About Acute Bronchitis

Key facts about Acute Bronchitis

 Acute bronchitis comes on suddenly.

 It causes the tubes that carry air to your lungs to swell.
 It usually gets better on its own without the need for medication.
 The infection usually lasts for 3 to 10 days, but the cough can continue
for several weeks.
 It is different from chronic bronchitis, a long-term disease. There is no
cure for chronic bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is a sudden swelling in the major airways into your lungs,
called bronchi. It is usually caused by a virus, but it can also be caused by
breathing in things that irritate your lungs, such as tobacco smoke, fumes,
dust, and air pollution. Bacteria sometimes cause acute bronchitis.
How Acute Bronchitis affects your body

When you have acute bronchitis, the cells that line your airways,
called bronchi, become inflamed. The infection usually starts in the nose or
throat and travels to the lungs. When the body tries to fight the infection, it
causes the tubes leading to your lungs to swell. This causes you to cough.
Sometimes it is a dry cough, but often you will cough up mucus.
Because your airways are swollen, less air can move through the tubes to
your lungs. This can cause wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of
breath.
Eventually, your body fights the infection and heals. Acute bronchitis usually
lasts for 3 to 10 days. However, you may cough and produce mucus for
several weeks after the infection heals.

Treating Acute Bronchitis

If you are diagnosed with acute bronchitis, you may miss school or work for a
few days because of your symptoms. You also may have a cough that lasts
up to 3 weeks but slowly improves.
This infection usually lasts no longer than 1 to 2 weeks. Your provider may
recommend rest, fluids, a cough suppressant, and a pain reliever. A humidifier
or steamer may also help. You may need inhaled medicine to open your
airways if you are wheezing.
Antibiotics have not been proven to heal acute bronchitis or reduce
symptoms. Because viruses cause most cases of acute bronchitis, antibiotics
are not used. Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria.
In addition, using antibiotics when they aren’t recommended can cause side
effects. Using antibiotics too often also may mean that your body won’t
respond to antibiotics when it needs to. If your provider thinks that bacteria
caused your acute bronchitis, he or she might then prescribe antibiotics.
Managing Acute Bronchitis
Usually, the symptoms of acute bronchitis last only a couple of weeks.
However, if you have a cough that won’t go away, it may be the sign of a more
serious disease. Contact your health care provider to describe these long-
term symptoms.
Preventing Acute Bronchitis
Avoiding things that irritate your lungs is important for preventing acute
bronchitis as well as treating it. If you smoke, quit. To help protect your
lungs, wear a mask over your mouth and nose when using lung irritants such
as paint, paint remover, or varnish.
Other ways to help prevent acute bronchitis include:

 Washing your hands often to reduce your exposure to viruses and

bacteria
 Getting a flu shot every year

Ask your provider if you should get a pneumonia shot, especially if you’re 60
years of age or older.

LANCE ANGELO BERNANDINO

BSN-II