Bronchitis can you smoke

Most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by a virus. The infection needs to run its course. It almost always goes away on its own. Home treatment focuses on easing the symptoms:.

There are some over-the-counter cough medicines that help break up or loosen mucus. Do not hold in a cough that brings up mucus. This type of cough helps clear mucus from your bronchial tubes. If you smoke, you should quit. It will help your bronchial tubes heal faster.

Some people who have acute bronchitis need inhaled medicine. You might need this if you are wheezing. It can help open your bronchial tubes and clear out mucus. You usually take it with an inhaler. An inhaler sprays medicine right into your bronchial tubes. Your doctor will decide if this treatment is right for you. If your doctor thinks bacteria have caused your acute bronchitis, he or she may give you antibiotics. Most cases of acute bronchitis go away on their own in 7 to 10 days.

You should call your doctor if:. The risk of developing complications from acute bronchitis, such as pneumonia, is greater in some people. These include:. American Lung Association: Acute Bronchitis. This article was contributed by: familydoctor. This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone.

Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject. Chronic bronchitis is bronchitis that…. Over-the-counter cough suppressants can be used to treat some coughs that are interfering with your sleep or activities, but…. Visit The Symptom Checker. People who have chronic bronchitis go through periods when symptoms become much worse than usual. During these times, they also may have acute viral or bacterial bronchitis.

Elderly people, infants, and young children are at higher risk for acute bronchitis than people in other age groups. People of all ages can develop chronic bronchitis, but it occurs more often in people who are older than Also, many adults who develop chronic bronchitis are smokers.

Women are more than twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. Smoking and having an existing lung disease greatly increase your risk for bronchitis. Contact with dust, chemical fumes, and vapors from certain jobs also increases your risk for the condition.

Examples include jobs in coal mining, textile manufacturing, grain handling, and livestock farming. Air pollution, infections, and allergies can worsen the symptoms of chronic bronchitis, especially if you smoke. Acute bronchitis caused by an infection usually develops after you already have a cold or the flu. Symptoms of a cold or the flu include sore throat, fatigue tiredness , fever, body aches, stuffy or runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The main symptom of acute bronchitis is a persistent cough , which may last 10 to 20 days. The cough may produce clear mucus a slimy substance. If the mucus is yellow or green, you may have a bacterial infection as well. Even after the infection clears up, you may still have a dry cough for days or weeks. Other symptoms of acute bronchitis include wheezing a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe , low fever, and chest tightness or pain.

If your acute bronchitis is severe, you also may have shortness of breath, especially with physical activity. The signs and symptoms of chronic bronchitis include coughing, wheezing, and chest discomfort. The coughing may produce large amounts of mucus. This type of cough often is called a smoker's cough. Your doctor usually will diagnose bronchitis based on your signs and symptoms. He or she may ask questions about your cough , such as how long you've had it, what you're coughing up, and how much you cough.

Your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for wheezing a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe or other abnormal sounds in your lungs. He or she also may:. The main goals of treating acute and chronic bronchitis are to relieve symptoms and make breathing easier. If you have acute bronchitis, your doctor may recommend rest, plenty of fluids, and aspirin for adults or acetaminophen to treat fever. Antibiotics usually aren't prescribed for acute bronchitis.

This is because they don't work against viruses—the most common cause of acute bronchitis. However, if your doctor thinks you have a bacterial infection, he or she may prescribe antibiotics. A humidifier or steam can help loosen mucus and relieve wheezing and limited air flow.

If your bronchitis causes wheezing, you may need an inhaled medicine to open your airways. You take this medicine using an inhaler. A GP will only prescribe antibiotics if you have an increased risk of developing complications, such as pneumonia. If you're prescribed antibiotics for bronchitis, it's likely to be a 5-day course of amoxicillin or doxycycline.

It happens when the infection spreads further into the lungs, causing the tiny air sacs inside the lungs to fill up with fluid. Mild pneumonia can usually be treated with antibiotics at home. More severe cases may require admission to hospital. Page last reviewed: 07 August Next review due: 07 August The main airways branch off on either side of your windpipe trachea.

They lead to smaller and smaller airways inside your lungs called bronchioles. Your body tries to shift this extra mucus through coughing. Bronchitis can be described as being either acute bronchitis or chronic bronchitis. It can affect people of all ages, but mostly happens in children under the age of 5. It mostly affects adults over the age of It's important that you stop smoking if you have bronchitis. Information: Coronavirus advice If you have bronchitis and you're worried about coronavirus, you can get advice about coronavirus and bronchitis from the British Lung Foundation.

This will help limit the damage to your bronchial tree. You will heal faster if you are not smoking. You should also avoid breathing fumes or chemicals that can damage your lungs, such as smoke or industrial fumes. Sometimes the cough from acute bronchitis lasts for several weeks. The cough can even drag on for months. Usually this happens because the bronchial tubes are taking a long time to heal.

However, the cough may also be a sign of other problems. Acute bronchitis can be confused with asthma. If you continue to wheeze and cough, especially at night or when you are active, you could have mild asthma.

If your cough and wheezing problems drag on, your doctor may want you to take some breathing tests to check for asthma. Pneumonia and acute bronchitis can sometimes cause similar symptoms. If you have a high fever, feel very sick and weak, and continue to cough, you should call your doctor. You may need to have a chest x-ray to check for pneumonia.

Bronchitis can also be caused by acid coming up from the stomach and dripping into the lungs when you sleep. If your cough continues and you sometimes have a bad-tasting fluid come up into your mouth, you should see your doctor.

Medicines can reduce the acid in your stomach, which may help your cough go away. If your cough lasts more than one month or if you keep having a fever, you should see your doctor. You should also see your doctor if you cough up blood. If you have trouble breathing only when you lie down, or if your feet swell, you need to see your doctor. The best defense against acute bronchitis is not to smoke.

Smoking damages the bronchial tree and makes it easier for viruses to cause infection. Smoking also slows down the healing time, so that it takes longer to get well. Already a member or subscriber?