Patient education: Acute bronchitis (The Basics)

What is bronchitis? — Bronchitis is an infection that causes a cough. It happens when the tubes that carry air into the lungs, called the "bronchi," get infected (figure 1).

Usually, bronchitis happens after a person gets a cold or the flu. The viruses that cause the cold or flu infect the bronchi and irritate them. Antibiotics do not help bronchitis.

Bronchitis can also happen when a person gets an infection called "whooping cough," but this is much less common. Whooping cough is caused by bacteria that can infect the bronchi. Most people get vaccines to prevent whooping cough, but the vaccine doesn't always work. Your doctor will be able to tell if you have whooping cough by doing an exam and listening to your cough.

This article is about "acute" bronchitis. This is different from "chronic" bronchitis, which is a lung disease that can affect people who smoke.

What are the symptoms of bronchitis? — The most common symptoms of bronchitis are:

●A cough that can last up to a few weeks

●Coughing up mucus that is clear, yellow, or green – Green mucus does not always mean that you have a bacterial infection.

You might also have normal cold or flu symptoms, like a stuffy nose, sore throat, or headache. People with bronchitis do not usually get a fever.

Is there a test for bronchitis? — Most people with bronchitis do not need a test. But if your doctor or nurse is not sure what is causing your cough, they might do tests. For example, they might order a chest X-ray. Or if they think that you might have COVID-19, they will test you for the virus that causes the infection.

How is bronchitis treated? — Bronchitis almost always goes away on its own. But the cough can take up to 3 weeks to get better, and sometimes even longer.

Doctors do not usually treat bronchitis with antibiotic medicines. That's because bronchitis is usually caused by a virus, and antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. Also, antibiotics can actually cause other problems.

To feel better, you can treat your cold and flu symptoms. You can:

●Get lots of rest, and drink plenty of liquids.

●Drink hot tea.

●Suck on cough drops or hard candy.

●Take over-the-counter cough and cold medicines.

●Breath in warm, moist air, such as in the shower, over a kettle, or from a humidifier.

●Take a pain-relieving medicine if you have cold or flu symptoms like headache, muscle aches, or joint pain.

Avoid smoking or being around others who smoke. This can make your cough worse.

How can I keep from getting bronchitis again? — You can reduce your chance of getting bronchitis again by keeping the germs that cause bronchitis out of your body. One of the best ways to do this is to wash your hands often with soap and water. If there is no sink nearby, you can use a hand gel with alcohol in it to clean your hands.

How can I keep from spreading my germs? — In addition to washing your hands often, cover your mouth with your elbow when you sneeze or cough. Using your elbow keeps you from getting germs on your hands. If you use a tissue, throw the tissue away and wash your hands.

When should I call the doctor? — Call for advice if you have:

●Fever higher than 100.4°F (38°C)

●Chest pain when you cough, trouble breathing, or coughing up blood

●A barking cough that makes it hard to talk

●Cough and weight loss that you cannot explain

●Symptoms that are not getting better after 3 weeks

More on this topic

Patient education: Cough, runny nose, and the common cold (The Basics)
Patient education: Flu (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough in adults (The Basics)
Patient education: Cough in children (The Basics)
Patient education: What you should know about antibiotics (The Basics)

Patient education: Acute bronchitis in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: The common cold in adults (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Influenza symptoms and treatment (Beyond the Basics)
Patient education: Chronic cough in adults (Beyond the Basics)