Section
7
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BRONCHITIS—1
SYMPTOMS—Coughing and mucous, pain in the chest (and possibly back), fever, sore throat, and difficult breathing. Sudden chills and shaking may occur.
CAUSES—The bronchial tubes are the airways which lead into the lungs. The bronchi are two main branches of the trachea. They divide into many smaller bronchi, like tree roots. These, in turn, divide off into the grape-like maze, called the lungs.
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi, and is frequently complicated by mucous obstruction of those passageways. When the bronchi are badly infected, the cause is often viral rather than bacterial. Irritating substances (or invading bacteria or viruses) cause the bronchi to produce an excess of mucous, which clogs the airways.
There are two types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. The acute very often occurs as infection in throat moves on down toward the lungs. A cold or the flu, if not immediately given careful treatment, can spread into other areas, such as the bronchi or the eustachian tubes. If bronchitis is not carefully dealt with, the infection will move on into the lungs, resulting in pneumonia.
Chronic bronchitis is an ongoing problem, which results from repeated bouts of acute bronchitis or from something that is frequently irritating the lungs. This can be allergies, especially tobacco smoke. The only ones who gain from tobacco are the manufacturers. Interestingly enough, only 9% of bronchitis patients in the U.S. are non-smokers. Infants exposed to cigarette smoke are far more likely to come down with bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis reduces the amount of oxygen to the lungs and the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled. This eventually can lead to enlargement of the heart; pulmonary hypertension; and finally, heart failure.
TREATMENT—
• Stop smoking and get tobacco out of the house. If you have chronic bronchitis, do not expect much improvement as long as tobacco smoke is in the home.
• Do not use milk; it produces a thick phlegm which complicates healing. White-flour products and sugar foods should not be used until bronchitis is past.
• Drink plenty of fluids: pure water, soups, and herb teas. Vitamin C is important! Take it to bowel tolerance.
• Anise tea and almond milk are helpful in bronchitis. Make the almond milk by blending 6 tbsp. of almonds in a pint of water.
• Cayenne and lobelia will help break up the congestion.
• Add moisture to the air with a vaporizer or humidifier or heat a pan of water on the stove.
• Remain in bed as long as fever is present. Bronchitis often hangs on because people think it is about over and begin going about their everyday duties. Go to bed and get well.
• Deep breathing exercises should be taken 3-4 times a day. Take a deep breath, hold it a few seconds, and exhale. Do this 10-20 times. This will help air out of the infected area.
• Breathe deep. Blow up a balloon several times every day. This helps open up and enlarge the airways.
• Apply a heating compress at night.
• A hot footbath will help pull the blood away from the chest and reduce congestion.
• Hot drinks help you cough out the phlegm. Coughing is the only way the phlegm can come out. Do not use cough suppressants while you have bronchitis.
• Apply warm, moist heat or a hot water bottle over the chest and back before bedtime. This will help relieve congestion and aid in sleep.
• Avoid fatigue and chilling. Do not walk barefoot on cold floors while you are trying to get well.
• If the coughing gets worse, there is a high fever, wheezing sounds, lethargy, and weakness. Chest pains develop and very difficult breathing. Contact a health professional; the condition may be developing into pneumonia.
• If the condition persists over too long a time, there is the possibility of tuberculosis or lung cancer.
• A professional can use bronchoscopy instruments to examine the bronchial tubes and suction out phlegm.
• In recent years, a new type of bronchitis has arisen, which is contracted primarily by women. Difficult to treat, it often continues for 3 weeks to 5 months. Drinking goldenseal tea is helpful with this condition, as well as with other types of bronchitis.
• Other helpful herbs include pau d'arco, chickweed, ginkgo biloba, burdock, lobelia, slippery elm bark, echinacea, and wild cherry bark.
—Also see "Bronchitis—2" and "Bronchiectasis."
ENCOURAGEMENT—Christ determined, in council with His Father, to spare nothing, however costly, that would rescue the poor sinner. He did all this for you. Kneel down and accept Him anew just now. Give Him your life and, by His enabling grace, obey His Ten Commandment law.
