How to treat acute bronchitis?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on January 20, 2025
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Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchi caused by various pathogenic factors and is relatively common in clinical practice. Symptoms mainly include coughing, production of sputum, and some patients may experience chest tightness, shortness of breath, fever, and blood in the sputum.

For initial instances of acute bronchitis, it is important to first ensure rest, increase fluid intake, avoid fatigue, and avoid exposure to cold. Secondly, symptomatic treatment should be considered; cough suppressants can be used for coughs that are dry or produce little sputum, and expectorants should be used when the cough produces sputum that is difficult to expel.

If there is chest tightness and wheezing, asthma medications should be chosen. If fever is present, antipyretic and analgesic medications should be used for symptomatic treatment.

Thirdly, the use of antibiotics is appropriate only when there is evidence of bacterial infection; otherwise, it is best to avoid them. Treatment with antibiotics should be under a doctor's guidance, and self-medication should be avoided. With the above treatments, acute bronchitis can generally be controlled, but a minority of patients with weaker constitutions may develop chronic conditions.

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Written by Liu Jing Jing
Pulmonology
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Does acute bronchitis produce phlegm?

Acute bronchitis is characterized by the presence of phlegm and is caused by pathogen infections such as viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, and chlamydia. These infections lead to congestion and edema in the airway mucosa. During this process, goblet cells proliferate, and mucus glands increase their secretion leading to an increase in phlegm. The excess phlegm can encapsulate pathogens and dust particles, which are then expelled from the body through the movement of cilia, a normal defensive response of the body. As the airway inflammation gradually improves, the amount of phlegm tends to decrease. If the phlegm is particularly viscous, treatment may include the use of medications that thin the phlegm to aid its expulsion.

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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 Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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What medicine is good for acute bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa, often caused by pathogenic microbial infections, as well as physical and chemical factors and allergic factors. Patients experience symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, fever, and wheezing. Generally, acute bronchitis does not require intravenous fluid treatment. It can be cured within two to three weeks through oral medication, such as oral anti-inflammatory drugs and oral cough suppressants and asthma relievers. However, in some cases, such as when symptoms are relatively severe, there is a bacterial infection, and oral medication is difficult, intravenous antibiotics can be considered for treatment.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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Can you smoke with acute bronchitis?

It can be definitively said that smoking is prohibited for those suffering from acute bronchitis. Common symptoms of acute bronchitis include coughing and expectoration, and some patients may experience chest tightness and wheezing. Smoking can trigger or exacerbate these symptoms. Firstly, the smoke and heat from smoking can directly damage the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract, triggering or worsening symptoms such as coughing and asthma. Additionally, the harmful substances in smoke can also irritate and damage the respiratory tract mucous membranes, exacerbating these symptoms. Therefore, patients with acute bronchitis should quit smoking.