Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsQuick ReliefWhen Is It Contagious?Seeking Medical CareTreatment When AcuteManaging When ChronicRecurring SymptomsMinimizing FlaresNext in Bronchitis GuideBronchitis Symptoms
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Quick Relief
When Is It Contagious?
Seeking Medical Care
Treatment When Acute
Managing When Chronic
Recurring Symptoms
Minimizing Flares
Next in Bronchitis Guide
Bronchitis is acute (sudden onset and temporary) or chronic (ongoing) inflammation of thebronchi. The bronchi are the large tubes that carry air from thetracheato the lungs. The inflammation triggers a cough that often produces mucus.
Many people wonder if bronchitis is contagious. Technically, the answer is no. However, while bronchitis itself is not contagious, some of the viral or bacterial infections that cause it can be.
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Bronchitis Cough: How Symptoms Present
Acute and chronic bronchitis have the same symptoms, including:
With acute bronchitis, symptoms usually resolve in two to three weeks. However, chronic bronchitis symptoms can last for months. Lung disease is usually the cause of chronic bronchitis.
Bronchitis With Lung Disease
While acute bronchitis develops from respiratory illnesses, like a cold, the flu, or COVID-19, chronic bronchitis develops over time from chronic lung conditions. It is included in the umbrella term"chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)."
Risk factors for developing chronic bronchitis include:
Bronchitis vs. Pneumonia
Quick Relief for Bronchitis
How do you get rid of a bronchitis infection quickly?Home remedies for acute bronchitisinclude:
With Bronchitis, When Is It Contagious?
Bronchitis itself is not contagious, in that if you have bronchitis, you won’t transmit bronchitis to another person. However, you can transmit some of the causes of bronchitis, which can produce a respiratory illness in another person. That illness may not progress to bronchitis.
Viral Transmission
Some viruses that may lead to bronchitis include:
Bacterial Transmission
Bacteria are a less common cause of acute bronchitis, accounting for fewer than 1 in 20 cases.These bacteria can be transmitted to others and may cause a respiratory infection. Bacterial causes include:
Noncontagious Risk Factors
Risk factors for noncontagious chronic bronchitis include:
When to See a Provider for Bronchitis
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises seeking medical attention for acute bronchitis in the following situations:
Todiagnose bronchitis, a healthcare provider will take your medical history and symptoms and may order some tests. Common diagnostic tests include a viral swab,chest X-ray, andblood tests.
Chronic Bronchitis Facts and Statistics: What You Need to Know
How to Treat Acute Bronchitis
Treatment for an acute infection includes the at-home remedies mentioned above and medications for bronchitis. These medications could include:
How to Manage Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is not contagious, so you don’t need to worry about exposing someone else to it. Managing chronic bronchitis differs from treating acute bronchitis and involves treatments to prevent complications and slow progression.
Some management strategies include:
Why Do Bronchitis Symptoms Come Back?
There is no cure for bronchitis. Instead, acute bronchitis must heal after a respiratory infection, and chronic bronchitis requires various management strategies.
Chronic bronchitis recurs because the airways become permanently damaged and never fully heal. Swelling and tissue thickening may narrow the lungs.
In addition, damaged air sacs lose their ability to stretch and shrink back. Mucus in the airways can block airflow, making it difficult to breathe.
Steps to Minimize Bronchitis Flares
The best thing to do to prevent chronic bronchitis flares is to avoid the things that trigger them. Common triggers include:
An Overview of COPD Exacerbations
Summary
Bronchitis may be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis resolves in a couple of weeks, while chronic bronchitis may last for months and come and go. At-home therapies and medicines can help reduce the symptoms of bronchitis. If your symptoms do not resolve within three weeks, it’s time to see a healthcare provider.
17 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.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis) basics.Chowdhury MNR, Alif YA, Alam S, et al.Theoretical effectiveness of steam inhalation against SARS-CoV-2 infection: updates on clinical trials, mechanism of actions, and traditional approaches.Heliyon. 2022;8(1):e08816. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08816Schreiber S, Ronfani L, Ghirardo S, et al.Nasal irrigation with saline solution significantly improves oxygen saturation in infants with bronchiolitis.Acta Paediatr. 2016;105(3):292-296. doi:10.1111/apa.13282UC Health.Bronchitis.Mathieu SS. Bresnan, K, Garufi LC, Hansen SE.Does garlic use prevent and treat viral upper respiratory infections in adults?.Evidence-Based Practice.2018;21(9):p 58-59, doi:10.1097/EBP.0000000000000073Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J.Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021;26(2):57-64. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336Carrillo-marquez MA.Botulism.Pediatr Rev. 2016;37(5):183-92. doi:10.1542/pir.2015-0018Walsh EE.Acute bronchitis.Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 2015;806-809.e1. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4557-4801-3.00066-7UC Davis Health.Bronchitis.Sethi S.Acute bronchitis. Merck Manual Consumer Version.MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.University of California San Fransisco Health.Chronic bronchitis.American Lung Association.Learn about COPD.American Lung Association.Prevent COPD exacerbations or flare-ups.
