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These conditions cause the lung tissue to be dense. When bronchial sounds are heard in areas distant from where they normally occur, the patient may have consolidation (as occurs with pneumonia) or compression of the lung. For example, bronchial (loud & tubular) breath sounds are abnormal in peripheral areas where only vesicular (soft & rustling) sounds should be heard.the presence of "normal" sounds in areas where they are normally not heard.Order a chest X-ray, lung function tests, or blood tests.Abnormal breath sounds Abnormal Breath Sounds.Have your mucus tested for a bacterial infection (despite a common misconception, you can’t tell by the color of the mucus whether or not the infection is bacterial or viral, or whether there’s definitely an infection at all, Holguin says).Listen to your lungs for any abnormal sounds like wheezing.( 5) He or she will also likely ask for your medical history, including details like whether or not you smoke or spend time around someone who smokes, or if you’ve recently had a cold or the flu. Your doctor will typically ask you how long you’ve had your cough what kind of mucus, if any, you are producing and how often or how much you are coughing. But if you experience unfamiliar symptoms, or if, for instance, you experience coughing spells every time you get a cold, you should see your doctor to rule out any undiagnosed illnesses or underlying problems. Most cases of acute bronchitis clear up on their own and don’t require treatment from your doctor. “Recurring bronchitis can mask an underlying condition such as asthma,” Holguin says. If you’re not sure, see your doctor.īronchitis can be tricky to diagnose because its symptoms often mimic those of other conditions. If you’re experiencing coughing, wheezing, or trouble breathing, it’s important to accurately identify whether it’s bronchitis or something else so that you can get the right treatment. For instance, if you get acute bronchitis frequently you may be more likely to develop asthma, a chronic breathing condition. Signs that your symptoms may be something other than acute bronchitis (and mean you should see your doctor) include, a fever higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, trouble breathing, a cough that produces blood, a cough that lasts longer than two weeks and produces a bad-tasting fluid in the mouth (which could be a sign of a digestive condition), or a lot of wheezing that is more frequent at night or when you’re active.Ĭonditions that affect the lungs (acute bronchitis, asthma, and pneumonia) can be related. A sore throat can also be a common symptom of the common cold, laryngitis, the measles, and mononucleosis. Many people with acute bronchitis will get a sore throat (in medical speak, pharyngitis) with acute bronchitis, thanks to the coughing and wheezing it causes. The coughing, wheezing, and chest pain that come with acute bronchitis are similar to symptoms of allergies, asthma, the common cold, the flu, sleep apnea, and other conditions. Pneumonia isn’t the only condition commonly confused with acute bronchitis.
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The rest of this article will focus on acute bronchitis and its common signs and symptoms. “It can be distressing and affect one’s quality of life.”Ĭhronic bronchitis, along with emphysema, are commonly known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. “It becomes a part of everyday life,” says Holguin. With chronic bronchitis, the coughing is usually worse early in the morning and at night, says Dr. The condition is typically a result of long-term exposure to cigarette smoke and other lung irritants, such as dust, fumes, and air pollution. Bronchitis symptoms are not contagious, but the underlying causes, like a cold or the flu, can be transmitted from one person to another.Ĭhronic bronchitis is a long-term condition characterized by a cough that produces large amounts of sputum, and the coughing lasts for two to three months of a year for at least two years. Acute bronchitis usually clears up in 3 to 10 days, but your cough could last for several more weeks after the infection has cleared. Most cases of acute bronchitis clear up on their own without intervention, says Fernando Holguin, MD, director of asthma clinical and research programs at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The majority of acute bronchitis cases are caused by a viral infection, such as a cold or flu, which starts in the nose or the sinuses and moves into the airways. There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. If you’ve been dealing with a persistent cough, you may be wondering - could it be bronchitis? Bronchitis is a condition in which the lining of the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs, called bronchial tubes, become inflamed.