Bronchitis is a common infection, and nearly 5% fo the U.S. population suffers through a bout of it every year.

There are actually two types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. If you have been dealing with bronchitis symptoms for an extended amount of time, you could be dealing with chronic bronchitis. Our AFC Urgent Care Memphis team further elaborates below.

What Is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis is when the airways leading to the lungs become inflamed. This irritation can cause severe coughing spells that bring up mucus, wheezing, chest pain and shortness of breath. Both acute and chronic bronchitis are the same type of infection, but their causes and their lengths are different.

We’ve listed some common signs and symptoms of both acute and chronic bronchitis below.

Chronic Bronchitis Symptoms

• Cough
• Production of mucus (sputum), which can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in color—rarely, it may be streaked with blood
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Slight fever and chills
• Chest discomfort

What Do I Need to Know About Chronic Bronchitis?

People that deal with chronic bronchitis are also dealing with a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD includes a large group of lung diseases, all of which block air flow in the lungs and cause breathing problems. The two most common conditions of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

There are a number of treatments available to help control symptoms and ease breathing problems, and we’ve listed a few of them below.

Ways to Treat Chronic Bronchitis/COPD

• Quit smoking.
• Stay away from secondhand smoke and other lung irritants.
• Take oral medications to open airways and help clear away mucus.
• Take inhaled medications, such as bronchodilators and steroids.
• Get oxygen from portable containers.
• Have lung reduction surgery to take out damaged areas of the lung.
• Get a lung transplant, in rare cases.
• Humidify the air.
• Attend pulmonary rehab to help you learn how to live with your breathing problems and stay active.

Have you been dealing with breathing problems for an extended period of time? If so, don’t wait to visit our AFC Urgent Care Memphis team today to get the treatment you need.