17 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.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis) basics.Chowdhury MNR, Alif YA, Alam S, et al.Theoretical effectiveness of steam inhalation against SARS-CoV-2 infection: updates on clinical trials, mechanism of actions, and traditional approaches.Heliyon. 2022;8(1):e08816. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08816Schreiber S, Ronfani L, Ghirardo S, et al.Nasal irrigation with saline solution significantly improves oxygen saturation in infants with bronchiolitis.Acta Paediatr. 2016;105(3):292-296. doi:10.1111/apa.13282UC Health.Bronchitis.Mathieu SS. Bresnan, K, Garufi LC, Hansen SE.Does garlic use prevent and treat viral upper respiratory infections in adults?.Evidence-Based Practice.2018;21(9):p 58-59, doi:10.1097/EBP.0000000000000073Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J.Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021;26(2):57-64. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336Carrillo-marquez MA.Botulism.Pediatr Rev. 2016;37(5):183-92. doi:10.1542/pir.2015-0018Walsh EE.Acute bronchitis.Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 2015;806-809.e1. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4557-4801-3.00066-7UC Davis Health.Bronchitis.Sethi S.Acute bronchitis. Merck Manual Consumer Version.MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.University of California San Fransisco Health.Chronic bronchitis.American Lung Association.Learn about COPD.American Lung Association.Prevent COPD exacerbations or flare-ups.
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.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pneumonia.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis) basics.Chowdhury MNR, Alif YA, Alam S, et al.Theoretical effectiveness of steam inhalation against SARS-CoV-2 infection: updates on clinical trials, mechanism of actions, and traditional approaches.Heliyon. 2022;8(1):e08816. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08816Schreiber S, Ronfani L, Ghirardo S, et al.Nasal irrigation with saline solution significantly improves oxygen saturation in infants with bronchiolitis.Acta Paediatr. 2016;105(3):292-296. doi:10.1111/apa.13282UC Health.Bronchitis.Mathieu SS. Bresnan, K, Garufi LC, Hansen SE.Does garlic use prevent and treat viral upper respiratory infections in adults?.Evidence-Based Practice.2018;21(9):p 58-59, doi:10.1097/EBP.0000000000000073Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J.Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021;26(2):57-64. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336Carrillo-marquez MA.Botulism.Pediatr Rev. 2016;37(5):183-92. doi:10.1542/pir.2015-0018Walsh EE.Acute bronchitis.Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 2015;806-809.e1. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4557-4801-3.00066-7UC Davis Health.Bronchitis.Sethi S.Acute bronchitis. Merck Manual Consumer Version.MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.University of California San Fransisco Health.Chronic bronchitis.American Lung Association.Learn about COPD.American Lung Association.Prevent COPD exacerbations or flare-ups.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Bronchitis.
American Lung Association.Chronic bronchitis.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About pneumonia.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Chest cold (acute bronchitis) basics.
Chowdhury MNR, Alif YA, Alam S, et al.Theoretical effectiveness of steam inhalation against SARS-CoV-2 infection: updates on clinical trials, mechanism of actions, and traditional approaches.Heliyon. 2022;8(1):e08816. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08816
Schreiber S, Ronfani L, Ghirardo S, et al.Nasal irrigation with saline solution significantly improves oxygen saturation in infants with bronchiolitis.Acta Paediatr. 2016;105(3):292-296. doi:10.1111/apa.13282
UC Health.Bronchitis.
Mathieu SS. Bresnan, K, Garufi LC, Hansen SE.Does garlic use prevent and treat viral upper respiratory infections in adults?.Evidence-Based Practice.2018;21(9):p 58-59, doi:10.1097/EBP.0000000000000073
Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J.Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021;26(2):57-64. doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336
Carrillo-marquez MA.Botulism.Pediatr Rev. 2016;37(5):183-92. doi:10.1542/pir.2015-0018
Walsh EE.Acute bronchitis.Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 2015;806-809.e1. doi:10.1016/B978-1-4557-4801-3.00066-7
UC Davis Health.Bronchitis.
Sethi S.Acute bronchitis. Merck Manual Consumer Version.
MedlinePlus.Chronic bronchitis.
University of California San Fransisco Health.Chronic bronchitis.
American Lung Association.Learn about COPD.
American Lung Association.Prevent COPD exacerbations or flare-ups.
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