Can you exercise with acute bronchitis?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on December 06, 2024
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Common symptoms of acute bronchitis include coughing and expectoration. Some patients may experience chest tightness and shortness of breath. It is generally advised to rest during the illness period, as exercise is not recommended. Exercise increases lung capacity and the volume of air entering and leaving the airways, which can directly stimulate the respiratory tract, leading to worsened symptoms such as coughing and chest tightness. Additionally, after physical activity, the consumption of oxygen increases, which may lead to breathing through the mouth. This means the air bypasses the nasal cavity's filtering and warming, directly irritating the respiratory tract and exacerbating the symptoms of acute bronchitis. Therefore, it is advised to rest and avoid exercise, especially high-intensity activities, during an episode of acute bronchitis.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Is acute bronchitis prone to recurrence?

Acute bronchitis is often due to the patient's low immune function, accidental exposure to cold or getting rained on, leading to an acute onset of bronchitis, causing clinical symptoms like fever, cough, sputum production, dyspnea, and wheezing. In clinical practice, acute bronchitis generally heals within about a week after timely and effective anti-infective treatment, cough suppression, expectoration facilitation, and asthma relief. Bronchitis is divided into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis. Acute bronchitis, generally after effective symptomatic treatment such as anti-infection, is not likely to recur frequently if the patient has a relatively good immune function.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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Is acute bronchitis pneumonia?

The bronchi are the organs through which air enters and exits the lungs. The bronchi and lungs are two separate organs, so inflammation occurring in the bronchi is not the same as inflammation occurring in the lungs. Thus, acute bronchitis is not pneumonia, but both conditions can exhibit similar symptoms, such as fever, coughing, and expectoration. So how do we differentiate between acute bronchitis and pneumonia? Clinically, when such symptoms appear, doctors usually recommend a lung X-ray. If the lung X-ray appears normal, or there is only an increase or thickening of lung markings, the doctor will diagnose acute bronchitis. If the lung X-ray shows imaging signs of inflammatory exudation or shadows, then the doctor will diagnose pneumonia.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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What to do about vomiting with acute bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis is often seen in patients with weakened immune systems, or who accidentally catch cold. It frequently occurs in infants and young children who generally have lower immune functions. The invasion of pathogens into the respiratory tract can lead to various symptoms including fever, cough, phlegm, and breathing difficulties. During the acute phase of bronchitis, intense coughing due to the vigorous nature of the cough can increase gastric pressure. Therefore, sometimes after eating, patients may experience vomiting in conjunction with severe coughing. At this time, prompt treatment with anti-infection measures, cough suppression, and expectorants can naturally lead to improvement in vomiting.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can you not exercise with acute bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis has a relatively rapid onset and occurs fairly frequently. It typically causes clinical symptoms such as fever, cough, sputum, shortness of breath, and wheezing. During an acute episode of bronchitis with fever, it is generally not advisable to engage in strenuous exercise, as the body’s ability to dissipate heat is already compromised due to the fever. Continuing to exercise might lead to a rapid increase in body temperature because intense physical activity enhances heat production while the cooling functions are relatively diminished. Therefore, it is not recommended to exercise during the feverish phase of acute bronchitis. Exercise can be considered when the body temperature returns to normal and other clinical symptoms have significantly improved.

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Written by Liu Jing Jing
Pulmonology
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Can acute bronchitis cause coughing up blood?

Acute bronchitis can potentially lead to coughing up blood. This is because acute bronchitis involves the infection of the bronchi by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and mycoplasma, leading to congestion and swelling of the airway mucosa. Patients often exhibit symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, and fever. If coughing is severe, it could rupture small blood vessels, causing symptoms of coughing up blood. If blood is present in the cough, hemostatic treatment is needed. However, not all instances of coughing up blood are due to acute bronchitis. Other possible causes of coughing up blood include lung tumors, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and pulmonary embolism. Therefore, if symptoms of coughing up blood occur, chest X-rays or a chest CT scan should be conducted to confirm the diagnosis.