes hard. The passage of the bronchi walls becomes thicker due to the collection of mucus in them, which makes the inhaling and exhaling process resilient.
People who are aged are mostly affected by this disease, as their lungs become weaker and their chances of getting any infections become more probable. Deadly diseases like tuberculosis, pneumonia may also happen to a person having Bronchiectasis, as it makes the immune system fragile and, due to this the disease-fighting capacity of a person decreases.
Main Differences Between Atelectasis and Bronchiectasis
- Atelectasis is instant damage that happens especially in the lungs area and in the airway wall or bronchi area. On the other hand, Bronchiectasis as the name describes mainly happens in the bronchi wall and affects the mucus flow through the wall.
- Bronchiectasis develops bacterial infections in the mucus itself. Whereas, Atelectasis does not contribute to bacterial development.
- Bronchiectasis can become a chronic disorder, but mostly it lasts for about fourteen days. While Atelectasis, if mild can go away easily with proper medications.
- The symptoms of Bronchiectasis disorder include color-changing mucus, coughing, fever, and shortness of breath, etc. And, the symptoms of Atelectasis disorder include shallow breathing, cough, difficulty in breathing, etc.
- Atelectasis does not change the function of the mucus and its development. Whereas, Bronchiectasis is only focused on mucus development and damages its functions.
Conclusion
Some consumer products come with a warning note that if you will consume these products, this may cause harmful effects on your specific organs. But then also people purchase these products because they have become addictive and if they will not buy these products their body will crave. And many of these products directly harm the lungs by making them weaker and affecting their functions. Some examples of these kinds of products are cigarettes, tobacco, beer, and e-cigarettes, etc. Atelectasis and Bronchiectasis both are lung-related disorders that may damage your lungs in the long term if proper treatment is not provided. But Atelectasis in acute disorder, if treated in time, can be cured.
References
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1526054200900599
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmra012519