BRONCHITIS—2 (J.H. Kellogg, M.D., Formulas)
BRONCHITIS (ACUTE) —
INCREASE RESISTANCE—Graduated cold applications (Tonic Frictions) daily; out-of-door life; daily air bath; avoid excessively warm clothing and very warm sleeping or living rooms.
ELIMINATE TOXINS—Moderately prolonged sweating procedures followed by cold applications.
RELIEVE INTERNAL CONGESTION—Radiant Heat Bath, 10-20 minutes; sweating Wet Sheet Pack, 1-2 hours or Steam Bath for 6-15 minutes, followed by Wet Sheet Rub or Cold Douche; Hot Full Bath at bedtime for 6-10 minutes, followed by prolonged Neutral Bath for 2-40 minutes. Apply daily or twice a day, Hot Hip and Leg Pack, followed by Dry Towel Rub.
COUGH—Heating Chest Pack, to be changed every 8 hours. If temperature is elevated, change Chest Pack every 2-4 hours. Copious water drinking, 2-3 pints daily.
IRRITABLE COUGH, WITHOUT EXPECTORATlON—Sip very hot water; gargle hot water; Steam Inhalations; avoid mouth breathing; keep air of room warm (750-800F.) and moist with steam; carefully avoid exposure of the back of neck, chest, or shoulders to drafts or to chill by evaporation during treatment.
COUGH WITH VISCID EXPECTORATION—Copious hot water drinking; fluid diet; Fomentation to chest every 2 hours, followed by Heating Compress.
PAINFUL COUGH—Fomentation to chest every 2 hours; tight bandage about chest, to restrain movement, if necessary; Revulsive Compress for 15 minutes, every 2 hours, as often as needed; dry cotton Chest Pack between applications.
BRONCHITIS (CHRONIC) —
IMPROVE GENERAL RESISTANCE—Graduated cold treatment, aseptic dietary, warm dry climate, outdoor life.
COUGH—Heating Chest Pack, protected by plastic covering. Copious water drinking, 3-6 pints daily; Steam inhalation.
NON-PRODUCTIVE COUGH—Increase expulsive power by rubbing or percussion of the chest with the hand dipped in ice water or slapping the chest with a cold, wet towel.
ASTHMA—Cold fan Douche to back of chest, followed by Heating Chest Pack; Revulsive Compress to chest; Revulsive Douche to legs; Hot FootBath or Hot Leg Bath; Hot Leg Pack; Hot Enema; if sympathetic nerve is irritable, apply a Hot Abdominal Pack; Chest Pack, well-protected.
EMPHYSEMA—Alternate Compress or Alternate Douche to spine; Cold Mitten Friction; Cold Towel Rub; Wet Sheet Rub; Hot Abdominal Pack, covered with flannel only; Hot Leg Packs; Cold Compress over heart for 5-30 minutes, 3 times a day.
GENERAL METHOD—The general method is the same as for "Intestinal Catarrh, Chronic." Also see "Bronchitis, Acute," just above.
—Also see "Bronchitis—1."
BRONCHIECTASIS
SYMPTOMS—Chronic cough with sputum. He may cough up blood or bloodstained sputum and have inflammation of the lungs. In advanced cases, there may be shortness of breath when any exertion is made.
CAUSES—Bronchiectasis is permanent dilation and infection of one or more bronchi.
Causes can include obstructions in the bronchi, lung infections, breathing in of foreign substances or vomitus, enlarged lymph nodes, pressure tumors, or dilated blood vessels.
TREATMENT—
• Determine to cough slowly by first breathing slowly and deeply, then hold the breath for several seconds. Then give two short, forceful coughs with the mouth open. The first loosens the phlegm; the second brings it up. Hold the breath again and then breathe in slowly, to avoid non-productive coughing.
• Do not use cough medicines and antihistamines. They dry up the secretions, making them even harder to expel.
• Drink lots of fluids, so the phlegm will be thinner and looser.
• Use a cool-air vaporizer each night. Try to maintain 30-50% humidity in the house during the day.
• Do not wear belts; the abdomen should be free to breathe and cough properly.
• In cold weather, wear a scarf or mask over the mouth and nose, to warm the air.
—See "Bronchitis" for much more.
ENCOURAGEMENT—We are strangers and pilgrims in this world. We are to wait, watch, pray, and work. There are souls all around us who desperately need God. You can help them come to Him.
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