Bronchitis
Acute Bronchitis
What is acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial tree. The bronchial tree is made up of the tubes that carry air into your lungs. When these tubes get infected, they swell and mucus forms inside them. This makes it hard for you to breathe.
What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis?
The symptoms of acute bronchitis can include:
What causes acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is almost always caused by viruses that attack the lining of the bronchial tree and cause infection. As your body fights back against these viruses, more swelling occurs and more mucus is produced. It takes time for your body to kill the viruses and heal the damage to your bronchial tubes.
In most cases, the same viruses that cause colds cause acute bronchitis. Research has shown that bacterial infection is a much less common cause of bronchitis than we used to think. Very rarely, an infection caused by a fungus can cause acute bronchitis.
How do people get acute bronchitis?
The viruses that cause acute bronchitis are sprayed into the air or onto people’s hands when they cough. You can get acute bronchitis if you breathe in these viruses. You can also get it if you touch a hand that is coated with the viruses.
If you smoke or are around damaging fumes (such as those in certain kinds of factories), you are more likely to get acute bronchitis and to have it longer. This is because your bronchial tree is already damaged.
You should call your doctor if:
How is acute bronchitis treated?
Most cases of acute bronchitis will go away on their own after a few days or a week. It's a good idea to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids (for example, water and fruit juices) and increase the humidity in your environment. You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen) to ease pain and lower fever. It is okay to take an over-the-counter cough suppressant if your cough is dry (not producing any mucus). It's best not to suppress a cough that brings up mucus because this type of cough helps clear the mucus from your bronchial tree faster.
If you smoke, you should quit. This will help your bronchial tree heal faster.
Some people who have acute bronchitis need medicines that are usually used to treat asthma. If you hear yourself wheezing, this indicates you may need asthma medicines. These medicines can help open the bronchial tubes and clear out mucus. They are usually given with an inhaler. An inhaler sprays the medicine right into the bronchial tree. Your doctor will decide if this treatment is right for you.
How long will the cough from acute bronchitis last?
Sometimes the cough from acute bronchitis lasts for several weeks or months. Usually this happens because the bronchial tree is taking a long time to heal. However, a cough that doesn’t go away may be a sign of another problem, such as asthma or pneumonia.
How can I keep from getting acute bronchitis again?
One of the best ways to keep from getting acute bronchitis is to wash your hands often to get rid of any viruses.
If you smoke, the best defense against acute bronchitis is to quit. Smoking damages your bronchial tree and makes it easier for viruses to cause infection. Smoking also slows down the healing process, so it takes longer for you to get well.
Boost your immune system.
Chronic Bronchitis
What is chronic bronchitis?
Bronchitis is an inflammation (or irritation) of the airways in the lungs. Airways are the tubes in your lungs that air passes through. They are also called bronchial tubes. When the airways are irritated, thick mucus forms in them. The mucus plugs up the airways and makes it hard for air to get into your lungs. Symptoms of bronchitis include a cough that produces mucus (sometimes called sputum), trouble breathing and a feeling of tightness in your chest.
"Chronic" means that the condition last a long time. Chronic bronchitis is bronchitis that lasts longer than 3 months. Chronic bronchitis often occurs with emphysema, and together these diseases are called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
What causes chronic bronchitis?
Cigarette smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis. When tobacco smoke is inhaled into the lungs, it irritates the airways and they produce mucus. People who have been exposed for a long time to other things that irritate their lungs, such as chemical fumes, dust and other substances, can also develop chronic bronchitis.
How does my doctor know if I have chronic bronchitis?
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms: Are you coughing up mucus? Are you having trouble breathing? Does your chest feel tight? How long have you had these symptoms? Do you smoke cigarettes? How many cigarettes do you smoke each day? How many years have you been smoking? Have you been breathing in other things that can irritate your lungs?
If your doctor thinks you have chronic bronchitis, you may be tested to find out if your lungs are damaged. You might have a pulmonary function test to see how well your lungs are working. During this test, you breathe into a machine that measures the amount of air in your lungs. Your doctor may also order blood tests and a chest X-ray.
What can I do to help my breathing and reduce my coughing?
