What are the symptoms of bronchitis?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Bronchitis is a common clinical disease, which can generally be divided into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis in clinical practice. Acute bronchitis often has a sudden onset, with symptoms such as coughing and expectoration; some people may also experience fever, chest tightness, and wheezing. Typically, the course of the disease lasts two to three weeks. Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, has a longer duration, with a more gradual onset and symptoms of recurrent coughing and expectoration, and even chest tightness. The annual duration of the disease is more than three months, with a typical onset lasting over two years, making it very long and difficult to control.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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Does bronchitis cause a fever?

Bronchitis, a condition that can cause symptoms of fever if it is acute inflammation. During the acute phase of inflammation, the pathogens in the body stimulate the body's temperature regulation center, leading to chills and fever. Clinically, there may also be an acute facial expression, accompanied by complications such as difficulty breathing and cyanosis of the lips. If it is chronic bronchitis, fever symptoms generally do not occur, with the main symptoms being cough, sputum production, and difficulty breathing. Diagnosis requires combination with laboratory test results, and treatment measures and plans should be taken according to the cause of the disease.

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Daily care for children's bronchitis

For children with bronchitis, it is essential to keep warm and avoid exposure to cold and wind, especially from cold air, which can reduce the local resistance of the bronchial mucosa and exacerbate the condition of bronchitis. It is also important to monitor the child's body temperature, maintaining it above 36.5 degrees Celsius, drink plenty of water, and promote metabolism to enhance the body's immunity. Additionally, attention should be paid to the diet, which should primarily consist of liquid or semi-liquid foods. It is also appropriate to drink some sugar water or light salt water. It is important to increase dietary nutrition by consuming light, fully nutritious, balanced, and easily digestible liquid or semi-liquid foods such as porridge, egg custard, soft noodles, fresh vegetables, and fruit juices. Furthermore, it is crucial to maintain the child's respiratory passages clear, focus on expectoration, and ensure regular ventilation in the room to keep the air fresh and flowing, with appropriate temperature and humidity levels.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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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 Hu Bai Yu
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How to treat bronchitis in children?

For pediatric bronchitis, it is primarily important to determine the cause of the infection in the child and to treat the disease based on its cause. Choose corresponding sensitive antibiotics or antimicrobial drugs for treatment. If coughing and expectoration are severe, it may be necessary to use some antitussive and expectorant drugs. Moreover, if the child shows signs of wheezing or obvious suffocation, nebulized inhalation can be used for treatment to relieve symptoms. It is generally advisable to be cautious; if the baby shows signs of breathing difficulty, it is best to take the baby to the hospital for a chest X-ray. Typically, this will only reveal a coarse lung texture, but if the pathogen causing bronchitis in children is complex, then combined medication may be required for treatment.

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Written by Han Shun Li
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Can bronchitis be cured?

This still depends on the specific situation. If it is acute bronchitis, in most cases, the recovery is usually good after treatment and it can generally be cured. However, in some individual cases, such as elderly and frail patients or those who have not received timely treatment, symptoms may persist and develop into chronic bronchitis. If it is chronic bronchitis, treatment is relatively difficult and it's hard to completely cure. Patients often suffer from the condition every year, with episodes lasting more than three months, affecting the quality of their daily life.