Bronchiectasis

For a lay person:

Bronchiectasis is a long-term lung condition in which the airways become permanently widened and damaged, so mucus builds up and infections keep returning. It causes a persistent cough that brings up lots of mucus, breathlessness and frequent chest infections. It can follow severe lung infections or be linked to other conditions, but often no cause is found.

For a trained medical person:

Permanent bronchial dilatation from a vicious cycle of impaired mucociliary clearance, chronic infection and inflammation, with causes including prior infection (including tuberculosis), immunodeficiency, ABPA, primary ciliary dyskinesia, cystic fibrosis and connective tissue disease. Diagnosis is by high-resolution CT, followed by investigation for treatable causes and sputum culture. Management is airway clearance physiotherapy, prompt antibiotics for exacerbations, long-term macrolide or inhaled antibiotics for frequent exacerbations, vaccination and pulmonary rehabilitation.

In Chinese medicine:

Liu and Tseng's textbook differentiates this condition into these patterns: Wind-Heat Attacking Lung; Internal Accumulation of Phlegm-Heat; Liver Fire Attacking the Lung; Heat Damage Lung Collaterals; Yin Deficiency Lung Heat. Treatment follows the pattern a patient presents with, not the Western diagnosis alone.

When to get help: Seek emergency care for coughing up more than a small amount of blood, severe breathlessness or chest pain. See a doctor promptly for a chest infection (more or darker mucus, fever), as early antibiotics help.