Bronchitis leads to inflammation of the bronchial tubes also known as bronchi, which serves as the air passage between the mouth, nose and the lungs. Conversely, Asthma is a kind of chronic disease (which remains for a longer time) of lungs, which result in swelling of bronchial tubes consecutively affecting the muscles by tightening hence problems arise of air to move in and out. Bronchitis is caused by bacteria or virus or dust particles, fumes, vapors and can be Acute or Chronic.
Bronchitis sometimes may last longer for more than two years or may get vanished in a couple of weeks. Asthma is a life long disease, it can be treated but cannot be cured permanently. Symptoms of asthma disease result in shortness of breathing, chest tightness, cough with mucus. Some people get interrupted by the asthma attacks in the regular interval or some may have during physical exercise or due to viral infections. Although the cause of asthma is yet uncertain.
When there is the problem while breathing, or a congestion along with cold and fever, the person should consult health care professionals. These kinds of problems can be the signs of lung infections which can be of many kinds like Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Emphysema, Lung cancer, Bronchitis, Asthma.
Lung diseases are among the most common medical conditions in the world. The main cause of these diseases can be smoking, infections, allergies, genetic. In this content, we will discuss the difference between the two main lungs diseases which are Bronchitis and Asthma.
Content: Bronchitis Vs Asthma
Comparison Chart
| Basis for Comparison | Bronchitis | Asthma |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Bronchitis is an inflammation of the linings of bronchial tubes (the passage from where air passes to the lungs) which is an infection due to pollutants like smoke, dust, and other harmful particles and last for few weeks. | Asthma is a condition where muscles get tighten of the air ways or the passage from where air moves in and out due to which there is swelling and results in narrowing of the airways. Asthma is a life-long disease which can be treated but cannot be cured permanently. |
| Symptoms/Signs | 1.Chest congestion 2.Body ache and chills 3.Run a low fever 4.Running and stuffy nose. 5.Feeling exhausted. 6.A cough can last for few weeks. | 1. Regular cough especially at night. 2. Allergies like sneezing, running nose, congestion. 3. Problem while sleeping. 4. Weakness. 5. Feeling low while doing physical exercise and other heavy work. 6. Chest tightening. |
| Diagnose | 1.By checking the oxygen level. 2.Spirometer test. 3.Chest X-ray. 4.Blood Test. | 1.Spirometry. 2.Blood test. 3.Peak expiratory flow. 4.Chest X-ray. |
| Cause | It can be caused by virus or bacteria or other particles that can create the disturbance while breathing. | Asthma is caused by coming into contact with dust particles, pollens, airborne substances,smoke, tobacco,weather changes or sometimes it can be genetic, or due to a long respiratory disease like common cold. |
| Treatment | Though Acute Bronchitis get itself cured and last for few days, whereas Chronic Bronchits needs a proper treatment which help in eradication, like antibiotics and inhaler are prescribed. | 1.Inhalers. 2.Humidifiers. 3.Medicines of alllergies. *Asthma can be treated and controlled but is incurable permanently. |
| Types | 1.Acute Bronchitis. 2.Chronic Bronchitis. | No types |
| Precaution | 1. Avoid smoking. 2. Wear mask wherever necessary. 3.Drink plenty of water. 4.Get all the necessary vaccines on time. 5.Avoid taking cough medicine. | 1 .Avoid smoking. 2.Wear mask wherever necessary. 3.Avoid coming in contact with allergens like dust, pollen, vapours, fumes. 4. Avoid coming in direct contact with the person already suffering from this disease. 5.Take proper rest. |
Definition of Bronchitis
Mostly Bronchitis recover on its own within few weeks, but if not one should consult health care professionals. Bronchitis is an illness resulting in swelling of linings of bronchial tubes which creates problems like fever, cough, chest congestion, body ache.
Bronchitis is curable if properly treated as it happens for short term especially acute bronchitis, though sometimes Bronchodilators-inhaler machines that open the airways are prescribed. Precautions should be taken like avoiding smoking, wearing mask wherever needed, washing hands properly, by not coming in contact with contagious people.
Types of Bronchitis:
- Acute Bronchitis is for a short period, followed by cold and infection caused due to the virus or sometimes by bacteria. It is also caused by coming in contact with dust, smokes, fumes, vapors and other unwanted dust particles.
- Chronic Bronchitis is a long term, and it may damage and weakens not only air passage but lungs tissues also. The major cause is smoking and also due to various environmental factors which lead to long term illness.
As said above the main cause of Chronic Bronchitis is cigarette smoking, so this disease occurs in the later stage of life. The person suffering from this disease may take around three weeks or more than two years to recover if the condition is serious. A cough is in continuous phlegm kind in this disease.
A patient may suffer severe breathing difficulties and other serious symptoms later. Chances of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) increases if chronic bronchitis occurs with emphysema.
Definition of Asthma
Asthma is primarily an allergic reaction which should be taken seriously. Once asthma develops in the body, patients will suffer frequent attacks of asthma known as asthmatic attacks. These outbreaks result in airway constriction and breathing will be difficult as the airway got inflamed and swelled up. Eventually, persons emerge with chest tightening, coughing problems. A cough in asthma is dry with little salivation and is restricted to airways passage only.
These attacks permanently weaken the respiratory tract. Although the causes of asthma are not clear, it is believed that this disease is caused due to smoking, tobacco, pollens, weather changes, viral or bacterial infections, chemicals, dust, etc.
Asthma is similar to Chronic Bronchitis and is common in children, though it’s sometimes difficult to distinguish between Chronic bronchitis and Asthma at adulthood. Another condition is there which is termed as ‘Bronchitis asthma,’ where acute bronchitis and asthma occurs together. A cough in asthma is dry with little salivation and is restricted to airways passage only.
Proper precautions should be taken to avoid such infections as lungs play a vital role in the body, and if this gets infected, this will eventually result in weakening of the other organs and can sometimes be life-threatening.
Key Differences Between Bronchitis and Asthma
Distinguishing between both the disease is important so that person can get the appropriate treatment and thus help in preventing it from further spreading. So following are the key differences between Bronchitis and Asthma are as follows:
- Bronchitis is an infection in the linings of the air passage, which results in the inflammation of the tubes the patient suffers the problem in breathing, chest congestion, fever, cough, muscles tightening; Asthma is very closely related to bronchitis which is also a common kind of lungs infection occurs due to smoking, tobacco, dust particles, fumes, pollens, vapors and is sometimes genetic. In Asthma airways get swollen, and the patient suffers from a problem in breathing.
- Bronchitis is of two types Acute and Chronic, Acute is curable and goes on it own after few days, but Chronic is quite a severe infection and may last for a long time and affects lungs tissues also; Asthma affects only airways, and it is curable and can be treated, but there is no permanent prevention of this disease, as person ones caught with this infection will have the chances of recurrent episodes of Asthmatic attacks.
- Symptoms of both the disease differentiate little to like in Bronchitis a cough is without phlegm, fever, chest congestion, short breathing but during Asthmatic attacks the person has chest tightness, cough with phlegm, wheezing, breathing problem.
- Diagnosis of both the disease is done by Spirometry, Chest X-ray, by checking Oxygen level.
- Treatment should be given especially in the case of Asthma and Chronic Bronchitis as they are serious lung infections, causing damage to the organs so inhalers, antibiotics, humidifiers are prescribed.
Conclusion
From above discussion, we can say that Bronchitis and Asthma share the same symptoms but different causes. Regardless that both the medical case results in inflammatory airway conditions, usually smokers or the person who is in regular contact with the smokers suffer the most.
The only difference in these diseases is their characteristics where Asthma is the worst problem among them as it is incurable and lifelong and still exact cause is unknown. Even bronchitis patients are at risk of getting asthma as their immune systems get low due to which they have many chances, so care should be taken.
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