Ho-hum, bronchitis again....

[simon43]

I have somewhat delicate lungs, commencing about 25 years ago in the UK after working in a damp, unheated basement office that had been empty for several years.

 

What started out as a mild cough developed into uncontrolleable coughing spasms and copious amounts of green/yellow phlegm collecting in my lungs.  Several bouts of pneumonia followed....  The outcome of all this was that I moved to live in south-east Asia, where the air temperature and humidity seemed to suit my lungs better 🙂

 

I noticed over my 22+ years living in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos that my lungs were the happiest when living in the coastal south of Thailand, with salty sea air.

However, my teaching usually took me to both Laos and Myanmar, where my bouts of bronchitis and buckets of phlegm would quickly return.  I found that brisk walking each morning for say 4km would loosen up the phlegm, and so that's what I do.

 

2 years ago, I had a spell of teaching in Yangon.  Unfortunately, my bronchitis came back with a vengeance and I had to resign from my post and return for treatment in Thailand.

 

Recently, I have been living in Khao Lak, and my lungs have been very happy.

 

But now I have returned to teach again in Myanmar, this time in Mandalay.  You might (rightly) comment that this was a stupid move on my part, considering my lung history.  But for personal reasons, I feel compelled to help the young students in Myanmar, even if it doesn't do my health much good lol

 

So, within 2 weeks of moving to Mandalay, my bronchitis has returned.  This time I am determined to 'beat' this highly-annoying problem, and not be forced to return to southern Thailand. The students really need their teacher, so I'm in no mood to abandon ship.  I also wonder what exactly has caused the coughing/phlegm to flare up again.

 

The temperature in Mandalay is still hot.  The air pollution seems to be at a reasonably low level.  What could it be that triggers my bronchitis? I know that bronchitis can be caused by a virus or bacteria or some kind of irritant.  I doubt that the first 2 causes are responsible.  I notice that I cough less if I keep my mouth closed and breath through my nose, or if I place a face-mask just over my mouth and breath through my mouth. So it seems that an irritant is most likely.  But what?!

 

Answers on a post-card please!

[JeffersLos]

If the salty air helped it, would pouring a packet of salt into a bucket of boiling water, then place your head over it with a towel covering you and it help? Perhaps once in the morning and once in the evening.

 

Or those mobile sauna things they sell in places like the 7-11 catalog. I think you sit in it and zip it up. Put salt in the boiling water so your lungs get a good does of it. Perhaps 30 minutes 2-3 times a day. 

[NoDisplayName]

16 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I notice that I cough less if I keep my mouth closed and breath through my nose, or if I place a face-mask just over my mouth and breath through my mouth. So it seems that an irritant is most likely.  But what?!

 

Less likely to cough if breathing through your nose (filtered) or through a cloth (filtered)?  Something suspended in the air.

 

Possibly dust or pollution.  Could be a specific type of wood/coal/vegetation that is burned.  Could be an additive to gasoline used in Myanmar.  Most likely IMO is a pollen specific to flowers/trees in that area.

[BigStar]

What do the pulmonologists say the reason is?

[simon43]

5 hours ago, BigStar said:

What do the pulmonologists say the reason is?

They have never found anything wrong with my lungs!! No shadows in my lungs, no bacteria in my sputum, no loss of breathing ability.  Yet I have had pneumonia many times, bronchitis many times etc.  I gave up on doctors yonks ago!

[FolkGuitar]

Just to cover all bets... Are you a smoker? Cigarettes, pipe, marijuana?

When I was a cigarette smoker, I would get bronchitis once or twice every year. That stopped when I stopped smoking.

[SiamAndy]

Dr. Berg on YT mentions a natural remedy below:

 

Here is the best natural remedy for phlegm in the lungs. Ingredients: 1 tbsp. onion juice 1 tbsp. honey (Manuka honey if possible) 2 tbsp. lemon juice Water Optional ingredients: 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar Ginger Add all of the ingredients to a cup of water and drink the mixture three times a day.

