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December 27, 2009
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Acute Bronchitis

Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Medical Editor: Charles C. P. Davis, MD, PhD

Bronchitis and the Flu

What to Do if You Get the Flu

Bronchitis is a complication of the flu

Medical Author: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Medical Editor: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Influenza, or the "flu," is an illness of the breathing system (respiratory system) and muscles caused by a virus. While a vaccine is available to prevent the flu, its effectiveness varies according to the degree of match between the viral strains used to prepare the vaccine and those strains actually in circulation in a given year. Not everyone receives the flu vaccine, and even some of those who do can develop symptoms of the flu.

Mild cases of the flu may seem like common colds. But most cases of the flu can be distinguished from colds because the symptoms (cough, muscle aches and pains, sore throat, fatigue, and headache) are more severe than those of the common cold. Flu symptoms also tend to occur suddenly and include high fevers (temperatures of 101 F or more). In children, fevers are typically even higher than those in adults.

Read more about what do to if you get the flu »

What is acute bronchitis?

Air is pulled into the lungs when we breathe, initially passing through the mouth, nose, and larynx (voicebox) into the trachea and continues en route to each lung via either the right or left bronchi (the bronchial tree - bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli). Bronchi are formed as the lower part of the trachea divides into two tubes that lead to the lungs. As the bronchi get farther away from the trachea, each bronchial tube divides and gets smaller (resembling an inverted tree) to provide the air to lung tissue so that it can transfer oxygen to the blood stream and remove carbon dioxide (the waste product of metabolism).

Bronchitis describes inflammation of the bronchial tubes (inflammation = itis). The inflammation causes swelling of the lining of these breathing tubes, narrowing the tubes and promoting secretion of inflammatory fluid.

Acute bronchitis describes the inflammation of the bronchi usually caused by a viral infection, although bacteria and chemicals also may cause acute bronchitis. Bronchiolitis is another form of acute bronchitis that occurs in infants, usually caused by respiratory syncytial viruses (RSV), and affects the small bronchi and bronchioles more than the large.

Acute bronchitis is not a cold, laryngitis, or croup. Colds are infections of the mouth and nose (upper respiratory infection) and can cause a runny nose, stuffiness, and sore throat. Infection or inflammation of the larynx is called laryngitis and is accompanied with hoarseness or lost voice. Croup is the equivalent of laryngitis in infants and young children.

Chronic bronchitis is defined as a cough with sputum production for at least three months, two years in a row. Chronic bronchitis is a diagnosis made on clinical findings, microscopic evaluation of tissue samples, pulmonary function testing, chest X-ray, and CT or MRI of the lungs. It is one type of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and may result in emphysema (air trapped in the lung tissue).

Picture of the anatomy of the lungs

What causes acute bronchitis?

  • Acute bronchitis occurs most often due to a viral infection that causes the inner lining of the bronchial tubes to become inflamed and undergo the changes that occur with any inflammation in the body. Common viruses include the rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and the influenza virus.

  • Bacteria (for example, Mycoplasma) can also cause bronchitis.

  • Chemical irritants (for example, tobacco smoke, gastric reflux, solvents) can cause acute bronchitis.

What are the risk factors for acute bronchitis?

Bronchitis describes inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Smoking is a key risk factor for developing acute bronchitis. Any other illnesses that predispose to similar inflammation also increase that risk (for example, asthma patients and patients allergic to airborne chemicals).



Next: What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis? »

Bronchitis - Length Symptoms Lasted

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How long did the symptoms of your bronchitis last? Was there anything in particular that helped with pain/symptom relief?

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Bronchitis (Acute)

What is COPD?

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is comprised primarily of three related conditions - chronic bronchitis, chronic asthma, and emphysema. In each condition there is chronic obstruction of the flow of air through the airways and out of the lungs, and the obstruction generally is permanent and may be progressive over time.

While asthma features obstruction to the flow of air out of the lungs, usually, the obstruction is reversible. Between "attacks" of asthma the flow of air through the airways typically is normal. These patients do not have COPD. However, if asthma is left untreated, the chronic inflammation associated with this disease can cause the airway obstruction to become fixed. That is, between attacks, the asthmatic patient may then have abnormal air flow. This process is referred to as lung remodeling. These asthma patients with a fixed component of airway obstruction are also considered to have COPD.

Often patien...

Read the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease article »











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