Symptoms You Should Never Ignore - Pain, Shortness of Breath

Is Bronchitis Contagious? - USA TODAY

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Is Bronchitis Contagious? Understanding The Causes, Symptoms, And Prevention

Coughing, wheezing, and struggling to catch your breath — bronchitis can turn a simple cold into something much more uncomfortable. But beyond the symptoms, one question often comes to mind: Is bronchitis contagious?

With respiratory illnesses often spreading in workplaces, schools, and homes, it's important to know how bronchitis works so you can protect yourself. So, let's explore what bronchitis is, how long it lasts, how to prevent it, and whether you should worry about catching it from others.

What Is Bronchitis?

Bronchitis occurs when the bronchial tubes — the passages responsible for carrying air to the lungs — become inflamed. This inflammation results in swelling, mucus buildup, and even difficulty breathing, often accompanied by a persistent cough.

There are two main types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is a temporary condition usually caused by viral or bacterial infections. It typically lasts for a few weeks and often develops after a cold or the flu. Chronic bronchitis is a more long-term condition, with symptoms lasting for several months or longer. Chronic bronchitis is often linked to smoking or extended exposure to irritants like pollution. Along with emphysema, chronic bronchitis is considered a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Read More: 6 Respiratory Illnesses That Could Mean Trouble for Your Lungs

The Causes of Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is primarily caused by viruses, like those that typically cause the flu, colds, or COVID-19. Less frequently, bacterial infections can trigger a bout of bronchitis. In some cases, irritants such as smoke, dust, or chemical fumes can inflame the bronchial tubes, causing acute bronchitis. Acute bronchitis typically lasts about 10 days to a few weeks. But even though the infection may clear up relatively quickly, a nagging cough can linger for several more weeks after the inflammation has subsided.

Chronic bronchitis, by contrast, is usually caused by long-term irritation of the lungs. Smoking is the top risk factor for developing chronic bronchitis, but frequent exposure to secondhand smoke, air pollution, or a history of respiratory disease can also contribute. Symptoms like coughing and mucus production can last for months or even years, and they tend to worsen over time if the underlying cause, such as smoking, is not addressed.

Read More: What Happens to Your Body When You Quit Smoking?

Is Bronchitis Contagious?

Because bronchitis is inflammation in your airways, the condition itself is not contagious. However, the viruses, including SARS-CoV2, and bacteria that lead to bronchitis are contagious.

Viruses and bacteria can spread through droplets when someone coughs or sneezes. Close contact with an infected person, touching surfaces contaminated with the virus, or sharing utensils can also transmit the infection.

Chronic bronchitis develops over time and isn't usually the result of an infection by a virus or bacteria. That means you cannot "catch" chronic bronchitis from someone else.

Read More: Does a Runny Nose Mean You Have COVID-19, the Flu, or a Common Cold?

Can Bronchitis Kill You?

In most cases, bronchitis is not life-threatening. However, complications can arise, particularly in individuals with weakened immune systems, children, the elderly, or those with preexisting lung diseases like asthma or COPD.

For acute bronchitis, the biggest risk is that it may progress to pneumonia, a more serious lung infection, especially if left untreated. Pneumonia occurs when the air sacs in the lungs become inflamed and filled with fluid, making it more difficult to breathe. Symptoms of pneumonia to watch out for include:

Persistent high fever, sweating, and/or chills

Chest pain, especially when breathing or coughing

Shortness of breath or rapid, shallow breathing

A cough that produces green, yellow, or bloody mucus

Fatigue and muscle aches

Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Confusion, particularly in older adults

If you experience any of these symptoms, especially after a bout of bronchitis, it's important to seek medical attention, as pneumonia can be serious, or even life-threatening, if left untreated.

Chronic bronchitis, meanwhile, is typically more concerning in the long term because it is a form of COPD, which is a leading cause of death worldwide. Without proper management, chronic bronchitis can lead to severe respiratory issues and complications, but it is not usually fatal on its own.