 

 

 

[simon43]

Never been a smoker.  I am managing to keep the illness at bay by sleeping with my bottom stuck in the air, so that gravity helps to remove lung fluid. Plus boiling my kettle with the lid open to create a humidifer effect.  Plus wearing a facemask when outside.  So today my lungs were pretty good. I'll buy some salt at the weekend for gargling and nose flush 🙂

[GammaGlobulin]

Move to the East Coast of Taiwan.

Nothing but salt air, there, from December through the rest of the year.

 

Probably the only good thing about Taiwan is this salt air which blows in from the North East, at 20 or 30 knots.

 

This is not a joke.

 

 

If you want salt air blown down your lungs, for most of the year, then come here.

 

The entire place is caked with salt.

 

Just, please, do not bring any electrical equipment, such as computers or automobiles, because they will not last long.

 

 

[daveAustin]

Pollutants, pollen? Whenever I’m in UK I get a bit wheezy due to the above. Tried antihistamine, like loratadine?

[simon43]

1 hour ago, GammaGlobulin said:

Move to the East Coast of Taiwan.

...

 

 

Hmm, can I bring my Myanmar students with me?  I'm in Myanmar for a reason!

[simon43]

1 hour ago, daveAustin said:

Pollutants, pollen? Whenever I’m in UK I get a bit wheezy due to the above. Tried antihistamine, like loratadine?

Seems to be some kind of pollutant. I guess all I can do is to keep my face-mask on...

[GammaGlobulin]

8 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Hmm, can I bring my Myanmar students with me?  I'm in Myanmar for a reason!

 

If you have enough money....

 

You can do anything you want to do....of course.

 

Why ask?

 

[Dcheech]

Cold or Flu, when that is done, mucus drops from sinus cavities into your lungs. And your body has difficulty fighting it off.

I would suggest vaccinations. However in todays day and age doing that might upset our antivaxxer posters. You don't want a surly mob of them  formed up. It could get ugly. Still Prevnar or PPSV23 might be an option. Up2U, as always.  

[parallelman]

Sounds like you have Allergic Bronchitis inflamation caused by some pollutant(s). If it worse in town then it could be increase in dust and fumes. Several Bronchodialator treaments are available, including certain steroids and some inhalers although the latter may only give temprary relief.

[john donson]

MOLD?  several health people I follow suddenly all made videos about mold toxicity...

[newbee2022]

On 11/25/2024 at 9:31 PM, simon43 said:

I have somewhat delicate lungs, commencing about 25 years ago in the UK after working in a damp, unheated basement office that had been empty for several years.

 

What started out as a mild cough developed into uncontrolleable coughing spasms and copious amounts of green/yellow phlegm collecting in my lungs.  Several bouts of pneumonia followed....  The outcome of all this was that I moved to live in south-east Asia, where the air temperature and humidity seemed to suit my lungs better 🙂

 

I noticed over my 22+ years living in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos that my lungs were the happiest when living in the coastal south of Thailand, with salty sea air.

However, my teaching usually took me to both Laos and Myanmar, where my bouts of bronchitis and buckets of phlegm would quickly return.  I found that brisk walking each morning for say 4km would loosen up the phlegm, and so that's what I do.

 

2 years ago, I had a spell of teaching in Yangon.  Unfortunately, my bronchitis came back with a vengeance and I had to resign from my post and return for treatment in Thailand.

 

Recently, I have been living in Khao Lak, and my lungs have been very happy.

 

But now I have returned to teach again in Myanmar, this time in Mandalay.  You might (rightly) comment that this was a stupid move on my part, considering my lung history.  But for personal reasons, I feel compelled to help the young students in Myanmar, even if it doesn't do my health much good lol

 

So, within 2 weeks of moving to Mandalay, my bronchitis has returned.  This time I am determined to 'beat' this highly-annoying problem, and not be forced to return to southern Thailand. The students really need their teacher, so I'm in no mood to abandon ship.  I also wonder what exactly has caused the coughing/phlegm to flare up again.

 

The temperature in Mandalay is still hot.  The air pollution seems to be at a reasonably low level.  What could it be that triggers my bronchitis? I know that bronchitis can be caused by a virus or bacteria or some kind of irritant.  I doubt that the first 2 causes are responsible.  I notice that I cough less if I keep my mouth closed and breath through my nose, or if I place a face-mask just over my mouth and breath through my mouth. So it seems that an irritant is most likely.  But what?!

