Your cough from bronchitis may be worse at night because the airways tend to be more sensitive and prone to irritation when the airway muscles are relaxed. 9 You may also feel more congested and stuffed up because mucus can pool in your upper respiratory tract when you're lying down.
Cough expectorant: Look for meds with guaifenesin, a common ingredient in over-the-counter cold medicines. It's an expectorant, meaning it helps loosen mucus. Cough suppressant: Other OTC cough medicines can suppress your hacking — an especially useful trick if your cough is keeping you up at night.
Smoking aggravates bronchitis and increases your risk of developing a long-term (chronic) condition. Stopping smoking while you have bronchitis can also be the perfect opportunity to quit altogether.
Bronchitis sleep tips.
Listen to your body and get as much rest as you can, especially over the first few days. If a nighttime cough keeps you awake, use an extra pillow to prop up your head and keep mucus from settling in the back of your throat.
Cough suppressants: If you have a persistent cough from the body trying to clear mucus from the airways, cough medicine may help. Triaminic and Vicks 44 Cough and Cold are two OTC options. Both contain the active ingredient dextromethorphan.
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus.
If bronchitis becomes pneumonia, a person's symptoms usually worsen. They will have a cough with mucus and a fever. If a doctor cannot diagnose pneumonia based on the person's symptoms, they may suggest a chest X-ray or blood test.
Most people get over an acute bout of bronchitis in two to three weeks, although the cough can sometimes hang on for four weeks or more.
Bronchitis often clears up within a week or so, but the cough can stick around for weeks, or even months later, especially if you have a lung problem. While you're sick, call your doctor if you start to run a high fever, you feel short of breath or have chest pain, or your cough just won't go away.
While uncomfortable, the coughing is actually a good response. It helps clear much mucus from the air tubes. “The mucus color doesn't indicate anything. Some people think green mucus means bacterial infection, but that's not always the case.
Acute bronchitis usually gets better on its own—without antibiotics. Antibiotics won't help you get better if you have acute bronchitis.
Medications. While there is no medication that treats acute bronchitis specifically, certain over-the-counter medicines may provide some relief from symptoms: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
Over the next few months, we'll all likely experience the coughing, sneezing and runny nose that comes with the cold winter air. But what if your common cold symptoms turn into something else? A persistent, nagging cough that keeps you up at night could be a sign of acute bronchitis.
Symptoms of bronchitis
In a quarter of patients however the cough may persist for six to eight weeks. The cough is worse and more noticeable in the morning because of pooling of secretions in the lying down position that get then mobilized with morning activities.
Lying prone can also help your cough to be more effective. This helps with clearing out any secretions that are in your chest. Current, available evidence suggests that lying prone must be considered early in the treatment of acute lung conditions for the best outcomes.
A hot drink made with honey and lemon juice is an old trick to help ease bronchitis symptoms, especially an irritated throat or dry cough. In addition to tasting and feeling good, it's a healthy drink that will help you get needed fluids. “It has to be a really, truly organic honey,” advises Ganesh.
If you have acute bronchitis that's getting worse, you could have an infection that requires antibiotics. Most cases of bronchitis clear up on their own, but not all of them. if you have any underlying health conditions, you're at a higher risk to have bronchitis that can't go away on it's own.