Healthcare providers diagnose bronchitis by asking patients questions about symptoms and doing a physical examination. Though they rarely order additional tests, if you have a fever, your physician may order a chest X-ray to rule out pneumonia.
Other symptoms of bronchitis include chest pain, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. To find out if you have bronchitis, your doctor will listen for crackly sounds in your chest when you breathe. You may also need a chest x-ray or other tests to see how well your lungs are working.
The most common symptoms for acute bronchitis include cough, chest soreness, runny nose, feeling tired and achy, headache, chills, slight fever, and sore throat. Healthcare providers can often diagnose acute bronchitis by taking a medical history and doing physical exam.
The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a cough. This is usually a dry cough at first, but it may later develop into a phlegmy cough, where you cough up mucus (sputum). Doctors call this a "productive" cough.
Given how many symptoms the two respiratory conditions share, it's not surprising that bronchitis is often mistaken for pneumonia and vice versa.
Acute bronchitis usually gets better on its own—without antibiotics. Antibiotics won't help you get better if you have acute bronchitis.
Acute bronchitis is usually caused by airway inflammation from viral infections, such as the cold, influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus RSV, or COVID-19 viruses. Occasionally, a bacterial infection can cause acute bronchitis.
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus.
The main symptom of bronchitis is a hacking cough. It is likely that your cough will bring up thick yellow-grey mucus (phlegm), although this does not always happen. Other symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of other infections, such as the common cold or sinusitis, and may include: sore throat.
Should you stay home from work or school with bronchitis? Yes. You should stay home for a few days so you can get rest and prevent others from getting sick.
Bronchitis is an inflammation and irritation of the bronchi in the lungs that causes a cough. If you have acute bronchitis, you should stay home from work because acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses, and in some cases bacteria, so it is contagious.
Typically, those with acute bronchitis can be contagious while those with the chronic form are less likely to be able to spread it to someone else. Acute bronchitis is contagious if it is caused by either a cold or flu viruses. Since these viruses are contagious, acute bronchitis usually is, too.
Acute bronchitis can turn into pneumonia if not treated, as the infection can spread to the lungs. This is what makes it so important to have a doctor check for bronchitis if you keep coughing. Chronic bronchitis is diagnosed if you have a cough lasting at least three months for two or more years in a row.
Bronchitis itself isn't contagious, but some of its causes are. If your bronchitis is caused by a virus, you can be contagious for a few days to a week. If your bronchitis is caused by bacteria, you usually stop being contagious 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
Your cough from bronchitis may be worse at night because the airways tend to be more sensitive and prone to irritation when the airway muscles are relaxed. 9 You may also feel more congested and stuffed up because mucus can pool in your upper respiratory tract when you're lying down.
Small amounts of white mucus may be coughed up if the bronchitis is viral. If the color of the mucus changes to green or yellow, it may be a sign that a bacterial infection has also set in. The cough is usually the last symptom to clear up and may last for weeks.
There are no specific tests for bronchitis, but your doctor may do blood tests to eliminate other possible causes of your symptoms. Your doctor may also order a chest x-ray if you have a fever. This is to rule out pneumonia.
And secondly, if your acute bronchitis is being caused by an infection (which it most commonly is), as opposed to an irritant, you can feel more tired as your body uses its energy to fight off the infection and recover.
Bronchitis sleep tips.
Listen to your body and get as much rest as you can, especially over the first few days. If a nighttime cough keeps you awake, use an extra pillow to prop up your head and keep mucus from settling in the back of your throat.