Bronchitis

Bronchitis is a condition that affects the airways in the lungs, causing inflammation, coughing, and mucus production.

Overview

Bronchitis develops when the airways in the lungs, called bronchial tubes, become inflamed and cause coughing, often with mucus production. Bronchitis can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term).

Acute bronchitis is very common and usually results from an infection. It may be contagious. Most people recover after a few days or weeks.

Chronic bronchitis lasts for at least three months and returns at least two years in a row. In chronic bronchitis, breathing can be more difficult because the airway lining stays inflamed, which leads to swelling and more mucus production.

Signs and Symptoms

The symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis are the same:

  • Cough with mucus
  • Chest pain
  • Tiredness
  • Low fever of below 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Shortness of breath
  • Wheezing

Symptoms of acute cases clear on their own after two to three weeks. With chronic bronchitis, a cough can last three months or longer.

Related Health Effects

Bronchitis has been linked with other diseases such as pneumonia, which includes symptoms like high fever, fast breathing, and a higher heart rate. A history of wheezing and coughing is also linked to asthma. In addition, chronic bronchitis is a frequent symptom in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although chronic bronchitis does not increase the risk of COVID-19, it does increase the risk of complications after getting COVID-19.

Causes and Risk Factors

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is usually caused by airway inflammation from viral infections, such as the cold, influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or COVID-19. Occasionally, a bacterial infection can cause acute bronchitis.

Chronic Bronchitis

There are a number of risk factors for chronic bronchitis:

Prevention Guidance

Taking the following steps may prevent bronchitis or lower your chances of getting it again:

  • Quit smoking if you smoke.
  • Avoid fumes, air pollution, or secondhand smoke.
  • Get the flu shot every year.
  • Get the pneumonia vaccine when appropriate, based on your age or risk factors.
  • Get the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shots at the recommended times.

Diagnosis

See your healthcare provider if your cough does not go away after two to three weeks, gets worse, or if you have trouble breathing.

To diagnose bronchitis, your healthcare provider will do a physical exam and ask about your medical history and symptoms. Your provider may also order:

  • A blood test to look for signs of infection
  • A chest X-ray to check whether your lungs and bronchial tubes look normal

These additional tests are needed because cough is a symptom for many other conditions, such as pneumonia, COVID-19, GERD, and asthma.

Treatment and Management

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis often goes away on its own without treatment. However, you can take steps at home to feel better:

  • Use over-the-counter (OTC) medicines containing dextromethorphan or guaifenesin to possibly relieve cough symptoms or to loosen mucus.
  • Drink hot tea or water with honey.
  • Suck on throat lozenges.
  • Keep a humidifier nearby.
  • Use inhaled medicines such as albuterol, if prescribed, as they may relieve symptoms.

Healthcare providers typically prescribe antibiotics only if they find a bacterial infection, which is more common in young children. If you take any prescribed medicines or have other diseases, talk to your healthcare provider before taking any over-the-counter medicines.

Chronic Bronchitis

The goal of treatment for chronic bronchitis is to help you breathe better and control your symptoms. Your healthcare provider may talk to you about:

  • Quitting smoking
  • Taking medicines to help clear your airways or prevent symptoms from getting worse
  • Oxygen therapy to help you breathe better
  • Pulmonary rehabilitation to learn breathing techniques such as pursed-lip breathing and to help prevent symptoms from getting worse

Find Clinical Trials

Clinical trials uncover better ways to prevent, diagnose, treat, and understand diseases and conditions. To ensure results apply to everyone, volunteers of all ages, sexes, and backgrounds, including both healthy individuals and those with specific medical conditions, are needed. Find clinical trials on bronchitis.

Research Information

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world. NIH invests most of its budget in medical research seeking to enhance life and to reduce illness and disability. NIH-funded research has led to breakthroughs and new treatments helping people live longer, healthier lives, and building the research foundation that drives discovery.  

NIH supports research on the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of bronchitis.

Find NIH-funded research projects using NIH RePORTER, a searchable database of current and past research projects supported by NIH and other federal agencies.