How many days of IV treatment are required for acute bronchitis?

Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
Updated on December 28, 2024
00:00
00:00

Acute bronchitis is mostly caused by viral infections, and there is generally no specific medication for it. Therefore, patients with acute bronchitis usually do not need IV therapy. However, if a patient with acute bronchitis also has significant gastrointestinal symptoms, poor appetite, or even drinks less water, IV therapy is needed. The purpose of IV therapy is not to treat the virus but to hydrate the patient and prevent dehydration. Of course, when a patient with acute bronchitis has purulent sputum, it indicates a bacterial infection. In this case, IV therapy can be considered. The usual treatment duration for acute bacterial bronchitis is 5-7 days, but this must also take into account the patient's specific conditions and results of tests like the complete blood count, and cannot be generalized.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
56sec home-news-image

Is acute bronchitis curable?

Acute bronchitis is a relatively common clinical condition. Patients often experience symptoms such as coughing and expectoration. Some may have chest tightness, shortness of breath, blood in sputum, and fever. Generally, after contracting acute bronchitis, it is important to rest, stay hydrated, avoid fatigue, and avoid getting chilled. Regarding medications, if there is a cough without sputum, cough suppressants can be used. If there is excessive sputum, expectorants should be used. For chest tightness and shortness of breath, asthma medication is needed, and antipyretic analgesics are used for fever to relieve symptoms. Additionally, if there is evidence of bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment should be used under the guidance of a physician and not purchased privately. Generally, with the aforementioned treatments, most patients can be cured with a good prognosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
32sec home-news-image

Acute Bronchitis Clinical Symptoms

Acute bronchitis is a relatively common disease. The common symptoms include coughing and expectoration. Typically, it begins with a dry cough, or with a small amount of mucous sputum, which gradually turns into mucopurulent or purulent sputum, and the amount of sputum gradually increases. The coughing may worsen, and occasionally, the sputum may be tinged with blood. Some patients may also experience fever and wheezing. Generally, coughing and expectoration can last for two to three weeks.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
41sec home-news-image

How to treat acute bronchitis in children

There are two methods for treating bronchitis in children. One is general treatment, which includes drinking more water, maintaining an appropriate indoor temperature and humidity, and measuring body temperature to treat fever symptoms as necessary. The second method involves using antimicrobial drugs to kill the pathogens, which commonly include bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma, or other pathogens. This approach requires selecting medication based on the infecting pathogen, conducting drug sensitivity tests to choose the appropriate antimicrobial treatment, following the treatment course precisely, and conducting regular follow-ups to prevent complications.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
44sec home-news-image

How long does it take for an infusion for acute bronchitis?

The duration of infusion therapy for bronchitis should be determined based on the pathogen causing the infection, the patient's constitution, and specific symptoms; generally, there is no fixed time frame. In normal cases, if immunity is normal, acute bronchitis can be treated with infusion therapy for about seven to ten days, and patients with mild symptoms can fully recover in three to five days. If the patient is frail, has low immunity, or if the medication is not effective against the pathogen, the course of the disease may be longer, requiring up to half a month or even more than twenty days. The specific duration should be decided based on clinical symptoms and the pathogen involved.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
37sec home-news-image

How to stop coughing in acute bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa caused by various pathogenic factors, with coughing being one of the common symptoms of acute bronchitis. So, how can patients stop coughing when they have acute bronchitis? If the cough is dry or there is little phlegm, antitussive and cough suppressant medications can be used. If the cough produces phlegm that is hard to expel, medications that thin the mucus should be chosen. Treatment can be administered orally or through nebulization. Additionally, drinking more water and having a lighter diet can also help suppress the cough.