For most people bronchiectasis is not as bad as COPD although some people have both COPD and bronchiectasis.
Although a study had found that people with bronchiectasis had more incidents of acute respiratory distress than those who had COPD without bronchiectasis.
Living with bronchiectasis can be stressful and frustrating, although most people with bronchiectasis have a normal life expectancy.
For people with very severe symptoms of bronchiectasis, however, bronchiectasis can be fatal if the lungs stop working properly.
Lungs do not heal after bronchiectasis as any damage to the lungs caused by bronchiectasis is permanent and not reversible.
However treatment is available to help the symptoms and prevent the lung damage from bronchiectasis from becoming worse.
The main treatments for the lungs to treat bronchiectasis include exercises and devices to help clear mucus from the lungs.
The three stages of bronchiectasis are cylindrical or tubular and varicose or cystic bronchiectasis.
The most common complaint in patients with bronchiectasis is a cough that is persistent that is productive of mucopurulent or purulent sputum.
The feared complication of bronchiectasis is respiratory failure which happens when not enough oxygen passes from the lungs and into your blood and can cause your skin to turn a bluish color as well as severe shortness of breath.
The best treatment of bronchiectasis is taking oral antibiotics which is usually taken for 14 days to get rid of the bronchiectasis.
The most common cause of bronchiectasis is cystic fibrosis.
Although there are other causes and triggers of bronchiectasis which include autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency disorders like HIV or diabetes and COPD and alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency that can also cause COPD in some people.
Bronchiectasis is a lung condition that is long term where the airways of the lungs become 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) shortness of breath.
When it's properly monitored and treated most people with bronchiectasis have a normal life expectancy.
People with bronchiectasis are more likely to die because of other medical conditions that affect all people (like heart disease or cancer) than to die directly from bronchiectasis.
Oral antibiotics are often used as the main treatment for repeated lung infections ( exacerbations ) due to bronchiectasis.
The normal course of treatment for bronchiectasis is 14 days.
Bronchiectasis has no cure.
Although, most people who have bronchiectasis can enjoy a good quality of life and manage the condition with stepwise treatment , including clearing their lungs, exercising, and taking steps to lower the chance of lung infection.
People with bronchiectasis also suffer from lung secretions which lead to dehydration and an increased risk of infection.
Drinking plenty of water will not only help keep you hydrated, but it will also assisting in thinning the mucus for easier removal.
Drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water daily and spread over the entire day.
The most common symptom that should prompt suspicion of a diagnosis of bronchiectasis is a persistent cough productive of mucopurulent or purulent sputum.
When you have bronchiectasis you should reduce your intake of foods high in sugar and fat content, and reduce portion sizes and snacking.