What Is The Main Cause Of Bronchitis?

In most cases, the cause of bronchitis is virus that affects and infects the bronchi in the lungs. The natural body response is to produce mucus that will fight the viruses, but this causes swelling. The viruses that cause your common colds are the same culprits for acute bronchitis, which lasts for about 6 weeks or less.

Acute bronchitis may lead to chronic bronchitis, which could recur frequently for 2 consecutive years. The following are the primary causes:

•    Smoking tobacco or cigarettes – About 15 percent of smokers develop COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder. Secondhand smoke puts others at risk of respiratory infections, too. Smoking augments symptoms of asthma and weakens the pulmonary functions.
•    Polluted air can be a cause, but its effects are not as huge as that of cigarette smoking. High concentrations of sulfur dioxide and other such pollutants in the air can cause chronic bronchitis
•    Industrial pollution – Chronic bronchitis is more common among coal miners, metal molders, grain handlers, and others who are exposed to dust particles continuously.
•    Virus infects the lungs. In fact about 90 percent of lung infections are viral and about 10 percent are bacterial.

Chronic bronchitis may be caused by recurring attacks of acute bronchitis. This weakens the bronchial tubes over time and cause irritation. The main culprit really, is cigarette smoking. The more a person smokes, the higher his chances are of getting chronic bronchitis. If he already has one, continuously smoking will make the condition more severe.