Three weeks ago, 20-year-old Sacheen came down with symptoms typical of the common cold. She had a runny nose, fatigue, and a mild cough. Her symptoms had been starting to improve, but recently her cough has been getting worse. She coughs up a lot of thick mucus, her throat is sore from frequent coughing, and her chest feels very congested. According to her wife, Sacheen has a “chest cold.” Sacheen is a smoker and wonders if her habit is making her cough worse. She decides that it is time to see a doctor. Dr. Tsosie examines Sacheen and asks about her symptoms and health history. She checks the level of oxygen in Sacheen’s blood by attaching a device called a pulse oximeter to Sacheen’s finger (Figure ). Dr. Tsosie concludes that Sacheen
Three weeks ago, 20-year-old Sacheen came down with symptoms typical of the common cold. She had a runny nose, fatigue, and a mild cough. Her symptoms had been starting to improve, but recently her cough has been getting worse. She coughs up a lot of thick mucus, her throat is sore from frequent coughing, and her chest feels very congested. According to her wife, Sacheen has a “chest cold.” Sacheen is a smoker and wonders if her habit is making her cough worse. She decides that it is time to see a doctor. Dr. Tsosie examines Sacheen and asks about her symptoms and health history. She checks the level of oxygen in Sacheen’s blood by attaching a device called a pulse oximeter to Sacheen’s finger (Figure ). Dr. Tsosie concludes that Sacheen has bronchitis, an infection that commonly occurs after a person has a cold or flu. Bronchitis is sometimes referred to as a “chest cold,” so Sacheen’s wife was right! Bronchitis causes inflammation and a build-up of mucus in the bronchial tubes in the chest.
Because viruses, and not bacteria, usually cause bronchitis, Dr. Tsosie tells Sacheen that antibiotics are not likely to help. Instead, she recommends that Sacheen try to thin and remove the mucus by drinking plenty of fluids and using a humidifier, or spending time in a steamy shower. She also recommends that Sacheen get plenty of rest.
Dr. Tsosie also tells Sacheen some things not to do—most importantly, not to smoke while she is sick and to try to quit smoking in the long term. She explains that smoking can make people more susceptible to bronchitis and can hinder recovery. She also advises Sacheen not to take over-the-counter cough suppressant medication.
1. Why did Dr. Tsosie check Sacheen’s blood oxygen level?
2. Why do you think Dr. Tsosie warned Sacheen not to take cough suppressant medications?
3. How does acute bronchitis compare to chronic bronchitis, and how do they both relate to smoking?
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