Bronchitis

What are the symptoms of bronchitis?

Bronchitis usually starts with a wet cough. You may cough up mucus, which can be yellow, white, clear, or even green. This type of cough can be quite painful and can be so persistent that you're short of breath quite often. 

You may also feel exhausted and have body chills. You may have a fever with bronchitis, but it's likely to be a low-grade one if you do.

What causes bronchitis?

Bronchitis usually comes from a virus. In particular, flu strains like parainfluenza or influenza A are common causes of bronchitis. The viruses that cause the common cold, including rhinovirus and coronavirus, may also cause bronchitis. 

Viral bronchitis is easily passed to others, so if you're around someone with bronchitis and they sneeze or even just cough around you, you may get it that way. Viral bronchitis is acute (short-term), with symptoms typically lasting around three weeks. Bacterial infections are a less-common cause of acute bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis has different causes, including smoking, air pollution, and chemical exposure. In chronic bronchitis, you have a mucus-producing cough for at least three months and continued bronchitis instances for two or more years in a row.

How does the doctor diagnose bronchitis?

Your Michigan Avenue Primary Care provider will discuss your symptoms with you while they perform a full exam. You may need a lung function test, sputum (mucus) test, or a chest X-ray to verify that you've got bronchitis. 

How is bronchitis treated?

If you have acute bronchitis caused by a virus, your Michigan Avenue Primary Care provider may prescribe cough suppressants to relieve pain and irritation from the cough. If you have other symptoms due to the virus, for example, nasal congestion, your provider can prescribe medication for that. 

If you've got bacterial bronchitis, a course of antibiotics can destroy the harmful bacteria. Take all antibiotics to completion, even if you feel completely well after a day or two.

With chronic bronchitis, your Michigan Avenue Primary Care provider helps you minimize the triggers as much as possible. You may need allergy medication or environmental changes. Additionally, they may prescribe medications like oral steroids to strengthen your lungs or inhaled bronchodilators to keep your air passages open.

To schedule a bronchitis appointment at Michigan Avenue Primary Care, call the office or request one online today.