Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhen Can Bronchitis Cause a Fever?What to ExpectHow to TreatBronchitis or Pneumonia?When to See a Healthcare Provider
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
When Can Bronchitis Cause a Fever?
What to Expect
How to Treat
Bronchitis or Pneumonia?
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Here’s what you should know about the types of bronchitis and what having a fever might tell you about your case.
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How Long Could a Fever From Bronchitis Last?Even after you’ve seen a healthcare provider and started antibiotics, your fever might last for up to five days after treatment has started.
How Long Could a Fever From Bronchitis Last?
Even after you’ve seen a healthcare provider and started antibiotics, your fever might last for up to five days after treatment has started.
With a mild case of acute bronchitis, you may experience alow-grade fever, which is a temperature of 100.3 F or less.
In more severe cases, your fever might be higher, rising to 102 F.
Remember, not all people with acute bronchitis have a fever, and people with chronic bronchitis will not have a fever. If you think you have bronchitis but are not experiencing a fever, you may still want to contact your healthcare provider.
Bronchitiscan be a long-lasting condition. In fact, the symptoms of acute bronchitis can last for months, while the symptoms of chronic bronchitis last even longer. Your fever, however, should resolve within days of starting treatment.
Fever
Other Symptoms
The primary symptom of bronchitis, whether acute or chronic, is a cough. This might be a dry or wheezing cough, or a productive cough that brings up phlegm and mucus.
Additionalsymptoms of acute bronchitisinclude:
Children’s Symptoms
Like adults, children with acute bronchitis may experience a mild fever. However, kids can have bronchitis without a fever too.
Symptoms of bronchitis in children are similar to those in adults, including:
Children might also experience vomiting or gagging, back pain, and a general feeling of being unwell.
If you experience a fever when you have bronchitis, you can take fever-reducing medications to make yourself more comfortable. In addition, managing the other symptoms of bronchitis can help you feel better too.
Treatments for bronchitisoften include home remedies, such as:
Treating Fever in Adults
Adults with bronchitis who experience fever can takeover-the-counter fever-reducing drugs, including:
These medications have the added benefit of helping to reduce pain and discomfort, so they’ll help you feel better overall. Just remember that even if you’re feeling better, it’s important to rest while you have acute bronchitis.
Treating Fever in Kids
In children, fever can be treated with acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Aspirin Warning in ChildrenKids younger than 19 years of age should never take aspirin, since it can put them at risk forReye’s syndrome, a rare but serious illness.
Aspirin Warning in Children
Kids younger than 19 years of age should never take aspirin, since it can put them at risk forReye’s syndrome, a rare but serious illness.
Telling thedifference between pneumonia and bronchitiscan be tricky. Both conditions have similar symptoms, including cough, fever, and pain.
If you’re feeling unwell, it’s best to check with your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Generally speaking, fever is more common with pneumonia, which can be treated with antibiotics. Reaching out to your practitioner could help you start feeling better sooner.
Anytime you’re experiencing a fever and respiratory symptoms that last a few days or longer, it’s a good idea to reach out to your healthcare provider. They can help you rule out serious issues like a bacterial infection and guide you toward home remedies that can help alleviate symptoms.
If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms and have a fever of 101 F or higher, it’s important to see a practitioner. A high fever can indicate a bacterial infection, which can develop after you’ve had a viral infection.
In addition, you should see a medical provider if:
As always, if you’re having trouble breathing or having chest pain that you find concerning, call 911 or seek emergency care immediately.
A Word From Verywell
Having a cough, fever, and body aches can make you feel miserable, and diagnosing the underlying cause of the condition can be tricky.
Bronchitis can cause a fever in some cases, but oftentimes bronchitis happens with no fever. Likewise, a fever is more common for people who have pneumonia, but not everyone with pneumonia will develop a fever.
If you have symptoms—including cough and fever—that don’t get better within a few days, it’s a good idea to contact your healthcare provider. They’ll be able to listen to your lungs, gauge your symptoms, and make recommendations for treatment to get you back on your feet.
Remember that recovering from bronchitis or pneumonia can be a long process, and your cough might stick around for months. Take it easy and get plenty of rest in order to speed up your recovery.
4 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.Cedars-Sinai.Bronchitis.American Lung Association.Bronchitis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.MedlinePlus.Reye syndrome.
4 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.Cedars-Sinai.Bronchitis.American Lung Association.Bronchitis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.MedlinePlus.Reye syndrome.
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.
Cedars-Sinai.Bronchitis.American Lung Association.Bronchitis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.MedlinePlus.Reye syndrome.
Cedars-Sinai.Bronchitis.
American Lung Association.Bronchitis symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
Cedars-Sinai.Acute bronchitis in children.
MedlinePlus.Reye syndrome.
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