To request a visit from Dispatch Health, just give us a call, use our app, or go on our website. Our team is here to answer any questions you may have. DispatchHealth relies only on authoritative sources, including medical associations, research institutions, and peer-reviewed medical studies.
Request a Visit. Account Sign In or Create Account. How Long Does Bronchitis Last? See if we service your area Zip Code this. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. So how long will you have to endure this hacking, productive cough? Figuring out how long your bronchitis will last is a complicated question.
There are two different types of bronchitis, acute short-term and chronic long-term. Within each type, there can be multiple causes.
Individual causes have unique treatments and recovery times. Generally, acute bronchitis caused by an infection will last a few weeks, but chronic bronchitis caused by pollution or smoking can last months and come back yearly.
This article will review the types of bronchitis, their causes, and how long they last. There are two main kinds of bronchitis—acute and chronic. During bronchitis, the tubes that lead from your windpipe into your lungs called the bronchi swell up and produce protective mucus that triggers coughing. The more common and less severe type of bronchitis is acute bronchitis. An infection like the common cold or flu triggers acute bronchitis.
This infection can be a virus or less often bacteria or fungi. With acute bronchitis, sometimes called a chest cold, you may still be contagious. Without complications, acute bronchitis lasts less than three weeks. You should be able to recover on your own, without prescription medication. Rest and over-the-counter medications to treat your cough, loosen mucus, and ease pain and fever should be enough to treat your symptoms. The second trigger for bronchitis is environmental and causes chronic bronchitis.
Long-term exposure to pollutants or tobacco smoke irritates the bronchi and causes the buildup of mucus. Chronic bronchitis is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD , a kind of illness that makes it hard to breathe. It lasts at least three months and comes back year after year. You should get long-term treatment for it. Though the causes of bronchitis differ, acute and chronic bronchitis have similar symptoms.
Acute bronchitis will have initial symptoms similar to a cold or respiratory infection, including:. Lingering symptoms of both acute and chronic bronchitis include:. How is acute bronchitis diagnosed? Any of these tests may be used to help confirm a diagnosis: Chest X-rays. A test that uses invisible radiation beams to make images of internal tissues, bones, and organs, including the lungs. Arterial blood gas. This blood test is used to analyze the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood.
Pulse oximetry. An oximeter is a small machine that measures the amount of oxygen in the blood. To get this measurement, a small sensor is taped or clipped on a finger or toe.
When the machine is on, a small red light can be seen in the sensor. The sensor is painless and the red light does not get hot.
Cultures of nasal discharge and sputum. Testing the sputum you cough up or swab from your nose may be done to find and identify the microorganism causing the infection. Pulmonary function tests. These are tests that help to measure the ability of the lungs to move air in and out of the lungs. The tests are usually done with special machines that you breathe into.
How is acute bronchitis treated? Treatment is aimed at treating the symptoms, and may include: Avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke Cough medicine Humidifying the air Increased fluid intake Pain relievers and fever reducers, such as acetaminophen Tylenol Quitting smoking Avoid antihistamines because they dry up the secretions and can make the cough worse. What are the complications of acute bronchitis? Can bronchitis be prevented? Anyone can get pneumococcal disease.
However, children younger than age 2, adults ages 65 and older, people with certain medical conditions, and smokers are at the highest risk. Quitting smoking does not cure chronic bronchitis but may decrease the severity of symptoms and prevent progression of the disease.
Inhaled steroids : Over time, chronic bronchitis may lead to changes in the lungs, including inflammation. Inhaled steroids reduce inflammation, which can improve breathing. Oxygen therapy : Some people with chronic bronchitis may have decreased oxygen levels due to lung damage. Oxygen therapy may improve shortness of breath and exercise tolerance. Pulmonary rehabilitation classes : Pulmonary rehabilitation classes teach techniques to manage lung diseases, such as chronic bronchitis.
For example, teaching a controlled coughing technique helps make coughing more effective. Classes combine education with exercise to improve functioning. Read more about home remedies for bronchitis here. How long bronchitis lasts depends on whether the condition is chronic or acute. Acute bronchitis usually lasts 3 to 10 days, although the cough may linger for a few weeks. Chronic bronchitis lasts for months, and symptoms reoccur.
Treatment for bronchitis also varies depending on whether it is acute or chronic. Most people recover from acute bronchitis without complications. Treatment for chronic bronchitis helps reduce symptoms. Emphysema and chronic bronchitis are both respiratory conditions that fall under the classification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD…. Bronchitis is a lung infection that leads to a phlegm-producing cough and breathing problems.
Bronchitis is a contagious lung infection that spreads more during the early stages of the infection. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and…. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining in the bronchial tubes.
In this article, learn about natural remedies and how to cope with symptoms at…. Bronchitis is an infection of the tubes that lead to the lungs. It can be acute or chronic.
Symptoms include a cough and wheezing.
0コメント