Acute Bronchitis

(Bronchitis, Acute; Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, Chest Cold)

by Amy Scholten, MPH

Definition

Acute bronchitis is a short-term lung infection. Airways leading to the lungs become inflamed and make more phlegm than normal. This causes severe coughing.

Bronchi of Lungs

Causes

Viruses are the most common cause of acute bronchitis. Bacteria can also cause it, but this is not as common.

Risk Factors

Things that raise the risk are:

Having a cold or the flu
Being around others who are sick
Smoking, or being near others who smoke
Having allergies or asthma
Working with certain substances that can cause irritation of airways such as:
- Ammonia
- Chlorine
- Minerals
- Dusts from farming
Having a weak immune system

Symptoms

Acute bronchitis can cause:

Coughing
Breathing problems
Wheezing
Slight fever
Sore throat
Stuffy nose

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and past health. A physical exam may be done. Diagnosis is often based on symptoms.

Treatment

An infection caused by a virus will usually go away on its own within a week. The cough can last for up to a month.

The goal of treatment is to ease symptoms. It includes:

Drinking more fluids
Resting
Medicines to lower fever and manage coughing
Inhalers to open airways and ease breathing

An infection caused by bacteria will also need antibiotics.

Prevention

The risk of acute bronchitis can be lowered by:

Washing hands often
Staying away from sick people
Not smoking

RESOURCES:

American Lung Association
http://www.lung.org

Family Doctor—American Academy of Family Physicians
https://familydoctor.org

CANADIAN RESOURCES:

The College of Family Physicians of Canada
http://www.cfpc.ca

The Lung Association
https://www.lung.ca

References:

About antibiotic use and resistance. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at:
...(Click grey area to select URL)
Accessed February 2, 2021.

Acute bronchitis. American Academy of Family Physicians Family Doctor website. Available at: https://familydoctor.org/condition/acute-bronchitis. . Accessed February 2, 2021.

Acute bronchitis. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/acute-bronchitis. Accessed February 2, 2021.

Smith SM, Fahey T, Smucny J, Becker LA. Antibiotics for acute bronchitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2017;6:CD000245.

Last reviewed February 2021 by EBSCO Medical Review Board David L. Horn, MD, FACP
Last Updated: 2/2/2021

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