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In children, viral infections such as croup or epiglottitis are frequent causes. [4] Adults are more likely to experience obstruction from enlargement of the tonsils or vocal cord paralysis. [3] Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common chronic cause of upper airway obstruction. [2]
Typically, infections cause 75% or more of the exacerbations; bacteria can roughly be found in 25% of cases, viruses in another 25%, and both viruses and bacteria in another 25%. Airway inflammation is increased during the exacerbation resulting in increased hyperinflation, reduced expiratory air flow and decreased gas exchange.
It may be triggered by other things such as an upper respiratory tract infection, cold air, exercise, or smoke. Asthma is a common condition and affects over 300 million people around the world. [3] Asthma causes recurring episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing, particularly at night or in the early morning. [4]
Maybe they have a bacterial infection and need antibiotics. Maybe what they have isn’t an infection at all and could be appendicitis. They should consult with a doctor to see if additional ...
The key symptom is increased breathlessness, other more pronounced symptoms are of excessive mucus, increased cough and wheeze. A commonly found sign is air trapping giving a difficulty in complete exhalation. [33] The usual cause of an exacerbation is a viral infection, most often the common cold. [13]
Asthma is a common long-term inflammatory disease of the airways of the lungs. [4] Asthma occurs when allergens, pollen, dust, or other particles, are inhaled into the lungs, causing the bronchioles to constrict and produce mucus, which then restricts oxygen flow to the alveoli.
The underlying cause of this type of bronchoconstriction appear to be the large volume of cool, dry air inhaled during strenuous exercise. The condition appears to improve when the air inhaled is more fully humidified and closer to body temperature. This specific condition, in the general population, can vary between 7 and 20 percent.
Crackles are caused by the "popping open" of small airways and alveoli collapsed by fluid, exudate, or lack of aeration during expiration. Crackles can be heard in people who have pneumonia , atelectasis , pulmonary fibrosis , acute bronchitis , bronchiectasis , acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), interstitial lung disease or post ...