Bronchitis, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis

Bronchitis Overview

Bronchitis is an Inflammation, irritation and swelling of the lining of the main bronchial tubes (bronchi), which carry air to and from the lungs.

Symptoms of bronchitis include a cough, wheezing, and difficulty breathing. Bronchitis patients may also have trouble clearing heavy mucus or phlegm from their airways.

Bronchitis can be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis usually clears up, but chronic bronchitis is persistent and never completely goes away. Quitting or avoiding smoking can help prevent bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is temporary inflammation of the airways that causes a cough and mucus. It lasts up to 3 weeks. It can affect people of all ages, but mostly happens in children under the age of 5.

It’s more common in winter and often comes on after a common cold, sore throat or the flu.

Chronic bronchitis is a daily productive cough that lasts for 3 months of the year and for at least 2 years in a row.

It is one of many lung diseases, including emphysema, that are collectively known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Chronic bronchitis usually affects adults, both men and women over the age of 40.

Cigarette smoke and the chemicals in cigarettes make bronchitis worse and increase your risk of developing chronic bronchitis and COPD. Therefore it is important that you stop smoking if you have bronchitis.

Signs and Symptoms of Bronchitis

Following are the signs and symptoms of both acute and chronic bronchitis:

• A persistent cough, which may produce mucus
• Body aches
• Blocked nose and sinuses
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Chills
• Feeling of tightness in the chest
• Fever
• Headaches
• Wheezing

A patient with bronchitis may have a cough that lasts for several weeks or even a few months if the bronchial tubes take a long time to heal fully.

The symptoms of chronic bronchitis can flare up regularly. For many individuals, this happens during the winter months.

However, bronchitis is not the only condition that causes a cough. A cough that refuses to go away may be a sign of asthma, pneumonia, or many other conditions. Anyone with a persistent cough should see a doctor for a diagnosis.

 

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis lasts for a specific length of time. It commonly follows a similar pattern to a viral infection, such as a cold or the flu, and it may stem from the same virus.

An acute bronchitis patient may have the following symptoms which may last for several weeks:

• A cough with or without mucus
• Body aches
• Chest tightness, discomfort or soreness
• Fever
• A mild headache and body aches
• Shortness of breath

The above symptoms usually should go away after several days or weeks.

 

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis has similar symptoms as acute bronchitis, but it is an ongoing (chronic) illness.

One definition states that a person has chronic bronchitis if they have a daily, productive cough for at least 3 months of the year, 2 or more years in a row.

The National Library of Medicine describe it as a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in which the bronchial tubes produce a lot of mucus. It either does not go away, or it goes away and keeps coming back.

In 2018, 9.0 million adults, or 3.6% of those ages 18 or older, had chronic bronchitis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that a person who develops emphysema  along with chronic bronchitis will receive a diagnosis of COPD. This is a serious and potentially life threatening condition.

Transmission of Bronchitis

If bronchitis develops due to a viral or bacterial infection, it is possible to transmit the infection to another person through droplets when coughing.

To reduce the risk of passing on an infection, a person should:

• Cough into a tissue
• Frequently and thoroughly wash their hands
• Take extra precautions specially around young children, older people, and those with a weakened immune system
• Wear a surgical mask

 

Causes of Bronchitis

Bronchitis occurs when a a virus, bacteria, or irritant particles trigger an inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Smoking is a key risk factor, but nonsmokers can also develop bronchitis.

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis can develop from the following:

• A cold or flu virus
• Bacterial infection
• Exposure to substances that irritate the lungs, such as tobacco smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, and air pollution

People have a higher risk of developing acute bronchitis if they:

• Experience a virus or bacteria that causes inflammation
• Smoke or inhale secondhand smoke
• Have asthma or an allergy

There are several ways to avoid infection including regularly washing hands and avoiding smoke and other harmful particles.

Chronic Bronchitis

Mostly chronic bronchitis happens from repeated irritation and damage to the lung and airway tissues. The most common cause is smoking, but not everyone with bronchitis is a smoker.