 

Answers on a post-card please!

Who diagnosed it to be bronchitis? Go for a good checkup in a good hospital. Could be COPD. But I'm not into online diagnosis. 

[simon43]

4 hours ago, Dcheech said:

Cold or Flu, when that is done, mucus drops from sinus cavities into your lungs. And your body has difficulty fighting it off.

I would suggest vaccinations. However in todays day and age doing that might upset our antivaxxer posters. You don't want a surly mob of them  formed up. It could get ugly. Still Prevnar or PPSV23 might be an option. Up2U, as always.  

My vaccinations are all up to date for flu and pneumonia (2 vaccine types)

[simon43]

4 hours ago, john donson said:

MOLD?  several health people I follow suddenly all made videos about mold toxicity...

Yes, it started 25 years ago from aspergillus mold in the basement office, but also seems to flare up due to irritants 

[simon43]

3 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Who diagnosed it to be bronchitis? Go for a good checkup in a good hospital. Could be COPD. But I'm not into online diagnosis. 

Lol, no good hospitals here in Myanmar! Bronchitis is just a symptom of the problem. 

[degrub]

Any correlation with pm2.5 levels or ozone levels in air ?

Maybe your pneumonias were related to mycoplasm infections ?

had a couple rounds over the years. Last 6-8 weeks, coughing up copius amounts of yellow green stuff from large airways. Long course of antibiotics to clear it out.

Possible asthma instead of bronchitis ?

Steroid inhalers can usually bring under control.

[Globalres]

On 11/25/2024 at 9:31 PM, simon43 said:

I have somewhat delicate lungs, commencing about 25 years ago in the UK after working in a damp, unheated basement office that had been empty for several years.

 

What started out as a mild cough developed into uncontrolleable coughing spasms and copious amounts of green/yellow phlegm collecting in my lungs.  Several bouts of pneumonia followed....  The outcome of all this was that I moved to live in south-east Asia, where the air temperature and humidity seemed to suit my lungs better 🙂

 

I noticed over my 22+ years living in Thailand, Myanmar and Laos that my lungs were the happiest when living in the coastal south of Thailand, with salty sea air.

However, my teaching usually took me to both Laos and Myanmar, where my bouts of bronchitis and buckets of phlegm would quickly return.  I found that brisk walking each morning for say 4km would loosen up the phlegm, and so that's what I do.

 

2 years ago, I had a spell of teaching in Yangon.  Unfortunately, my bronchitis came back with a vengeance and I had to resign from my post and return for treatment in Thailand.

 

Recently, I have been living in Khao Lak, and my lungs have been very happy.

 

But now I have returned to teach again in Myanmar, this time in Mandalay.  You might (rightly) comment that this was a stupid move on my part, considering my lung history.  But for personal reasons, I feel compelled to help the young students in Myanmar, even if it doesn't do my health much good lol

 

So, within 2 weeks of moving to Mandalay, my bronchitis has returned.  This time I am determined to 'beat' this highly-annoying problem, and not be forced to return to southern Thailand. The students really need their teacher, so I'm in no mood to abandon ship.  I also wonder what exactly has caused the coughing/phlegm to flare up again.

 

The temperature in Mandalay is still hot.  The air pollution seems to be at a reasonably low level.  What could it be that triggers my bronchitis? I know that bronchitis can be caused by a virus or bacteria or some kind of irritant.  I doubt that the first 2 causes are responsible.  I notice that I cough less if I keep my mouth closed and breath through my nose, or if I place a face-mask just over my mouth and breath through my mouth. So it seems that an irritant is most likely.  But what?!

 

Answers on a post-card please!

I have COPD since many years, so I understand what you’re saying.

