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What Is a Good Treatment for Bronchitis?

A woman with bronchitis coughing
Treatment for bronchitis depends on whether it is acute or chronic. Bronchitis home remedies and treatments may include drinking hot tea, over-the-counter (OTC) cough/cold/pain relief medications, sucking on cough drops/lozenges/hard candy, inhaling warm/moist air (in the shower, over a kettle, or from a humidifier), avoiding smoke, inhalers, and more.

Bronchitis is inflammation and irritation of the bronchi in the lungs that causes a cough. 

The two types of bronchitis are: 

Treatment for bronchitis depends on whether it is acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis is usually not treated with antibiotics, because the most common cause is viral, and antibiotics kill bacteria, not viruses. Acute bronchitis usually resolves on its own within a few weeks.

Home remedies to relieve symptoms of acute bronchitis may include:

  • Rest
  • Drinking plenty of liquids
  • Drinking hot tea
  • Over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines
  • OTC pain-relievers for cold or flu symptoms such as headache, muscle aches, or joint pain
    • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
    • Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) 
  • Sucking on cough drops, lozenges, or hard candy 
    • Do not give young children lozenges or cough drops due to the choking risk
  • Inhaling warm, moist air, such as in the shower, over a kettle, or from a humidifier
  • Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke

Treatment for chronic bronchitis includes: 

What Are Symptoms of Bronchitis?

Symptoms of acute bronchitis include:

  • A nagging cough that lasts less than 3 weeks
  • Coughing with or without mucus (mucus may be clear, yellow, or green)
  • Soreness in the chest
  • Cold or flu symptoms
  • Fatigue
  • Mild body aches
  • Mild headache

See a doctor if you have a cough and:

  • Symptoms do not improve after 3 weeks 
  • Fever higher than 100.4°F (38°C)
  • Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath
  • Chest pain when coughing
  • Coughing up blood
  • A barking cough that makes it difficult to talk
  • Unexplained weight loss that accompanies the cough
  • Repeated episodes of bronchitis

Symptoms of chronic bronchitis include:

  • Coughing up mucus on most days for at least 3 months, for 2 years in a row 
  • Shortness of breath
  • Chest discomfort or tightness
  • Tiredness

What Causes Bronchitis?

  • Acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses such as the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, or whooping cough. It may sometimes be caused by bacteria. 
  • Smoking is the most common cause of chronic bronchitis but it can also occur from breathing in toxic fumes or gases.

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References
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https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acute-bronchitis-the-basics?search=Bronchitis&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/chronic-bronchitis-the-basics?search=Bronchitis&source=search_result&selectedTitle=2~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=2

https://www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/bronchitis.html