Bronchiectasis
What is Bronchiectasis?
Bronchiectasis [bron-kee-EX-stah-sis] is a lung condition where the airways in the lungs become wider than usual. This can make it hard to clear mucus and phlegm from the lungs.
When mucus and phlegm build up in the lungs, it can cause infections and inflammation, making the condition worse. This is known as the vicious cycle of bronchiectasis.
In This Article:
What Causes Bronchiectasis?
There are several factors that can cause bronchiectasis, including:
- Infections – recurrent lung infections, such as pneumonia or tuberculosis, can damage the airways and lead to bronchiectasis.
- Cystic fibrosis – this is an inherited condition that causes mucus to become thick and sticky. This can lead to blockages in the airways and damage to the bronchial tubes.
- Immune system disorders– conditions that weaken the immune system, such as HIV/AIDS, can increase the risk of developing bronchiectasis.
- Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis – this is a type of allergic reaction to a fungus called aspergillus. It can cause inflammation and damage to the airways.
- Inherited disorders –Raregenetic disorderscan cause problems with the tiny hairsthat line the airways. This can lead to bronchiectasis.
In some cases, the cause of bronchiectasis isn’t known—this is called “idiopathic bronchiectasis.”
Diagnosing Bronchiectasis
To diagnose bronchiectasis, your doctor will likely start with a physical exam and a medical history. He or she may then order lung function tests or imaging tests like a CT scan, which is a type of x-ray.The scan can show where the bronchiectasis is located, how severe it is, and possibly even the cause of it.
A bronchoscopy with culture can test for specific germs. This is important because it will allow you to get targeted therapy for your specific germs.
Treating Bronchiectasis
There’s no cure for bronchiectasis, but it can be managed through treatment. There are two types of treatment: maintenance and treatment for exacerbations.
Maintenance is what you do on a day-to-day basis. It includes:
- Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, exercisingregularly, eating well, maintaininga healthy weight, and staying hydrated. It is also important to keep up to dateon your yearly flu vaccinations.
- Airway clearance techniques, which can help you get rid of mucus and phlegm.Youcan clear your airways using chest clapping or a coughing technique, as well as medical devices.
- Medicationcan also treat bronchiectasis. Examples include antibiotics to treat infection and inhaled medication that can open airways and help thin mucus.
Sometimes you may experience a sudden worsening of symptoms, in what is called an exacerbation. Treatment for exacerbationsincludes airwayclearance techniques, antibiotics to treat respiratory infections, corticosteroids, and inhaled medication.
You may modify your COPD action plan with your doctor to determine how to respond to exacerbations if you have both COPD and bronchiectasis.
How Bronchiectasis Affects COPD
Bronchiectasis is common with COPD. If you have both conditions, you may experience increased mucus production, which can make breathing more difficult. Maintenance medications and techniques, like nebulizers or airway clearance, areespecially important to help prevent infection.
Bronchiectasis is also under-diagnosed, so if you notice a change in your mucus production, talk to your doctor.
What You Can Do Today
If you are concerned about your symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider about bronchiectasis.
Make sure you are using your airway clearance devices as directed and practicing airway clearance techniques properly. You can ask your Wellinks coach for help!
Also, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and following your maintenance regimen will help keep mucus to a minimum.
Resources
https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/bronchiectasis.pdf
https://www.thoracic.org/patients/patient-resources/resources/bronchiectasis-treatment.pdf
https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/bronchiectasis