Role of exciting causes in the homoeopathic management of acute bronchitis: a clinical study

Acute Bronchitis is a short-term inflammation of the large and mid-sized airways, typically lasting less than three weeks and not involving pneumonia. It commonly occurs in winter and is mainly caused by viruses such as influenza, RSV, rhinovirus, adenovirus, and coronavirus (including SARS-CoV-2). Bacterial causes like Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and Bordetella pertussis are rare. Symptoms include dry or productive cough and respiratory rales. Risk factors include exposure to smoke, air pollution, dust, and pre-existing lung conditions like asthma and COPD. Acute cough is a common reason for doctor visits across all age groups, often overlapping with symptoms of colds, pneumonia, and asthma. In the U.S., about 5% of people are diagnosed with acute bronchitis annually, with higher rates in winter and in children under 5. In the U.K., incidence ranges from 36 per 1,000 in younger men to 225 per 1,000 in those over 85. In India, chronic bronchitis affects 3.49% of adults aged 35 and above, impacting an estimated 14.84 million people. Most existing studies on homeopathic treatment for acute bronchitis focus primarily on symptom-based prescriptions, with minimal attention given to the role of exciting causes. As there are only limited research papers considering the exciting causes in the treatment of Acute Bronchitis, there is a need for research that evaluates how exciting causes influence disease progression and treatment outcomes, providing a more individualized and causative approach to homeopathic management. By examining the symptoms and individualized Homoeopathic remedies, the study aims to contribute to improved patient care in the management of acute bronchitis. Improvement of the symptoms is assessed using Bronchitis Severity Scale.