Antibiotics are required for bacterial bronchitis to help it go away faster although it may go away without it.
For viral bronchitis no antibiotics will work so you have to wait for the viral bronchitis to go away on it's own.
If you have viral bronchitis you will be contagious with the viral bronchitis for up to a few days to as long as a week and with viral bronchitis the antibiotics won't work.
With bacterial bronchitis you should no longer be contagious within 24 hours of taking the antibiotics.
Bronchitis typically lasts for around 2 to 3 weeks for acute bronchitis while other bronchitis may last for up to 4 weeks.
The typical progression of acute bronchitis symptoms starts 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.
A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattling cough, wheezing and whistling sound.
The main symptom of bronchitis is a hacking cough.
It is likely that your cough will bring up thick yellow-grey mucus (phlegm), although this does not always happen.
Other symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of other infections, such as the common cold or sinusitis, and may include: sore throat.
When you have bronchitis and are coughing up white mucus it's a sign that the bronchitis is viral and if you're coughing up mucus with bronchitis that changes to green or yellow it's usually a sign that your bronchitis is bacterial.
Clear or white mucus often indicates a viral infection, while yellow or green mucus may suggest a bacterial infection.
The biggest difference between viral and bacterial bronchitis is treatment, as antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections don't kill viruses.
You can catch bronchitis from someone who has it.
Acute bronchitis can be contagious because it is usually caused by infection with a virus or bacteria.
Chronic bronchitis is not likely to be contagious because it is a condition usually caused by long-term irritation of airways.
You can get bronchitis through viruses and breathing in things that irritate your lungs including, dust, fumes, smoke and tobacco smoke.
Bronchitis is the sudden development of inflammation in bronchial tubes which are the major airways into your lungs.
It usually happens because of a virus or breathing in something that irritates the lungs such as tobacco smoke, fumes, dust and air pollution.
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial tubes, which carry air to and from your lungs.
People who have bronchitis often cough up thickened mucus, which can be discolored.
Bronchitis may be either acute or chronic.
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.
The best treatment for bronchitis includes rest, fluids, a humidifier, honey, lozenges and prescription medications and interventions, if necessary.
There are two main types of bronchitis which include acute and chronic.
Unlike acute bronchitis, which usually develops from a respiratory infection such as a cold and goes away in a week or two, chronic bronchitis is a more serious condition that develops over time.
Symptoms of the bronchitis may get better or worse, but they will never completely go away.
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.
Acute bronchitis usually goes away on its own, but you should consult your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms: frequent episodes of acute bronchitis (this may indicate the beginning of chronic bronchitis) a wheezing cough or a cough that doesn't go away within three to four weeks. shortness of breath.