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McKesson Clinical Reference Systems: Women's Health Advisor 2002.2
Illustration
Acute Bronchitis
What is acute bronchitis?
Bronchitis is swelling and irritation in the air passages
that connect the windpipe with the lungs. With acute
bronchitis you usually have a cough that produces phlegm,
and pain behind the breastbone when you breathe deeply or
cough.
How does it occur?
Bronchitis often occurs with viral infections of the
respiratory tract, such as colds and flu. Bacterial
infections may also cause acute bronchitis. It may occur
with childhood illnesses such as measles and whooping
cough.
Attacks are most frequent during the winter and when air
pollution is high.
Infants, young children, the elderly, smokers, and people
with lung and heart diseases are most likely to get acute
bronchitis.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms may include:
- a deep cough that produces yellowish or greenish phlegm
- pain behind the breastbone when you breathe deeply or
cough
- wheezing
- feeling short of breath
- fever
- chills
- headache
- sore muscles.
How is it diagnosed?
Your health care provider will examine you and ask about
your symptoms. You may have tests, such as:
- a test of phlegm to look for bacteria
- chest x-ray
- blood tests.
How is it treated?
Acute bronchitis often does not require medical treatment.
Resting at home and drinking plenty of fluids to keep the
mucus loose may be all you need to do to get better in a few
days. If your symptoms are severe or you have other health
problems (such as heart or lung disease or diabetes), you
may need to take antibiotics.
How long will the effects last?
Most of the time acute bronchitis clears up in a few days.
Your cough may slowly get better in 1 to 2 weeks.
It may take you longer to recover if:
- You are a smoker.
- You live in an area where air pollution is a problem.
- You have a heart or lung disease.
- You have any other continuing health problems.
How can I take care of myself?
You can help yourself by:
- following the full treatment your health care provider
recommends
- using a vaporizer, humidifier, or steam from hot water to
add moisture to the air
- drinking plenty of liquids
- taking cough medicine if recommended by your health care
provider
- resting in bed
- taking aspirin or acetaminophen to reduce fever and
relieve headache and muscle pain (no one under age 21
should take aspirin because of the risk of Reye's
syndrome)
- eating healthy meals.
Call your health care provider if:
- You have trouble breathing.
- You have a fever over 101°F (38.3°C).
- You cough up blood.
- You don't feel better in 3 days.
- You have any symptoms that concern you.
How can I help prevent acute bronchitis?
To reduce your risk of getting a respiratory infection:
- Do not smoke.
- Wash your hands often.
- Get regular exercise.
- Eat healthy foods.
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