Banishing the Winter Coughs

Dear Reader, just a quick pre-amble to the blog about Bronchitis. This is not always an easy condition to treat, often takes a bit of persistence and patience as do many breathing conditions. I just wanted to have a word about a traditional approach to such conditions, which like many acute disorders responds well to treatment. Enjoy.

Bronchitis

During the winter months in this part of Europe, head colds, influenzas and bronchitis are very common. It is a condition we are likely to see and certainly are able to treat with classical osteopathy. In order to treat it effectively, as with any condition it is important to understand the applied anatomy and physiology related to the condition.

Bronchitis is characterised by catarrhal cough, râles (sibilant at first, then as the cough loosens there is more of a bubbling), usually mild fever, with congestion of the bronchi and hence dyspnoea. The onset of bronchitis is usually preceded by a head cold, influenza, sore throat malaise and chilliness.

Pathology

‘Microscopically the fibrous membrane is purely lymphatic, the network of fibrin enclosing leucocytes and debris. In the diptheric type there is the appearance of a network, but underneath the surface there is a distinctly new tissue formation, which represents the simplest form of neoplasm.

‘There is an acute form of bronchitis, unclassified, representing the catarrhal inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Here the pathology is:

(1) Engorged blood vessels.

(2) Swollen lymph follicles together with increased cell formation.

(3) The increase of mucous secretion mixed with leucocytes, epithelial cells and lymph.

(4) In the chronic form the cells of the connective tissues are elongated and therefore the membrane is enlarged, forming a super-epthelial structure. This super coating takes on a new function of secretion, which is the characteristic of bronchitis, that is, the mucoid and pasty material are eliminated by coughing.’1

Christopher Batten – CAO international lecture series – YouTube

Spot The Lesion 1 | Classical Osteopathy in Ontario

Posted on January 30, 2012

Canadian Academy of Osteopathy – Principals Monthly Address January 2012 – YouTube

Robert Sapolsky focuses on the role of the limbic system – Youtube

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