Other possible causes include:

• long term exposure to air pollution, dust, and fumes from the environment
• genetic factors
• repeated episodes of acute bronchitis
• a history of respiratory disease or gastroesophageal reflux disease gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Exposure to pesticides may also increase the risk.

Asthma patients and people with allergies have a higher risk of both types of the disease. The best way to avoid chronic bronchitis is to avoid smoking.

The most common complication of bronchitis is pneumonia. This can happen if the infection spreads further into the lungs. In a person with pneumonia, the air sacs within the lungs fill with fluid.

Pneumonia is more likely to develop in older adults, smokers, those with other medical conditions, and anyone with a weakened immune system. It can be life threatening and needs medical attention.

Diagnosis of Bronchitis

To diagnose bronchitis, usually a doctor will carry out a physical examination, using a stethoscope to listen for unusual sounds in the lungs.

They may also ask the patient about the following:

• Any recent bouts of cold or flu
• Exposure to secondhand smoke, dust, fumes, or air pollution
• Patients medical history
• Symptoms, such as the cough
• Whether they smoke

The doctor may also do the following:

• Check the oxygen levels in the patients blood
• Conduct a sputum swab test for bacteria or viruses to be checked in the lab
• Order chest X-ray, pulmonary lung function test, or blood tests

Treatment of Bronchitis

A doctor will advise a bronchitis patient to do the following:

• Avoid pollution and smoke
• Drink a lot of water and fluids
• Rest
• Take over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as ibuprofen

Taking OTC medication will help relieve a cough and ease any accompanying pain. In time, acute bronchitis will go away, often without treatment.

The symptoms of chronic bronchitis may resolve or improve for a while. However, they will come back or become worse again, especially if there is exposure to smoke or other triggers that could exacerbate.

Options may include the following:

Cough medicine: Coughing is useful for removing mucus from the bronchial tubes, but medication can help bring relief, for example, at night.

Taking honey: Taking 2 spoons of honey may bring relief of cough symptoms.

Using a humidifier: This can loosen mucus, improve airflow, and relieve wheezing.

Bronchodilators: These open the bronchial tubes and may help clear out mucus.

Mucolytic Medicine: These loosen or thin mucus in the airways, making it easier to cough up sputum.

Anti-inflammatory and steroid drugs: These can help reduce inflammation that can cause tissue damage.

Oxygen therapy: In severe cases, a person may need supplemental oxygen to ease their breathing.

Antibiotics

If acute bronchitis results from a bacterial infection, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics. Taking antibiotics may also help prevent a secondary infection, in some cases.

These drugs are not suitable for a person with a virus, however.

Most doctors will not prescribe antibiotics unless they have identified bacteria as the cause of an illness. One of the reasons for this is concern about antibiotic resistance, as overuse of antibiotics makes it harder to treat an infection in the long term.

 

Behavioral Remedies

Other strategies for treating bronchitis include the following:

• Exercising to strengthen the chest muscles to help breathing
• improving breathing technique through pulmonary rehabilitation
• Removing a lung irritant which is causing the condition, for example, by not smoking

Doing breathing exercises, such as pursed-lip breathing, can help slow down breathing, and make it more effective.

When to seek a Treatment for Bronchitis

Majority of patients with bronchitis can recover at home with rest, anti-inflammatory medication, and plenty of fluids.

However, a person should see a doctor if they have the following:

• a cough that lasts more than 3 weeks
• a fever that lasts 3 days or longer
• blood in their mucus
• rapid breathing, chest pains, or both
• drowsiness or confusion
• recurring or worsening symptoms

Anyone with an existing lung or heart condition should see a doctor if they start to have symptoms of bronchitis.

Prevention of Bronchitis

It is not always possible to prevent acute or chronic bronchitis, but several things can reduce the risk.

These include the following measures:

• Avoiding or quitting smoking 
• Wearing a mask to cover the nose and mouth when pollution levels are high 
• Getting vaccinations to protect from pneumonia and the flu
• Avoiding lung irritants, such as smoke, dust, fumes, vapors, and air pollution
• Washing the hands often to limit exposure to germs and bacteria

 

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