If you smoke, the most important thing you can do is to stop. The more smoke you breathe in, the more it damages your lungs. If you stop smoking, you'll breathe better, you won't cough as much and your lungs will begin to heal.
Try to avoid other things that can irritate your lungs, such as aerosol products like hairspray, spray deodorant and spray paint. Also avoid breathing in dust or chemical fumes. To protect your lungs, wear a mask over your nose and mouth if you are using paint, paint remover, varnish or anything else with strong fumes.
Can medicine treat chronic bronchitis?
Your doctor may prescribe a medicine called a bronchodilator to treat your chronic bronchitis. This medicine dilates (or opens) the airways in your lungs and helps you breathe better.
Will antibiotics help chronic bronchitis?
In general, antibiotics cannot help chronic bronchitis. Antibiotics may be needed if you get a lung infection along with your chronic bronchitis. If you have a lung infection, you may cough up more mucus. This mucus might be yellow or dark green. You also may have a fever and your shortness of breath may get worse.
Because chronic bronchitis increases your risk of lung infections, be sure to get a flu shot every year. Boost immune system function.
What else can I do to help my lungs?
Exercising regularly can strengthen the muscles that help you breathe. Try to exercise at least 3 times a week. Start by exercising slowly and for just a little while. Then slowly increase the time you exercise each day and how fast you exercise. For example, you might begin exercising by walking slowly for 15 minutes 3 times a week. Then, as you get in better shape, you can increase your walking speed. You can also increase the length of time you walk to 20 minutes, then 25 minutes, then 30 minutes.
A breathing method called "pursed-lip breathing" may also help you. To do this, you take a deep breath and then breathe out slowly through your mouth while you hold your lips as if you're going to kiss someone. Pursed-lip breathing slows down the fast breathing that often comes with chronic bronchitis. It may help you feel better.
What is acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial tree. The bronchial tree is made up of the tubes that carry air into your lungs. When these tubes get infected, they swell and mucus forms inside them. This makes it hard for you to breathe.
What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis?
The symptoms of acute bronchitis can include:
- Sore throat
- Fever
- A cough that may bring up yellow or green mucus
- Chest congestion
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Chills
- Body aches
What causes acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is almost always caused by viruses that attack the lining of the bronchial tree and cause infection. As your body fights back against these viruses, more swelling occurs and more mucus is produced. It takes time for your body to kill the viruses and heal the damage to your bronchial tubes.
In most cases, the same viruses that cause colds cause acute bronchitis. Research has shown that bacterial infection is a much less common cause of bronchitis than we used to think. Very rarely, an infection caused by a fungus can cause acute bronchitis.
How do people get acute bronchitis?
The viruses that cause acute bronchitis are sprayed into the air or onto people’s hands when they cough. You can get acute bronchitis if you breathe in these viruses. You can also get it if you touch a hand that is coated with the viruses.
If you smoke or are around damaging fumes (such as those in certain kinds of factories), you are more likely to get acute bronchitis and to have it longer. This is because your bronchial tree is already damaged.
You should call your doctor if:
- You continue to wheeze and cough for more than 2 weeks, especially at night when you lie down or when you are active.
- You continue to cough for more than 2 weeks and sometimes have a bad-tasting fluid come up into your mouth. This may mean you have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is a condition in which stomach acid gets into your esophagus (windpipe).
- You have a cough that produces blood, you feel very sick and weak, you have a high fever that doesn’t go down and you are short of breath. You may have pneumonia.
How is acute bronchitis treated?
Most cases of acute bronchitis will go away on their own after a few days or a week. It's a good idea to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids (for example, water and fruit juices) and increase the humidity in your environment. You can also take an over-the-counter pain reliever (such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen) to ease pain and lower fever. It is okay to take an over-the-counter cough suppressant if your cough is dry (not producing any mucus). It's best not to suppress a cough that brings up mucus because this type of cough helps clear the mucus from your bronchial tree faster.
If you smoke, you should quit. This will help your bronchial tree heal faster.
Some people who have acute bronchitis need medicines that are usually used to treat asthma. If you hear yourself wheezing, this indicates you may need asthma medicines. These medicines can help open the bronchial tubes and clear out mucus. They are usually given with an inhaler. An inhaler sprays the medicine right into the bronchial tree. Your doctor will decide if this treatment is right for you.
