Bronchitis (cont.)
What Are the Symptoms of Bronchitis?
Symptoms of bronchitis include the following:
- A cough that is frequent and produces mucus
- A lack of energy
- A wheezing sound when breathing, which may or may not be present
- A fever, which may or may not be present
Should I Call My Doctor About Bronchitis?
See your health care provider if you have any of these symptoms:
- A chest cold that lasts for more than two weeks
- A fever greater than 102°F
- A cough that produced blood
- A shortness of breath or wheezing
Can I Treat Bronchitis at Home?
If you have bronchitis you should do the following:
- Drink fluids every one to two hours unless your doctor has restricted
your fluid intake
- Rest
- Don't smoke
- Relieve body aches by taking
aspirin or acetaminophen. (If you are
taking any other drugs, talk to your doctor to make sure aspirin or
acetaminophen doesn't interfere with them. Children should NOT take
aspirin.)
- Follow your doctor's instructions on ways to help clear your mucus.
- If you are coughing up mucus, note how often you cough as well as the
color and amount of the mucus. Report this to your doctor.
If you have a dry cough and cough up little to no mucus, your doctor may
prescribe a cough medicine to suppress your cough. He or she may also prescribe
an expectorant to help loosen mucus so it can be more easily coughed up.
Because most episodes of bronchitis are caused by viruses, antibiotics will
not be useful or necessary. Exceptions would be bronchitis caused by a bacterial
infection or bronchitis in a person who has impaired lung function.
Next: How do I know if I have bronchitis? »
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