Bronchitis Health Video

If your chest starts to feel sore and you develop a cough followed by the chills or a slight fever, you just might have bronchitis. Bronchitis is a condition that occurs when the inner walls that line the main air passageways of your lungs become infected and inflamed. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of bronchitis in this video.

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Contact a doctor if you cough blood
If you have a recurring cough, see your doctor
Do not smoke
Simple hygiene goes a long way to preventing infection

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP: Hello. My name is Dr. Susan McGladerry. I'm the medical director from the FirstMed Centers in Budapest, Hungary and I'd like to give you some information about bronchitis. This is an inflammation of main air passages to the lungs. Acute bronchitis usually follows a viral respiratory infection, initially it affects the nose, sinuses and the throat and then it spreads to the lungs. Sometimes, there may be another secondary or bacterial infection on top; this means that bacteria infect the airways in addition to the virus. People at risk for acute bronchitis include the elderly, infants, and young children, smokers, and those with heart or lung disease. Chronic bronchitis is defined as a cough producing mucus occurring most days of the month for at least three months; it's a much longer condition. It's also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD for short. It's associated with increasing breathlessness and decreasing exercise tolerance. Supplemental oxygen may be needed on a regular basis. It's made worse by cigarette smoking, including second-hand cigarette smoke, and this is the main cause of chronic bronchitis. The severity of the disease often relates to how much you're exposed and how long you're exposed. Bronchitis is also worsened by air pollution and certain occupations such as coal mining, infection, and also allergies. The symptoms include productive cough, breathlessness, wheezing, fatigue, fever, and pain or discomfort in the chest. How is it treated? Acute bronchitis usually resolves within 7 or 10 days although there may be some residual cough which goes on for a few weeks, antibiotic treatment and inhalers may be needed. In chronic bronchitis, the most important thing if you're a smoker, stop smoking. Inhalers, antibiotics are also needed and later home oxygen therapy may be required. When should you see your doctor? If you've been coughing out blood, had a high fever, thick green mucus, or have been short of breath, also if you have any chronic illness like heart or lung disease. If you have a cough most days of the month, or if you have a frequently recurring cough, those are important reasons to go and see your doctor. How can we prevent bronchitis? The most important thing is not to smoke. Simple hygiene goes a long way toward preventing infection, and it's also worthwhile to talk to your doctor about the flu vaccine and the pneumococcal vaccine.

Bronchitis Health Video

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