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Acute bronchitis is the inflammation and infection of the lower respiratory tract. For it to be acute, the condition typically lasts for less than three weeks. Acute bronchitis can be due to viral or bacterial etiologies. It can even be caused by a combination of both if you end up with a case of secondary bronchitis infection. About 90% of acute bronchitis infections cases are viral, which come from many viruses such as the adenovirus, rhinovirus, influenza virus, and coronavirus. The most common symptom of bronchitis is a cough. With acute bronchitis, the cough will start out dry and hacking. After a few days, the cough will begin to produce sputum. Sputum is a type of loose mucus that can be clear, white, yellowish, and green colored. Sometimes, if the cough is harsh enough, it may be blood-tinged. Although cough is the primary symptom of bronchitis, it can be a symptom of many other diseases as well such as pneumonia, asthma, or cancer. If this is your only symptom, look for other symptoms as well to pinpoint exactly which condition you have. There will likely be runny nose or nasal congestion, at least to some degree. You may run a slight fever and have chills with acute bronchitis. There may be wheezing, especially at night, or shortness of breath. This wheezing and coughing can also cause chest discomfort. There may also be some pain associated with very strong coughing fits, which can cause the muscles between the ribs to become sore. It is possible to break or fracture a rib from strong coughing. If your fever is exceptionally high, you may have another condition such as pneumonia because a high fever is not common with bronchitis. There are no tests known or commonly performed to diagnose acute bronchitis. Especially in the early stages of the condition, acute bronchitis looks a lot like the common cold. In order to get diagnosed with acute bronchitis, your doctor will run a series of tests that will rule out other conditions that present with similar symptoms to bronchitis. The doctor will first perform a physical exam where he or she checks your ears, nose, throat, and temperature. He or she will also listen to your lungs with a stethoscope to listen for lung congestion. The doctor may also order a sputum test. He or she will take a sample of your sputum and test it for viruses and bacteria such as whooping cough. The sputum can also be tested to see if you have allergies that is causing the cough. Your doctor may also do a pulmonary function test, where you blow into a device called a spirometer. This device tests how much air your lungs can hold and how quickly you can expel air from them. This will help rule out asthma and emphysema. If you have an elevated fever or other signs or symptoms suggestive of pneumonia, the doctor might give you a chest X-ray to rule it out. Most bronchitis is viral, which means that antibiotics do not help. If this is the case, your doctor might suggest the simple treatment of rest, lots of fluids, and fever-reducing over-the-counter medication. He or she may also suggest the use of a humidifier to help loosen mucus and help coughing, a burst of oral steroids or an inhaler for three to five days if there is significant wheezing, and, rarely, cough medicine. If your doctor suspects that your bronchitis may be bacterial, he or she may prescribe you antibiotics. Since most acute bronchitis is viral, this likely won't be the case. However, there has been an increase in antibiotic prescription for bronchitis in recent years, despite this fact. Acute bronchitis is not diagnosed until a child turns two years old. If you have a child younger than that who presents symptoms similar to acute bronchitis, she likely has bronchiolitis, which is a conditions caused by respiratory syncytial l virus or other viruses. It is associated with a higher mortality and morbidity rate in small children due to their low immunity. This condition presents with a cough that sounds congested that is usually without sputum production, since infants typically won't give you sputum. I can also be accompanied by a high fever and wheezing or trouble breathing. RSV bronchiolitis can turn into pneumonia and occurs most often in children under one year. It occurs more often in premature infants. To test for RSV bronchiolitis, there is a quick and easy test available in most emergency rooms that test nasal secretions from the child for the virus. Children with bronchiolitis are sometimes admitted to the hospital for close observation and supportive care with breathing treatments to open the airways, suctioning, fluids if they aren't drinking well, supplemental oxygen, and antibiotics if they have a bacterial infection.
Inform yourself about acute bronchitis. Look for a cough. Watch out for other common symptoms. See your doctor for diagnosis. Get treatment for acute bronchitis. Be aware of infant bronchitis.