Take NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) 600 mg twice a day.  This will loosen up the mucus in your lungs and make it easier to get rid of.  Added bonus is helps the liver to produce more glutathione (the mother of all anti oxidants).  
Buy an OPEP device, a pipe-like looking thing with a metal ball that vibrates when you exhale into the pipe.  This causes a cough reflex which helps to get rid of mucus.

its when mucus remain in your lungs that you get more prone to infections,m so getting rid of it is key.  Also vitamin E is good for the lungs.  Get the natural vit E called tocopherols and tochotrianols, not the lab made one ending in acetate. 
This has kept me and my pulmonologist happy.  
additionally, get molecular hydrogen pills and dissolve in water, excellent for lung health.  Many science papers on that.  You can google molecular hydrogen and lung disease, you’ll get tons of references.  NAC acts instantly!  Best of luck.

 

[simon43]

2 minutes ago, degrub said:

Any correlation with pm2.5 levels or ozone levels in air ?

Maybe your pneumonias were related to mycoplasm infections ?

had a couple rounds over the years. Last 6-8 weeks, coughing up copius amounts of yellow green stuff from large airways. Long course of antibiotics to clear it out.

Possible asthma instead of bronchitis ?

Steroid inhalers can usually bring under control.

Thanks, I don't have asthma or short of breath 

[Globalres]

2 minutes ago, Globalres said:

I have COPD since many years, so I understand what you’re saying.

Take NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) 600 mg twice a day.  This will loosen up the mucus in your lungs and make it easier to get rid of.  Added bonus is helps the liver to produce more glutathione (the mother of all anti oxidants).  
Buy an OPEP device, a pipe-like looking thing with a metal ball that vibrates when you exhale into the pipe.  This causes a cough reflex which helps to get rid of mucus.

its when mucus remain in your lungs that you get more prone to infections,m so getting rid of it is key.  Also vitamin E is good for the lungs.  Get the natural vit E called tocopherols and tochotrianols, not the lab made one ending in acetate. 
This has kept me and my pulmonologist happy.  
additionally, get molecular hydrogen pills and dissolve in water, excellent for lung health.  Many science papers on that.  You can google molecular hydrogen and lung disease, you’ll get tons of references.  NAC acts instantly!  Best of luck.

 

You can find NAC at any pharmacy. The OPEP device I bought from Lazada.

[Burma Bill]

On 11/25/2024 at 9:31 PM, simon43 said:

Answers on a post-card please!

 

Simon, out of interest do you sleep throughout the night with air-conditioning switched on?

 

This may be of interest:- (Google)

 

Yes, air conditioning can cause bronchitis symptoms: 

 

 

• Mould

  A dirty air conditioner filter can lead to condensation, which can cause mould and mildew to grow. Mould can cause respiratory problems like bronchitis, coughing, and sneezing. 

   

   
• Bacteria and dust

  The components of an air conditioner can harbor bacteria and dust, which can cause respiratory problems.

   

   

  I regularly get my air- condition unit cleaned, courtesy of my landlord.

[newbee2022]

26 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Lol, no good hospitals here in Myanmar! Bronchitis is just a symptom of the problem. 

Fly out to Thailand. It's just for one or 2 days.

[Rampant Rabbit]

Hope it improves for you soon Simon, always enjoy your posts.

[chiang mai]

I've suffered with bronchitis since I was young, sea/salt air definitely is a huge plus. In polluted air, air purifiers help a lot, as do bronchi inhalers.

[Thailand]

Mrs has had Bronchiectasis for many years. Tends to flare up with changes in the weather when pollens etc abound, usually twice a year.

 

Usually a 10 day dose of Amoxicillin/potassium antibiotics and phlegm OTC meds does the trick.

[simon43]

6 hours ago, Burma Bill said:

 

Simon, out of interest do you sleep throughout the night with air-conditioning switched on?

 

This may be of interest:- (Google)

 

Yes, air conditioning can cause bronchitis symptoms: 

 

 

• Mould

  A dirty air conditioner filter can lead to condensation, which can cause mould and mildew to grow. Mould can cause respiratory problems like bronchitis, coughing, and sneezing. 

   

   
• Bacteria and dust

  The components of an air conditioner can harbor bacteria and dust, which can cause respiratory problems.

   

   

  I regularly get my air- condition unit cleaned, courtesy of my landlord.

Nope, I never use air-con at any time!  (I got used to sleeping in high temperatures many years ago in Myanmar when the electricity was switched off every night and my condo building didn't have a generator!