At a glance:
- Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the major airways into your lungs
- Depending on the duration of symptoms, bronchitis may be classified as either acute or chronic
- Common symptoms include a productive cough, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest
- Acute bronchitis typically lasts around a week to 10 days and is mostly caused by infection
- Viral infection accounts for around 85% to 95% of all cases of acute bronchitis
- Chronic bronchitis is bronchitis with symptoms lasting for three months or longer over two or more consecutive years
- The most common cause of chronic bronchitis is tobacco smoking
- Acute bronchitis may be treated with rest and medication
- Chronic bronchitis is an incurable, progressive condition, the symptoms of which may be controlled with medication and therapy
- Chronic bronchitis falls under the umbrella of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
What is Bronchitis?
Air is delivered to the lungs through a series of increasingly small tubes. Ai first passes through the trachea, which then splits into two bronchial tubes. Each of these tubes services one lobe of the lungs and continues to split into smaller and smaller tubes until they terminate in tiny air sacs known as alveoli.
Bronchitis is the inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes. This inflammation may lead to the production of mucus (phlegm), shortness of breath and possible fever. Depending on how long the inflammation has lasted, bronchitis is classified as being acute or chronic.
Acute bronchitis is very common with symptoms typically lasting around a week to 10 days, though the cough may remain for some time after the other symptoms have cleared. Although all people are susceptible to acute bronchitis, some groups are more at risk, including the elderly, young children, people with compromised immune systems and people with other pulmonary conditions, such as asthma or chronic bronchitis.
If the symptoms of bronchitis last for months and recur regularly, it may be diagnosed as chronic bronchitis. For a cough and mucus production to be diagnosed as chronic bronchitis, a person must have had a cough and mucus production for a period of at least three months over two or more consecutive years. Other causes of cough and mucus production must also be excluded.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a complex of related respiratory diseases, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD (including chronic bronchitis) is a common condition in Australia and is considered the third most common cause of hospital admission, disability and death after heart disease and stroke.
If you’ve developed a cough and shortness of breath, or just need help quitting smoking, schedule an appointment with a doctor and take care of your lungs.
Symptoms of Bronchitis
People suffering acute or chronic bronchitis will typically experience a number of symptoms, including:
Symptoms of acute bronchitis may also include those common to cold or influenza, such as muscle and joint aches and headaches . Most symptoms of acute bronchitis are typically short lasting and should be gone in around a week. The cough may last longer.
Chronic bronchitis is mainly typified by an ongoing productive cough and shortness of breath. There may be times when these symptoms become worse or the person experiences other symptoms. Typically this is due to a person contracting acute infection on top of their chronic bronchitis.
As chronic bronchitis progresses the symptoms typically worsen, with the airways becoming more restricted. This is due to abnormal cell growth and the hardening of the walls of the bronchial tubes (fibrosis). Severe restriction in airflow may lead to cyanosis - a bluish tinge to the skin and lips due to insufficient oxygen in the blood.
Severe chronic bronchitis may lead to a number of complications, including pneumothorax (punctured lung), heart failure or respiratory failure.
There are few complications associated with acute bronchitis. In some cases it may lead to pneumonia , but most cases of acute bronchitis will clear up in a short time with rest and appropriate treatment. As the most common cause of acute bronchitis is viral, it is possible to infect other people so precautions should be taken.
Chronic bronchitis is not infectious as it is the result of ongoing inflammation rather than an infection.
If you have a cough and can’t or don’t want to leave the comfort of home, the Virtual Respiratory Clinic is here for you.
What Causes Bronchitis?
The most common cause of acute bronchitis is infection, with viral infections accounting for around 85% to 95% of all cases of acute bronchitis. Bacterial infection may also cause acute bronchitis and may develop after or as a complication of viral bronchitis. Inhaling irritants such as smoke, chemical fumes or airborne pollution may also cause inflammation of the bronchi and acute bronchitis.
While chronic bronchitis may be caused by environmental factors, such as exposure to chemical fumes, pollutants and other irritants, the most common cause for the condition is tobacco smoking. Smokers are between four and 10 times more likely than non-smokers to develop chronic bronchitis, with the risk of mortality increasing with the heaviness of the habit.
A person who smokes 30 cigarettes a day is around 20 times more likely to die due to chronic bronchitis/COPD than a non-smoker.
Treatment for Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is typically treated with hydration and rest. If the cause of the infection is bacterial, antibiotics may be prescribed but there are no other medications commonly prescribed. An inhaler may be recommended to help alleviate shortness of breath in some cases. Cough medicine may help give some relief from symptoms allowing for sleep.
While there is no definitive way to avoid contracting acute bronchitis, keeping fit, getting plenty of rest, eating a healthy diet and making sure you are up to date with vaccinations can help reduce the risk of contracting infections.
Quitting smoking is the most important thing a person can do to slow the progression of chronic bronchitis and extend their lifespan. Other than quitting smoking, treatment for chronic bronchitis may involve medication, respiratory therapy and oxygen.
- Medication - people suffering chronic bronchitis may be prescribed bronchodilators (such as Ventolin) to help open up their airways. They may also be prescribed inhaled corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation in the lining of their bronchial tubes. Mucolytics - drugs that make mucus thinner and easier to expel - may also be used to help clear the airways.
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation - doctors will typically enrol someone with chronic bronchitis in a pulmonary rehabilitation course to help them relieve symptoms, build a tolerance to exercise and increase their quality of life. Specialised chest physiotherapy may also be used to help a patient loosen and expel mucus.
- Oxygen Therapy - people with severe or late stage chronic bronchitis may need supplemental oxygen to maintain a healthy blood oxygen level. People using oxygen typically have to use it for long periods of time every day. Research has shown that oxygen therapy can markedly increase the life expectancy of someone suffering chronic bronchitis/COPD so long as they have also quit smoking.
- Vaccinations - it’s important that people with chronic bronchitis stay up to date with vaccinations as their damaged bronchial tubes are susceptible to infection. This is especially true for COVID-19 vaccination, as those with compromised lungs are at far greater risk of severe infection or negative outcome than those with healthy lungs.