Acute Bronchitis

Summary

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus. It can also cause shortness of breath, wheezing, a low fever, and chest tightness. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic.

Most cases of acute bronchitis get better within several days. But your cough can last for several weeks after the infection is gone.

The same viruses that cause colds and the flu often cause acute bronchitis. These viruses spread through the air when people cough, or though physical contact (for example, on unwashed hands). Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute bronchitis. Less often, bacteria can also cause acute bronchitis.

To diagnose acute bronchitis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your breathing. You may also have other tests.

Treatments include rest, fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever. A humidifier or steam can also help. You may need inhaled medicine to open your airways if you are wheezing. Antibiotics won’t help if the cause is viral. You may get antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

• Acute Bronchitis American Academy of Family Physicians
• Acute Bronchitis American Lung Association
• Bronchitis National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• Chest Cold (Acute Bronchitis) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Patient Handouts

• Acute bronchitis Medical Encyclopedia
• Postural drainage Medical Encyclopedia
• Routine sputum culture Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• American Lung Association American Lung Association
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Encyclopedia

• Blood gases Medical Encyclopedia
• Bronchiolitis Medical Encyclopedia
• Chest x-ray Medical Encyclopedia
• Industrial bronchitis Medical Encyclopedia
• Oxygen safety Medical Encyclopedia

Diagnosis and Tests

• Blood Oxygen Level National Library of Medicine
• Tests for Lung Disease National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Reference Desk

• Bronchi, Bronchial Tree, and Lungs National Cancer Institute
• How the Lungs Work National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Children

• Bronchitis (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Plastic Bronchitis (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Treatments and Therapies

• Bronchitis Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment American Lung Association

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Bronchiolitis National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Bronchitis National Institutes of Health

Related Issues

• Cough Culprits: What’s the Difference Between Bronchitis and Pneumonia? National Institutes of Health

Prevention and Risk Factors

• Is Acute Bronchitis Contagious? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Journal Articles

• Acute bronchitis