Sleeping. Lie on your side with a pillow between your legs and your head elevated with pillows.
To assist sleeping, use more pillows to raise the head. This sleeping position can help to soothe breathing and clear mucus from the chest.
If you have a long-term (chronic) lung problem associated with excessive mucus, or you have increased mucus from an infection, lying with your chest lower than your belly (abdomen) can help loosen and drain extra mucus from your lungs.
Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke, chemicals, dust, or air pollution. Always cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. Keep your distance from others when you are sick, if possible. Antibiotics will not treat acute bronchitis.
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. If you're in otherwise good health, your lungs will return to normal after you've recovered from the initial infection.
Most people get over bronchitis in about two weeks, but it might take as long as three to six weeks. You can manage your symptoms at home with over-the-counter medicines while you get better. If you don't feel better after three weeks, see your healthcare provider.
If you smoke, you should stop immediately. Smoking aggravates bronchitis and increases your risk of developing a long-term (chronic) condition.
The most common cause of chronic bronchitis is cigarette smoking. Air pollution and dust or toxic gases in the environment or workplace also can contribute to the condition.
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.
Treatment of bronchitis
Most cases of bronchitis, especially the acute type, are caused by viruses and these do not need specific antibiotic treatment. The treatment advised is plenty of fluids and bed rest until the condition resolves.
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.
Those with acute bronchitis, however, should refrain from physical exertion while they have symptoms. Typically, this means avoiding purposeful exercise, during the 3-10 day recovery window. Once symptoms resolve, it is usually safe to return to low levels of activity. This is the case even if a dry cough remains.
Symptoms of bronchitis
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 down at night may also result in cough because of the shifting or mobilization of the secretions.
If you have symptoms of bronchitis, stay home to avoid spreading your viral infection to others. To properly treat your acute bronchitis, get plenty of rest, drink lots of liquids, and take over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen (Advil) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) to treat your symptoms.
Is Vicks Vaporub good for bronchitis? Vicks VapoRub can help to improve breathing and the ability to rest when you're dealing with bronchitis congestion. It can be especially effective in children.
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.
Cold air is often dry air, and can irritate the airways if you have asthma, COPD or bronchitis. This can cause wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath. Dress warmly and keep yourself dry.
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.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and milk products. Try home remedies like spicy foods, mullein tea, vitamin C, zinc, garlic, and over-the-counter saline nasal spray.
This inflammation can also cause the membranes in the lining to start producing excess mucus, clogging the bronchi and restricting airflow to the lungs further. This triggers coughing (the most common symptom of bronchitis), which if persistent, can make you feel extremely tired.
Symptoms of acute bronchitis last less than 3 weeks and can include: Coughing with or without mucus. Soreness in the chest. Feeling tired (fatigue)