Everyone deals with coughs at times. They may be dry coughs that seem to be caused by throat irritation, or they may come with chest congestion. In some cases, they seem to progress from dry to wet or switch from one to the other. In many cases, coughs eventually clear up on their own once the colds or allergies that are causing them start to get better. There are times, though, when they just keep getting worse. They may even be accompanied by building chest congestion and pressure, difficulty breathing, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
If you have a persistent cough that’s accompanied by those additional symptoms and feels like it’s getting worse rather than better, you may be dealing with acute bronchitis. Anytime you suffer from a condition that makes breathing difficult, it can be miserable and even frightening. This condition is usually temporary, though, and it’ll likely clear up on its own with the right care. Read on to learn more about the condition, what causes it, and acute bronchitis treatments that can relieve the discomfort and help you breathe easier again.
What Is Acute Bronchitis?
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Those are the passages that carry air into and out of your lungs. When they become irritated and swollen, they produce excess mucus. That’s the lungs’ natural way of trapping germs and foreign particles so they can be flushed out of your system. This extra mucus and the congestion in the airways trigger coughing to get rid of the mucus and clear the airways.
Acute bronchitis happens suddenly, and it usually clears up in a few days or weeks. It’s different from chronic bronchitis, which is ongoing and develops because of smoking or long-term exposure to respiratory irritants like chemicals, paint fumes, fine sawdust, or asbestos. Acute bronchitis often develops along with a cold or the flu. Some of its symptoms are deep or persistent cough, sore throat, chest pain or tightness, fatigue, shortness of breath, and sometimes fever.
What Causes Acute Bronchitis?
Acute bronchitis is often caused by viral infections. When those infections spread into the lungs, they irritate the linings of the bronchial tubes. Certain other factors can also cause this condition.
Bacterial Infections
Though acute bronchitis is usually viral, bacterial infections can also cause it or make it worse. Those infections often follow viral illnesses because the immune system is already weakened a bit from trying to fight them off. Unlike viral cases, bacterial acute bronchitis may not clear up on its own.
Environmental Irritants
Respiratory irritants in the environment can also trigger acute bronchitis. Those include cigarette smoke, dust, fumes from chemicals, and many others. We’ve already mentioned that long-term exposure to those irritants can lead to chronic bronchitis, but passing exposure can cause acute bronchitis. For example, if you’re briefly exposed to a thick cloud of exhaust fumes, that might trigger acute bronchitis. Even household cleaners can irritate your lungs and cause them to react.
Allergies and Asthma
Allergies and asthma don’t directly cause acute bronchitis, but they can be a contributing factor. They can make your bronchial tubes more sensitive to irritants. As such, they can make you more prone to inflammation when you have an infection or are exposed to environmental irritants.
Weakened Immune System
People with weakened immune systems are at a higher risk of developing acute bronchitis. Those include young children, the elderly, and people with certain chronic medical conditions. Their immune systems may not be able to fight off infections as effectively as they should, which leaves them more vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections along with other factors that can trigger bronchitis.
How Is Acute Bronchitis Treated?
There are several potential treatments for acute bronchitis. If it’s viral, you may simply need to treat the symptoms. Expectorants can thin the mucus and make it easier to cough up. That’ll go a long way toward easing the breathing difficulties. Guaifenesin is a common and highly effective ingredient in over-the-counter expectorants. Consider avoiding cough suppressants. They reduce the urge to cough. When your lungs are full of congestion, you need to cough to get rid of it.
Many people find that warm, moist air helps with the breathing difficulties that come with bronchitis. Taking hot showers or using humidifiers may soothe irritation in your airways. Bronchodilators are also available. Most of them are only available with a prescription, but Primatene mist inhalers are available over the counter. This brand also has pills that contain guaifenesin as well as a bronchodilator to open up the airways.
For bacterial bronchitis, you’re likely to need an antibiotic to help clear up the infection. You can still use expectorant and/or bronchodilator along with the antibiotics to make the chest congestion easier to expel. With either type of acute bronchitis, it’s best to avoid respiratory irritants as much as possible until the infection heals. The more you’re exposed to its triggers, the longer it’ll take to clear up. It’s important to stay hydrated as well. That’ll keep your airways moist and help thin your chest congestion.
When to Seek Medical Care for Acute Bronchitis
You can usually manage acute bronchitis at home. Still, there are times when you should seek medical attention for it. That’s the case if your chest congestion lasts for more than three weeks, gets worse over time, or you can’t cough it up. If your breathing difficulties are severe or accompanied by a fever, significant chest pain, or blood in the mucus you’re coughing up, it’s best not to try to wait it out and see if it improves on its own.
Dealing With Acute Bronchitis
Coughs can be frustrating and uncomfortable, especially if they last a long time and come with chest congestion. Fortunately, acute bronchitis is temporary, and it’s not serious. Managing the symptoms can make you feel better. The condition usually starts to clear up on its own within a couple of weeks, but you may continue to cough up mucus for a few weeks after the fact. If your symptoms are still persistent after three weeks or accompanied by the serious issues mentioned above, you may need professional intervention.
