Symptoms of bronchitis

Written by Li Tao
Pulmonology
Updated on September 16, 2024
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Bronchitis refers to an inflammatory lesion of the bronchial mucosa caused by biological, physical, chemical stimuli, or allergies, among other factors. Bronchitis generally occurs sporadically without epidemic tendencies. It is more common in elderly and frail patients. The primary clinical symptoms include coughing and expectoration, often occurring in cold seasons or when there are significant changes in temperature. Clinically, bronchitis can present with fever in some patients. Initially, there may be a dry cough or a small amount of sputum, which can increase in volume over time. Some patients may experience worsening coughs occasionally accompanied by bloody sputum. The cough can persist for two to three weeks. If it persists, it can develop into chronic bronchitis or pneumonia, which should be taken seriously.

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Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
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What should I do if my baby has bronchitis?

Bronchiolitis in babies is an inflammation, which may be caused by infections such as bacteria, viruses, or mycoplasma. The primary treatment is anti-infection, for which antibiotics like oral cephalosporins or penicillin can be chosen for the treatment. Additionally, treatment includes expectorants and cough suppressants, where one or two types of traditional Chinese or Western medicine can be used orally. If the coughing is frequent, nebulized inhalation can be administered to achieve local anti-inflammatory, expectorant, and cough suppressant effects. While treating, it's important to observe the effects and administer intravenous infusions if necessary.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Does bronchitis cause asthma?

Bronchitis can be classified into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis based on the onset and progression of the condition. Acute bronchitis usually begins suddenly, with generally mild systemic symptoms. It can include fever and is mostly characterized by a dry cough or a small amount of mucous sputum. Over time, the amount of sputum may increase and the coughing may intensify, occasionally accompanied by blood-streaked sputum. There is generally no significant hemoptysis or chest pain. The duration of cough and expectoration can be quite long, potentially lasting two to three weeks. A small portion of patients may experience prolonged symptoms, eventually progressing to chronic bronchitis. The most common symptoms of chronic bronchitis are also cough and expectoration, but these symptoms last much longer, typically persisting for more than two years and occurring for three months each year. A small number of bronchitis patients may experience bronchial spasms or bronchial asthma, leading to varying degrees of chest tightness, shortness of breath, or wheezing.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How is bronchitis treated?

In clinical settings, bronchitis is treated in two main ways. The first approach includes general and symptomatic treatment. The second and most crucial approach is the use of sensitive antimicrobial drugs to kill the pathogens and provide anti-inflammatory treatment. Increased water intake and the use of antipyretic analgesic drugs for fever symptoms are recommended. It is necessary to identify whether the infection is bacterial, viral, or mycoplasmal, and to use sensitive antimicrobial drugs to kill the pathogens. Once the inflammation subsides, the symptoms caused by bronchitis will gradually diminish and fade away.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
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Symptoms of bronchitis in children

Pediatric bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial mucosa caused by various pathogens. Clinical presentations commonly begin with symptoms of upper respiratory infection such as nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, or low-grade fever, followed by coughing as the main symptom. Initially, the cough is dry, later accompanied by phlegm. Symptoms can be more severe in infants and young children, often including fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, generally without systemic symptoms. Auscultation of the lungs reveals coarse breath sounds, with fixed and scattered dry rales, and medium to coarse moist rales. Infants and young children often have difficulty expelling phlegm, which may be audible in the throat and lungs as a rattling sound. If the infant or young child has wheezing bronchitis accompanied by eczema, or other allergic histories, they may develop pronounced symptoms of difficulty breathing, and may even progress to asthma.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
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Can you drink alcohol with tracheitis and bronchitis?

Tracheitis and bronchitis are relatively common in clinical settings, typically categorized as lower respiratory tract infectious diseases. There are many inducing factors, so regardless of the type of tracheitis or its causes, patients generally experience symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, shortness of breath, wheezing, and even difficulty in breathing. Patients with these conditions should not drink alcohol and must avoid smoking. Alcohol, being a spicy and stimulating substance, can exacerbate clinical symptoms and hinder the inflammation control in patients with tracheitis and bronchitis, thus drinking is not advisable.