Chest X-Ray Chest X-rays can help confirm a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis and rule out other lung conditions. Sputum Examination Analysis of cells in your sputum can help determine the cause of some lung problems.
Most people get over an acute bout of bronchitis in two to three weeks, although the cough can sometimes hang on for four weeks or more. If you're in otherwise good health, your lungs will return to normal after you've recovered from the initial infection.
In bronchitis, cells that line the bronchi become infected. The infection usually starts in the nose or throat and travels to the bronchial tubes. When the body tries to fight the infection, it causes the bronchial tubes to swell. This causes you to cough.
A collapsed lung can occur spontaneously in a healthy person or in someone who has lungs compromised by trauma, asthma, bronchitis, or emphysema.
Acute bronchitis usually gets better on its own—without antibiotics. Antibiotics won't help you get better if you have acute bronchitis.
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.
“We can usually tell pretty easily by listening to your lungs if it's bronchitis or pneumonia,” Dr. Ford adds.
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.
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.
When to See Your Doctor. On average, the symptoms of acute bronchitis last only a couple of weeks. However, if you have a cough that won't go away, or if you get sick with bronchitis frequently, it may be the sign of a more serious disease and you should visit your doctor.
The most common cause of chronic bronchitis is cigarette smoking. Air pollution and dust or toxic gases in the environment or workplace also can contribute to the condition.
Viruses that cause bronchitis include influenza (the flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus, rhinovirus (the common cold) and coronavirus. Bacteria. Bacteria that cause bronchitis include Bordetella pertussis, Mycoplasma pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumonia. Pollution.
Pneumonia isn't the only condition commonly confused with acute bronchitis. The coughing, wheezing, and chest pain that come with acute bronchitis are similar to symptoms of allergies, asthma, the common cold, the flu, sleep apnea, and other conditions.
Albuterol is one of the more common bronchodilators prescribed for treating bronchitis. It comes in the from of an inhaler. Steroids: If chronic bronchitis symptoms are stable or slowly getting worse, inhaled steroids, can be used to help minimize bronchial tube inflammation.
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.
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia.
The virus causes inflammation of the small airways (bronchioles) (figure 1). The inflammation partially or completely blocks the airways, which causes wheezing (a whistling sound heard as the child breathes out).
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.
The incubation period lasts around three to four days after exposure to the virus. You will develop symptoms at the end of the incubation period, and will remain contagious until your symptoms resolve. If you have symptoms of bronchitis, stay home to avoid spreading your viral infection to others.
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.