Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi of the lungs, that causes the cilia of the bronchial epithelial cells to stop functioning.
Like many disorders, bronchitis can be acute (short-term), or chronic (long-lasting). Chronic bronchitis is a problem commonly seen in smokers, whereas acute bronchitis is almost always caused by viral infection, as elucidated by recent studies.
Symptoms
The symptoms of acute and chronic bronchitis include:
- Discolored mucus (white, yellow, or green) is not indicative of a bacterial infection; it is caused by peroxidase released by neutrophils
- Bloody (pink, red or rust-streaked) mucus (should be evaluated by a doctor)
- Shortness of breath, worsened by activity
- Wheezing
- Fatigue
- Low-grade fever
- Chest discomfort
- Malaise
Acute bronchitis
- usually lasts about 7 to 10 days.
- rarely responds to antibiotics due to its primarily viral etiology and should be treated symptomatically.
- complications are more likely with comorbidities such as smoking, asthma, and COPD.
Chronic bronchitis
Chronic bronchitis is a chronic obstructive respiratory disease, where the airways are obstructed by plugs of mucus.
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