Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesAcute SymptomsChronic SymptomsAcute vs. ChronicUnusual SymptomsWhen to Seek CareComplicationsNext in Bronchitis GuideHow Bronchitis Is Diagnosed
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Acute Symptoms
Chronic Symptoms
Acute vs. Chronic
Unusual Symptoms
When to Seek Care
Complications
Next in Bronchitis Guide
Bronchitisis irritation and inflammation of the airways that bring air in and out of your lungs. Stages of bronchitis can range from acute to chronic. Acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis have similar symptoms, including a dry or productive cough and shortness of breath. However, they are different illnesses that last for different lengths of time.
Acute bronchitis is a relatively short-term illness that usually results from a viral infection and does not require treatment with antibiotics.Recovery may take a period of days to weeks. In contrast, chronic bronchitis is a long-term, serious illness.
This article covers the symptoms and stages of bronchitis. It discussesrecovery times, common and uncommon symptoms, and complications. It also details when to get medical treatment for symptoms of bronchitis.
Bronchitis
Types of Bronchitis
Bronchitis is divided into two types: acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is a short-term form of the disease. It may only take a few days or weeks for people to recover from acute bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis means long-term illness. This is when bronchitis sticks around for at least three months and comes back at least two years in a row.
Common Symptoms of Acute Bronchitis
Not everyone who gets acute bronchitis will have the same symptoms. However, some symptoms of acute bronchitis are more common than others.
The most common symptoms include:
With acute bronchitis, the symptoms can often be more severe than those seen with chronic bronchitis.
Most cases of acute bronchitis last between three and 10 days. However, the cough can linger for several weeks, even after the infection that caused it is resolved.
How to Get Rid of a Wheezing Cough
Common Symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis
In addition to the general effects of bronchitis, symptoms of chronic bronchitis include:
When chronic bronchitis becomes severe, other symptoms may appear:
If you have chronic bronchitis, you may also haveemphysema, which affects the lungs, not the bronchi. While emphysema and chronic bronchitis can occur at the same time, there aredifferences between emphysema and bronchitis.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Acute vs. Chronic Bronchitis
Although acute and chronic bronchitis both refer to an inflammation of the bronchi, the main difference is in how long they last.
Non-cough symptoms of acute bronchitis (stuffy nose,fever, headache, fatigue) typically last only a few days. A cough may linger for up to two to three weeks.
Chronic bronchitis is a long-term condition in which you’ll have periodic episodes of symptoms that last at least three months at a time.
Here’s a snapshot of the symptoms that distinguish acute bronchitis from chronic bronchitis.
Short-term illness
Low-grade fever
Sneezing and runny nose
Sore throat
Chronic BronchitisLong-term lasting at least three months within two consecutive yearsChest tightness or painPersistent fatigueSwelling of ankles, feet, and (sometimes) legs
Long-term lasting at least three months within two consecutive years
Chest tightness or pain
Persistent fatigue
Swelling of ankles, feet, and (sometimes) legs
Bronchitis Symptoms in ChildrenChildren can develop acute bronchitis with an infection, but it is rare for a child to develop chronic bronchitis. In addition to the usualsymptoms of acute bronchitis, children are more likely to vomit with acute bronchitis because they may swallowsputum.Vomiting can occur suddenly and without warning, along with a gagging cough.
Bronchitis Symptoms in Children
Children can develop acute bronchitis with an infection, but it is rare for a child to develop chronic bronchitis. In addition to the usualsymptoms of acute bronchitis, children are more likely to vomit with acute bronchitis because they may swallowsputum.Vomiting can occur suddenly and without warning, along with a gagging cough.
Unusual Bronchitis Symptoms
Bad Breath
Bad breathcan develop quickly in people with acute bronchitis. Chronic bad breath can also be a sign of chronic bronchitis.
Bad breath can occur when nasal congestion forces you to breathe through your mouth, enabling growth of bacteria on the tongue and mucous membranes. This bacteria may produce an odor.
In general, it is not recommended to take antibiotics to reduce this bacteria that causes bad breath.
Coughing Up Blood
The persistent coughing of acute and chronic bronchitis can cause traumatic tears, with bleeding in the bronchi or the throat.This can make youcough up blood-tinged sputum.
Lack of Physical Endurance
When you have acute or chronic bronchitis, you may become short of breath very easily with physical exertion. Sometimes this may limit your ability to exercise or walk long distances.
If you have acute bronchitis, this will improve a few days after the illness resolves. If you have chronic bronchitis, you may need physical therapy to improve your endurance.
Trouble Sleeping
The persistent coughing andnasal congestionof bronchitis can interrupt your sleep, making it difficult for you to rest, no matter what time of the day or night you attempt to sleep.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
If you have symptoms that seem to be more disabling than symptoms of a regular cold, or if you have trouble catching your breath, call your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will work with you to develop a treatment plan.
Other warning signs to look for:
Complications of Bronchitis
There are several serious complications of bronchitis, but they are not common. Complications can occur with chronic or acute bronchitis, but they are far more likely to occur as a result of chronic bronchitis due to the long-standing impact of the disease.
Early treatment can minimize the risk of these concerns.
How Chronic Bronchitis Is Treated
Infection
You can become more susceptible to another respiratory tract infection if you have bronchitis. If you get another infection while you have acute bronchitis, it can delay your recovery.
If you develop a respiratory infection when you have chronic bronchitis, this can produce an attack of acute bronchitis on top of your chronic illness.
An episode of acute bronchitis is likely to be more severe and last longer than chronic bronchitis.
Pneumonia
If you have bronchitis of any type, your lungs are more likely to become infected, resulting inpneumonia.
Pneumonia is a prolonged infection that makes you feel sicker than acute bronchitis does.
Aspiration Pneumonia
The coughing of bronchitis can make you choke on your food if you cough while eating. This can cause the food that you eat to go down the wrong pipe, into your lungs, instead of your stomach.
Aspiration pneumoniacan be a persistent infection that takes a toll on your health and takes months to recover from.
Heart Disease
The long-term breathing difficulties of chronic bronchitis can put additional strain on your heart, causing heart disease or exacerbatingheart failure.
Bronchorrhea
Defined as an excessive discharge of watery mucus from the lungs,bronchorrhearesults in a productive cough.
This discharge is more copious than normal phlegm and occurs only when a person coughs up at least the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of mucus daily from their lungs.
It causes persistent cough and shortness of breath and aggravates those symptoms if they already exist.
Summary
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi, which carry air to and from your lungs. Early stages of bronchitis may have milder symptoms compared to later stages when symptoms may become severe.
Common symptoms of bronchitis include cough (often with mucus), shortness of breath, runny nose, low-grade fever, and wheezing. Acute bronchitis is short-lived and often goes away within days or a few weeks. Chronic bronchitis lasts at least three weeks or more and comes back at least once in the next two years.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you’re experiencing symptoms of bronchitis that aren’t going away quickly. If not treated, bronchitis can lead to complications that can be severe and life-threatening. Getting early treatment is one of the best ways to avoid these complications.
Causes and Risk Factors of Bronchitis
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute Bronchitis. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acute bronchitis.MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.Kinkade S, Long NA.Diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Halitosis (bad breath).Earwood JS, Thompson TD.Hemoptysis: evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2015;91(4):243‐249.American Academy of Family Physicians.Acute bronchitis.American Academy of Family Physicians.Chronic bronchitis.Additional ReadingBenscoter DT.Bronchiectasis, Chronic Suppurative Lung Disease and Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018. pii: S1538-5442(18)30030-0. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.03.003Mejza F, Gnatiuc L, Buist AS, et al.Prevalence and burden of chronic bronchitis symptoms: results from the BOLD study. Eur Respir J. 2017;50(5). pii: 1700621. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00621-2017
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute Bronchitis. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acute bronchitis.MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.Kinkade S, Long NA.Diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Halitosis (bad breath).Earwood JS, Thompson TD.Hemoptysis: evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2015;91(4):243‐249.American Academy of Family Physicians.Acute bronchitis.American Academy of Family Physicians.Chronic bronchitis.Additional ReadingBenscoter DT.Bronchiectasis, Chronic Suppurative Lung Disease and Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018. pii: S1538-5442(18)30030-0. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.03.003Mejza F, Gnatiuc L, Buist AS, et al.Prevalence and burden of chronic bronchitis symptoms: results from the BOLD study. Eur Respir J. 2017;50(5). pii: 1700621. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00621-2017
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute Bronchitis. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acute bronchitis.MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.Kinkade S, Long NA.Diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Halitosis (bad breath).Earwood JS, Thompson TD.Hemoptysis: evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2015;91(4):243‐249.American Academy of Family Physicians.Acute bronchitis.American Academy of Family Physicians.Chronic bronchitis.
Kinkade S, Long NA.Acute Bronchitis. Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Acute bronchitis.
MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.
Kinkade S, Long NA.Diagnosis and treatment of acute bronchitis.Am Fam Physician. 2016;94(7):560-565.
American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.
Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Halitosis (bad breath).
Earwood JS, Thompson TD.Hemoptysis: evaluation and management.Am Fam Physician. 2015;91(4):243‐249.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Acute bronchitis.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Chronic bronchitis.
Benscoter DT.Bronchiectasis, Chronic Suppurative Lung Disease and Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018. pii: S1538-5442(18)30030-0. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.03.003Mejza F, Gnatiuc L, Buist AS, et al.Prevalence and burden of chronic bronchitis symptoms: results from the BOLD study. Eur Respir J. 2017;50(5). pii: 1700621. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00621-2017
Benscoter DT.Bronchiectasis, Chronic Suppurative Lung Disease and Protracted Bacterial Bronchitis.Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2018. pii: S1538-5442(18)30030-0. doi: 10.1016/j.cppeds.2018.03.003
Mejza F, Gnatiuc L, Buist AS, et al.Prevalence and burden of chronic bronchitis symptoms: results from the BOLD study. Eur Respir J. 2017;50(5). pii: 1700621. doi: 10.1183/13993003.00621-2017
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