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A New Breath of Life

After the curtain rose, a young woman sang the first line of Sting’s “Every Breath You Take” in a slow but powerful voice. Two more soloists followed, and then an entire chorus of 18 people filled the historic auditorium with a rich, commanding sound.

This was no ordinary choir. Each of the singers has a chronic respiratory disease that years ago would likely have limited their activities. On this September night, the choir members — many of whom had never sung in public — not only found the courage, but also the strength of breath they needed to perform.

Today, with improved monitoring, treatments and more portable technology, they and millions of others with chronic breathing…

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Featured

 Chronic bronchitis: New insights could lead to first diagnostic test, better treatments

Study describes how airway dehydration makes mucus thick -- the hallmark of chronic bronchitis, the precursor to deadly COPD.

Articles of Interest

A Look Inside the Lungs: Chronic Bronchitis & Emphysema

A person with COPD usually has symptoms of two different conditions: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Those two conditions are now classified under the same name – COPD – because most people have symptoms of both, rather than just one or the other. To understand how these symptoms occur within a COPD diagnosis, let’s look at the epidemiology of both conditions.

Chronic Bronchitis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic bronchitis (CB) is a common but variable phenomenon in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It has numerous clinical consequences, including an accelerated decline in lung function, greater risk of the development of airflow obstruction in smokers, a predisposition to lower respiratory tract infection, higher exacerbation frequency, and worse overall mortality.

Dr. R. Hunter on Chronic Bronchitis.1862

Having pointed out those affections of the nose, throat and larynx which go before and prepare the way for disease of the lungs, I come now to speak of chronic bronchitis, the most common form of pulmonary disease

Resources

Chronic Bronchitis Awareness

Learn more about the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of bronchitis.

Lung.org

Chronic bronchitis should not be confused with acute bronchitis, which usually develops from a respiratory infection like a cold and goes away in a week or two. Individuals with chronic bronchitis can get an episode of acute bronchitis on top of their chronic condition. Symptoms may linger longer in this situation.

eMedicineHealth

Chronic bronchitis is diagnosed based on the symptoms and physical exam. By definition, chronic bronchitis must persist for most days of the month, for at least three months, and at least two years in a row.

FamilyDoctor.org

“Chronic” means that the condition lasts a long time. Chronic bronchitis is bronchitis that lasts longer than 3 months. Chronic bronchitis often occurs with emphysema, and together these diseases are called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

MedlinePlus

Chronic bronchitis is one type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). The inflamed bronchial tubes produce a lot of mucus. This leads to coughing and difficulty breathing. Cigarette smoking is the most common cause. Breathing in air pollution, fumes, or dust over a long period of time may also cause it.