Because most cases of bronchitis are caused by viral infections, antibiotics aren't effective. However, if your doctor suspects that you have a bacterial infection, he or she may prescribe an antibiotic. In some circumstances, your doctor may recommend other medications, including: Cough medicine.
Can you be hospitalized for bronchitis? While most people who develop bronchitis can recover at home, there are other times where someone may need to visit a 24-hour emergency care center.
Hospital care
A small number of children may need a stay in the hospital. Your child may receive oxygen through a face mask to get enough oxygen into the blood. Your child also may get fluids through a vein to prevent dehydration. In severe cases, a tube may be guided into the windpipe to help breathing.
Call 911 or go to the emergency department if your child has trouble breathing, has a seizure, or is hard to wake up.
Since most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by a virus, your doctor most likely won't prescribe an antibiotic unless they think that you have a bacterial infection. But if you have particularly severe or persistent symptoms, doctors may prescribe a short course of steroids to relieve symptoms, says Holguin.
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.
See a doctor if you have any of the following: Temperature of 100.4 °F or higher. Cough with bloody mucus. Shortness of breath or trouble breathing.
You only need to see your GP if your symptoms are severe or unusual – for example, if: your cough is severe or lasts longer than three weeks. you have a constant fever (a temperature of 38°C – 100.4°F – or above) for more than three days. you cough up mucus streaked with blood.
Asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis are common lung diseases that can send both kids and adults to the emergency room. All of these conditions can lead to difficulty breathing and at times may be considered a medical emergency.
When a child has bronchiolitis, the provider must determine if the illness is severe or if there is a risk of complications. In these cases, hospitalization is generally recommended to closely monitor the child and provide intravenous (IV) fluids or supplemental oxygen. (See 'Hospital care' below.)
Each year, 1% to 2% of children younger than 12 months of age are hospitalized for bronchiolitis.
A common complication of bronchiolitis is an ear infection. Another less common complication is bacterial pneumonia.
If your child has bronchiolitis, keep them home until the cough is almost gone. Make sure to wash your hands after you take care of your sick child.
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.
To diagnose bronchitis, your healthcare provider will do a physical exam and ask about your medical history and symptoms. Your provider may also order a blood test to look for signs of infection, or a chest X-ray to check whether your lungs and bronchial tubes look normal.
Other symptoms of bronchitis include chest pain, wheezing, shortness of breath, and fatigue. To find out if you have bronchitis, your doctor will listen for crackly sounds in your chest when you breathe. You may also need a chest x-ray or other tests to see how well your lungs are working.
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.
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.
The illness typically peaks around day 3 to 5 with a resolution of the wheeze and respiratory distress over 7 – 10 days. The cough may continue for up to 4 weeks.
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.
Symptoms of acute bronchitis typically start with a runny nose, sore throat, productive cough, and low-grade fever. Three or four days later, a dry, hacking cough may develop. Most cases of acute bronchitis last between three and 10 days.
In addition to lab tests, sputum or mucus from a cough can be visually examined to determine whether bronchitis is viral, bacterial, or both. Clear or white mucus often indicates a viral infection, while yellow or green mucus may suggest a bacterial infection.
The most obvious symptom of acute bronchitis is a short-term dry hacking cough, which can become a productive cough that produces white or yellow sputum. Wheezing and shortness of breath may also be present.