Is acute bronchitis prone to recurrence?

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on February 20, 2025
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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 asthma?

Acute bronchitis and bronchial asthma, although both are bronchial disorders, are not the same disease; acute bronchitis is not asthma. Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa caused by various pathogenic factors, with common symptoms being fever, cough, and expectoration. Some patients may also experience chest tightness and wheezing. Treatment primarily involves antibiotics and cough suppressants with expectorants. Asthma, on the other hand, is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways, high reactivity, and widespread variable reversible airflow limitation, with clinical manifestations mainly including recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or coughing. Treatment primarily involves bronchodilators such as theophylline, receptor agonists, and anti-inflammatory medications represented by corticosteroids, thus the treatments also differ.

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

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 Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Is acute bronchitis contagious?

Acute bronchitis is somewhat contagious, mostly caused by viruses, bacteria, mycoplasma, or staphylococci due to inflammatory irritation. It can spread through respiratory secretions and expelled air containing pathogens. If a healthy person comes into contact with these pathogens, they may get infected. Therefore, acute bronchitis can be contagious. It is advisable to promptly disinfect indoor air, drink plenty of water, rest adequately, select sensitive antimicrobial drugs to kill the pathogens, and treat symptoms accordingly.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Can acute bronchitis cause a fever?

Acute bronchitis can cause fever. In such cases, there is no need for excessive worry, as fever is a common symptom of acute bronchitis. It is advised to actively manage the fever. If the body temperature exceeds 38.5°C, take antipyretic medication; otherwise, use physical methods to reduce fever, such as wiping the patient's limbs and back with a warm towel to cool down; you can also apply fever cooling patches, or take some antipyretic medication to treat and alleviate symptoms; applying a cold towel to the forehead can also achieve the purpose of cooling. Additionally, let the patient rest more, avoid excessive fatigue, drink more water to enhance excretion, and improve their own resistance. At the same time, follow a doctor’s guidance to actively treat the symptoms. As the onset of acute bronchitis is often sudden, it is advised to address the symptoms appropriately.

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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.