What are the Symptoms of Bronchitis? Bronchitis is one of the worst forms of respiratory infections that can cause various forms of breathing distress in the affected person. It is a condition when the bronchial tubes or the bronchi which are nothing but the airways that allow exchange of gases to occur in the lungs, swell up restricting their main function. In bronchitis the lining which covers the bronchial tubes gets inflamed eventually causing breathing distress. People suffering from bronchitis have difficulty in breathing oxygen into their lungs due to the inflammation in the airways. The function further gets restricted as they are unable to clear the heavy mucus or phlegm from their airways. Facts About Bronchitis Here are key facts about bronchitis that you need to know, for better understanding and management of this disease: • Bronchitis as a condition can be triggered by any foreign object attacking the bronchial tubes, which includes viruses, bacteria, and other substances. These foreign particles cause an irritation in the bronchial tubes, as a reaction to which the inflammation is caused. • Acute bronchitis is one type of bronchitis that lasts for a short-term and is often a result of a bout of cold, flu or a viral infection. • Chronic bronchitis is the other type of bronchitis which is a more long-term disease and could be triggered due to various factors that could belong to the environment or due to an underlying medical condition. • Smokers and people who are subjected to secondary smoking are at a high risk of suffering from chronic bronchitis. • There are various tests and scans conducted to confirm bronchitis, some of which include chest X-ray, lung function testing, and blood testing. What Causes Bronchitis? In most cases, the virus that are responsible for the cold or the flu are responsible for triggering bronchitis in people. In some cases the infection could also be triggered by a bacterial attack. Whether the attack is from a virus or a bacterium, the reaction is pretty much similar. As the body in its defense tries to the fight the germs, it causes the bronchial tubes to get inflamed, as a result of which more mucus is the secreted. Because of this the airway passage becomes narrow and hence the air flow from these passages becomes restricted making it harder for a person to breathe. Bronchitis could be triggered by any of the below mentioned factors: • Weak immune system: Children and older adults are often known to have weak immune systems. However this is true even for other adults as they