Acute bronchitis

There are 2 types of bronchitis – acute and chronic.

This page covers acute bronchitis (chest infection) in adults. For information on chronic bronchitis (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD) see COPD. For information on chest infection in babies and children under 2 years of age see bronchiolitis.

The image below shows what happens to your airways when you have bronchitis.

Image credit: Depositphotos

What causes acute bronchitis?

The main cause of acute bronchitis is a virus. This is often the same virus that causes a common cold, which is why bronchitis often occurs after a cold. Acute bronchitis is more common in winter. It may also be caused by a COVID-19 infection. 

Acute bronchitis can affect people of all ages. For information on chest infection in babies under 6 months of age see bronchiolitis.

What are the symptoms of acute bronchitis? 

The main symptom is a chesty  or productive cough where you bring up green or yellow mucous. You may also get cold symptoms, such as:

• mild fever
• sore throat
• aches and pains
• runny nose
• headache
• tiredness.

You’ll usually start to feel better after a few days, but the cough may remain for a few weeks.

You don’t usually need to see your healthcare provider if you have acute bronchitis as your body will fight the virus and get better by itself.

You can help yourself feel better by:

• resting for a few days
• drinking plenty of fluids, mainly water, to help prevent dehydration
• using an extra pillow to elevate your head as you sleep
• quitting if you smoke
• using your inhaler if you have asthma or another chronic lung condition.

Consult your healthcare provider if:

• your cough is bothering you and/or lasts for more than 2 weeks
• you have a high fever
• you have pain when coughing.

Apps reviewed by Healthify

You may find it useful to look at some asthma apps and breathing apps.

Usually, the symptoms of acute bronchitis go away by themselves after a few days and don't require medication. However, the following medicines may help to ease your symptoms:

Pain relievers

Medication such as paracetamol or ibuprofen will help to ease your muscle aches and pains and headache, and reduce fever but they won't help with your cough. 

Cough medicines

You might want to consider cough medicines, but they won't treat the virus or bacteria causing your bronchitis. If you do, choose an expectorant one (eg, for a 'phlegmy' cough) as this is designed to help clear mucous from your lungs. 

Avoid cough medicines that reduce your urge to cough (suppressants). These may help if you have an irritating, dry cough, especially at night, but they shouldn't be used if your cough is chesty. 

A drink of honey, lemon and hot water, can help soothe a sore throat and ease your cough.

Read more about cough medicines for adults.

Cough and cold medicines for children

• Note that cough and cold medicines are not recommended for children under 6 years of age.
• For children 6 to 12 years of age, only use cough and cold medicines that say on the label they can be used for that age group. Read more about cough and cold medicines in children.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are not often used to treat acute bronchitis because they have no effect on viruses, which are usually the cause of bronchitis.

However, if your healthcare provider thinks you also have a bacterial infection in your airways, you may need to take antibiotics.

Inhalers

If you are wheezing, your doctor may prescribe an inhaler to open your airways, such as salbutamol, the same medicine you may have heard of for asthma treatment.

Bronchitis can’t always be prevented but some things might help:

• Washing your hands can prevent the spread of viruses that can cause bronchitis.
• Wearing a face mask in crowded spaces and when you're near others who are sick. This will also reduce the risk of you spreading a virus. 
• Avoid smoking or other lung irritants.
• Be up-to-date with your vaccinations such as:
  • COVID-19 vaccine
  • Flu vaccine - recommended to get every year to be protected against current strains
  • RSV vaccine
  • Whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine