COVID-19 affects your respiratory system and damages the respiratory tract. It may be responsible for various breathing issues such as bronchitis and lung infections. People who have a weakened immune system or suffer from heart diseases or diabetes are more susceptible to becoming severely ill from this condition.

If you suspect that you have COVID-19, or have been through it already, keep an eye on your respiratory health and get treatment from a lung doctor if necessary. Continue reading to know how Coronavirus impacts the affected person’s lungs and might lead to bronchitis.

COVID-19 And Bronchitis

The major symptom of bronchitis is a deep, harrowing cough that reverberates from the inside of your lungs and brings mucus to the surface. When Coronavirus becomes severe, it can cause a person to develop bronchitis.

Bronchitis is the inflammation of cells found inside the bronchial tubes. Apart from a hacking cough, it also causes fatigue, shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest. The affected individual might also complain of mild headaches,  body aches and fever.  

A bronchitis infection could either be acute or chronic.

· Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is short termed and happens overnight. People usually dismiss it as a cold, as it’s caused by the virus that’s responsible for cold and flu. When Coronavirus is the reason of developing a bronchitis, it may lead to pneumonia if left untreated.

· Chronic Bronchitis

This is the type of bronchitis that’s long-term and persists for more than a week. It may also be recurring, and is usually developed because of smoking, a weakened immune system or a lung disease.

Bronchitis, however, is not the only way COVID-19 affects your lungs.

Coronavirus and Your Lungs

Once the virus enters your body, it attacks mucous membranes that surround your eyes, nose and mouth. It spreads by entering a healthy cell to multiply and then infects the surrounding cells. The new variants of the Coronavirus can penetrate deep into your lungs and affect the alveoli as well.

• In severe cases of COVID-19, both lungs become infected and are filled with cell debris and fluid. The inflammation and swelling of the lungs worsens in these cases as compared to milder cases.
• In addition to bronchitis, it can lead to pneumonia too. The mucus and fluid rush in to fill the air sacs and try to fight the infection. As a result, breathing becomes difficult for patients. 
• The Coronavirus can also severely damage the air sacs by infecting the walls and linings inside them. When the body gets ready to fight it, the lungs get filled with fluid and inflammation increases.
• When severe cases take a turn for the worse, they might reduce the patient to breathing via a ventilator.
• Patients who are critically ill develop clots in their lungs, brain, legs and heart, which can be fatal in some cases.

Consult a Doctor

If you’re looking for doctors in Midland, TX, for lung infections treatment, get in touch with John D. Bray MD. Our allergy doctors in Midland can help you with pulmonary diseases and lung infections.

Book an appointment today to discuss in detail your respiratory issues, sleep disorders and allergies.