When you’ve got a nasty cough, it is best to know if it’s actually bronchitis. Determining the cause of your cough is necessary for proper treatment. Unfortunately, even if you determine you have bronchitis, treatment options differ based on how you contracted the illness. Bronchitis can be viral or bacterial. For acute cases of bronchitis, visit AFC Urgent Care Louisville for treatment options.
How Bronchitis Develops
The most common bronchitis types are acute and infectious. Viral or bacterial infections can cause both. Examining viral and bacterial infections may shed light on which case of bronchitis you have. Viral infections are any number of sicknesses, including a cold. When your body overproduces mucus, the bronchial tubes get irritated, resulting in bronchitis. Upper respiratory infections, the flu, and many other viral infections can cause excess mucus leading to bronchitis.
Bacterial infections can stem from a viral infection that has not been cured. Bordetella pertussis causes most bacterial infections, including whooping cough. Bronchitis happens when the bronchial tubes are aggravated, so any bacterial illness affecting the tubes can cause bacterial bronchitis.
Bronchitis Symptoms
There are several bronchitis symptoms to be aware of – not only a cough. When evaluating a cold or cough for bronchitis, look for the following signs:
- A productive cough that may have yellow or green mucus
- Low-grade fever
- Runny nose
- Congestion
- Fatigue
- Wheezing or whistling sound from breathing
Symptoms for bronchitis are similar, whether viral or bacterial. The difference in treatment is frequently determined by how long your cough lasts.
Treatment Options and Recovery Time
When your bronchitis is viral, antibiotics are ineffective in curing your cough or other symptoms. Since most cases are viral, your treatment options are mostly rest and drinking a lot of fluids. With the coughing, you may find your throat getting sore. Warm beverages or honey can be great solutions to a raw throat.
If your cough is still strong after 3 or 4 weeks, you may have bacterial bronchitis and need an antibiotic. However, the cough could last for months if you have chronic bronchitis.
Bronchitis is tricky to determine recovery time, as it depends on several factors. Viral bronchitis could last a couple of weeks or months. Bacterial bronchitis can go on even longer if left untreated. Beating bronchitis as quickly as possible requires you to get the necessary rest. If you can't care for yourself well, your bronchitis may last far longer than necessary.
Should You See a Doctor?
See a doctor if you’ve been unable to get over your cough after a few weeks. A medical professional can determine if you require a prescription, including a lab test. Most doctors will not be able to do much if your bronchitis is viral, which is typically shorter than the bacterial alternative, so focus on at-home care for the first few weeks. Contact your doctor if you cannot beat your cough, or call 911 if breathing becomes more difficult.
Urgent care centers, like AFC Urgent Care Louisville, can diagnose your bronchitis as either viral or bacterial and offer recommendations for care. Simply walk-in today!