How long will the cough from acute bronchitis last?
Sometimes the cough from acute bronchitis lasts for several weeks or months. Usually this happens because the bronchial tree is taking a long time to heal. However, a cough that doesn’t go away may be a sign of another problem, such as asthma or pneumonia.
How can I keep from getting acute bronchitis again?
One of the best ways to keep from getting acute bronchitis is to wash your hands often to get rid of any viruses.
If you smoke, the best defense against acute bronchitis is to quit. Smoking damages your bronchial tree and makes it easier for viruses to cause infection. Smoking also slows down the healing process, so it takes longer for you to get well.
Boost your immune system.
Chronic Bronchitis
What is chronic bronchitis?
Bronchitis is an inflammation (or irritation) of the airways in the lungs. Airways are the tubes in your lungs that air passes through. They are also called bronchial tubes. When the airways are irritated, thick mucus forms in them. The mucus plugs up the airways and makes it hard for air to get into your lungs. Symptoms of bronchitis include a cough that produces mucus (sometimes called sputum), trouble breathing and a feeling of tightness in your chest.
"Chronic" means that the condition last a long time. Chronic bronchitis is bronchitis that lasts longer than 3 months. Chronic bronchitis often occurs with emphysema, and together these diseases are called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
What causes chronic bronchitis?
Cigarette smoking is the main cause of chronic bronchitis. When tobacco smoke is inhaled into the lungs, it irritates the airways and they produce mucus. People who have been exposed for a long time to other things that irritate their lungs, such as chemical fumes, dust and other substances, can also develop chronic bronchitis.
How does my doctor know if I have chronic bronchitis?
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms: Are you coughing up mucus? Are you having trouble breathing? Does your chest feel tight? How long have you had these symptoms? Do you smoke cigarettes? How many cigarettes do you smoke each day? How many years have you been smoking? Have you been breathing in other things that can irritate your lungs?
If your doctor thinks you have chronic bronchitis, you may be tested to find out if your lungs are damaged. You might have a pulmonary function test to see how well your lungs are working. During this test, you breathe into a machine that measures the amount of air in your lungs. Your doctor may also order blood tests and a chest X-ray.
What can I do to help my breathing and reduce my coughing?
If you smoke, the most important thing you can do is to stop. The more smoke you breathe in, the more it damages your lungs. If you stop smoking, you'll breathe better, you won't cough as much and your lungs will begin to heal.
Try to avoid other things that can irritate your lungs, such as aerosol products like hairspray, spray deodorant and spray paint. Also avoid breathing in dust or chemical fumes. To protect your lungs, wear a mask over your nose and mouth if you are using paint, paint remover, varnish or anything else with strong fumes.
Can medicine treat chronic bronchitis?
Your doctor may prescribe a medicine called a bronchodilator to treat your chronic bronchitis. This medicine dilates (or opens) the airways in your lungs and helps you breathe better.
Will antibiotics help chronic bronchitis?
In general, antibiotics cannot help chronic bronchitis. Antibiotics may be needed if you get a lung infection along with your chronic bronchitis. If you have a lung infection, you may cough up more mucus. This mucus might be yellow or dark green. You also may have a fever and your shortness of breath may get worse.
Because chronic bronchitis increases your risk of lung infections, be sure to get a flu shot every year. Boost immune system function.
What else can I do to help my lungs?
Exercising regularly can strengthen the muscles that help you breathe. Try to exercise at least 3 times a week. Start by exercising slowly and for just a little while. Then slowly increase the time you exercise each day and how fast you exercise. For example, you might begin exercising by walking slowly for 15 minutes 3 times a week. Then, as you get in better shape, you can increase your walking speed. You can also increase the length of time you walk to 20 minutes, then 25 minutes, then 30 minutes.
A breathing method called "pursed-lip breathing" may also help you. To do this, you take a deep breath and then breathe out slowly through your mouth while you hold your lips as if you're going to kiss someone. Pursed-lip breathing slows down the fast breathing that often comes with chronic bronchitis. It may help you feel better.