Bronchitis is when the airways in your lungs,

your bronchi, become inflamed. This irritation

can cause severe coughing spells that bring up
mucus, wheezing, chest pain and shortness of
breath. There are two main types, acute and
chronic.
Unlike acute bronchitis, which usually
develops from a respiratory infection such as a
cold and goes away in a week or two, chronic
bronchitis is a more serious condition that
develops over time. Symptoms may get better
or worse, but they will never completely go
away. These extended periods of inflammation
cause sticky mucus to build up in the airways,
leading to long-term breathing difficulties.
Along with emphysema, chronic bronchitis is
one of the lung diseases that comprise COPD
(chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
There are a number of treatments available to
help control symptoms and ease breathing
problems.
Key Facts about Chronic Bronchitis
 Chronic bronchitis is included in the
umbrella term COPD (chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease). Your doctor may refer
to your disease as either chronic bronchitis
or COPD.
 Cigarette smoking is a major cause of
chronic bronchitis. Other factors that
increase your risk of developing this
disease include exposure to air pollution as
well as dust or toxic gases in the
workplace or environment. It may also
occur more frequently in individuals who
have a family history of bronchitis.
 To diagnose chronic bronchitis, your
doctor will look for a productive cough
(producing mucus) that lasts at least three
months and happens multiple times over
the course of at least two years. Tests used
to diagnose chronic bronchitis include
pulmonary function tests, chest X-rays or
CT scans.
 Chronic bronchitis is not curable but there
are a number of treatments that can help
you manage your symptoms. These
include bronchodilators that open your
airways, steroids to reduce inflammation,
oxygen therapy and pulmonary
rehabilitation.