What is acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial tree. The bronchial
(say: “brawn-kee-ull”) tree is made up of the tubes that carry air into your
lungs. When these tubes get infected, they swell and mucus (thick fluid)
forms. This makes it hard for you to breathe. You may cough up mucus and you
may wheeze (make a whistling sound when you breathe).
What causes acute bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is almost always caused by viruses that attack the lining
of the bronchial tree and cause infection. As your body fights back
against these viruses, more swelling occurs and more mucus is made. It
takes time for your body to kill the viruses and heal the damage to your
bronchial tubes.
In most cases, the same viruses that cause colds cause acute bronchitis.
Research has shown that bacterial infection is much less common in
bronchitis than we used to think. Very rarely, an infection caused by a
fungus can cause acute bronchitis.
How do people get acute bronchitis?
The viruses that cause acute bronchitis are sprayed into the air or onto
people’s hands when they cough. You can get acute bronchitis if you
breathe in these viruses. You can also get it if you touch a hand that is
coated with the viruses.
If you smoke or are around damaging fumes (such as those in certain kinds
of factories), you are more likely to get acute bronchitis and to have it
longer. This is because your bronchial tree is already damaged.
How is acute bronchitis treated?
Most cases of acute bronchitis will go away on their own after a few days
or a week. Because acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses,
antibiotics (medicines that kill bacteria) usually do not help. Even if
you cough up mucus that is colored or thick, antibiotics probably won’t
help you get better any faster.
If you smoke, you should cut down on the number of cigarettes you smoke,
or stop smoking altogether. This will help your bronchial tree heal
faster.
For some people with acute bronchitis, doctors prescribe medicines that
are usually used to treat asthma. These medicines can help open the
bronchial tubes and clear out mucus. They are usually given with an
inhaler. An inhaler sprays the medicine right into the bronchial tree.
Your doctor will decide if this treatment is right for you.
How long will the cough from acute bronchitis last?
Sometimes the cough from acute bronchitis lasts for several weeks or
months. Usually this happens because the bronchial tree is taking a long
time to heal. However, a cough that doesn’t go away may be a sign of
another problem, like asthma or pneumonia.
How can I keep from getting acute bronchitis again?
If you smoke, the best defense against acute bronchitis is to quit.
Smoking damages your bronchial tree and makes it easier for viruses to
cause infection. Smoking also slows down the healing, so it takes longer
for you to get well. Another way to keep from getting acute bronchitis is
to wash your hands often to get rid of any viruses.
