Bronchitis is a respiratory condition that makes breathing difficult.
Bronchitis: The bronchial tubes are swollen and inflamed, causing a constant cough and often shortness of breath. Some of the most common symptoms that come with bronchitis are chest pain, fever, and a persistent cough with mucous. If your parent has these symptoms, it’ll be necessary to bring him to this doctor to have him examined that ensure that he doesn’t have pneumonia or another serious disease that could progress and get worse. While bronchitis can be miserable, there are things you can do at home to help provide relief for your aging parent as he recovers.
1. Take the proper medication.
After your doctor’s visit, the doctor may recommend some over-the-counter medications as well as prescribe some based on the severity of your parent’s symptoms. Cough medicines can be helpful, especially if your parent is struggling with sleeping. The doctor might prescribe an inhaler to relieve the breathlessness that comes over your parent when he’s struggling to breathe. You might also want to have your parent take some pain relievers to reduce the fever and provide pain relief for any body aches. Once you determine what medications your parent will be using, include your home care provider in on that conversation so she can know what to get for your parent if he requests it as well as what to recommend he stay away from. Your home care provider cannot administer the medication, but it always helps to have her be aware of what your parent is taking so she can provide additional guidance to your parent’s requests.
2. Avoid lung irritants.
With your parent’s bronchial tubes already enflamed, he’ll need to stay away from cigarettes (or any other inhalant) while he recovers. Lung irritants such as tobacco can cause your parent to break out into a coughing fit which will further irritate his lungs. It’s also smart to watch the air quality of the home, and not have any fumes in his place (such as painting a new room) or use any candles until your parent is recovered.
3. Use a humidifier.
Adding moisture to the air can provide some relief to your parent’s lungs. The moist air will help loosen the mucous in his lungs and relieve his cough. Humidifiers need to be kept full and clean so asking your home care provider to maintain the humidifier as your parent recovers can be a big help to your parent and you.
4. Wear a face mask when out of the house.
If your parent lives in an area that is prone to a lot of pollution or cold air, a face mask can help filter out some of those irritants when he’s outside. A face mask worn in public places will help ensure he doesn’t spread what he’s battling as well as make sure he doesn’t pick up any other viruses in the air when his body is already fighting off one.
Bronchitis In Conclusion…
Bronchitis usually clears up in about 1-3 weeks. If you notice your parent isn’t improving or if it continues longer than that, schedule a follow-up appointment with his doctor to see what your next steps should be.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Palo Alto, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203
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