Read More: What Is Human Metapneumovirus? The Cold-Like Illness You've Probably Never Heard Of

Preventing Bronchitis

Preventing bronchitis starts with avoiding the factors that cause inflammation in the bronchial tubes. To reduce the risk of acute bronchitis, it's important to wash your hands frequently to prevent the spread of viruses, avoid close contact with individuals who have respiratory infections, and get vaccinated for the flu and pneumonia, which can help lower the risk of viral infections that may lead to bronchitis.

For chronic bronchitis, the key is to minimize exposure to lung irritants. Quitting smoking is the most crucial step, as it is the leading cause of chronic bronchitis. Additionally, avoiding secondhand smoke, air pollution, and chemical fumes can help protect your lungs and reduce the likelihood of developing chronic bronchitis.

Read More: Why Do I Get Sick So Often, While Others Stay in Freakishly Good Health?

How to Treat Bronchitis

Treatment for bronchitis largely depends on whether it's acute or chronic. Supportive care is often the best approach for acute bronchitis, which is usually caused by a virus or other infection. This includes resting to give your body time to recover, staying hydrated to help thin mucus for easier expulsion, and using over-the-counter medications, such as cough suppressants or pain relievers, to manage symptoms. Antibiotics are typically not recommended unless a bacterial infection is suspected as the underlying cause.

Treatment for chronic bronchitis focuses on managing symptoms and slowing disease progression. Inhalers are commonly used to open the airways and reduce inflammation, while pulmonary rehabilitation can improve lung function over time. In some cases, medications like bronchodilators or steroids may be necessary.

Both types of bronchitis can cause significant discomfort, but they are manageable with the right care. Remember, the best ways to prevent and treat bronchitis are practicing good hygiene, avoiding irritants, and seeking medical advice when necessary.

Read More: Chicken Noodle Soup Really Can Help When You're Sick

Article Sources

Our writers at Discovermagazine.Com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:

Jake Parks is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in covering science news. He has previously written for Astronomy magazine, Discover Magazine, The Ohio State University, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and more.

What Is Bronchitis, And Is It Contagious? - AOL

About one in 20 people experience bronchitis every year, despite it being a respiratory infection no one wants. Its most common symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, low fever, fatigue, shortness of breath "and an irritating cough that may last anywhere from days to a couple of weeks," says Dr. Jason Nagata, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco.

Though such symptoms are uncomfortable for everyone, they can be more serious in babies, young children, the elderly and the immunocompromised. Bronchitis can even be deadly as some 350 people in the U.S. Die from the illness every year, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here's what causes bronchitis, how the illness usually spreads and how you can treat symptoms if it affects you or a loved one.

What causes bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a respiratory illness that occurs when the airways leading into your lungs get irritated, Nagata explains, which leads to the swelling and mucus buildup that causes difficulty breathing.

Different factors cause this lung irritation to occur, depending on the type of bronchitis one is dealing with. Individuals suffering from what's called acute or viral bronchitis get the illness from viruses such as RSV, coronavirus, the common cold (rhinovirus) and influenza.

The other main form of bronchitis is called chronic bronchitis. It's usually caused by long-term exposure to environmental irritants such as cigarette smoke, chemicals, allergens, air pollution and dust, explains Dr. Kunal Bakshi, a primary care physician at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

Bronchitis can also be caused by bacteria like streptococcus pneumoniae and medical conditions such as GERD or COPD.

Is bronchitis contagious?

Understanding the different types of bronchitis can also be helpful in understanding when the illness is and isn't contagious. Chronic bronchitis caused by environmental irritants, for instance, is not contagious. But acute or viral bronchitis is. "Viral bronchitis can be spread from person to person by inhaling droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes or talks," says Nagata.

The viruses that cause bronchitis can also be spread by touching an object or surface that has the virus on it, then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.

Getting vaccinated against viruses like the coronavirus and influenza can help provide protection against viral bronchitis—as can washing your hands frequently, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and keeping your immune system healthy with a well-balanced diet and plenty of exercise.

How to treat bronchitis

In healthy people, bronchitis usually goes away on its own within a week or two with "plenty of rest and drinking lots of water," says Nagata. In the meantime, symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter drugs such as cough suppressants, nasal sprays and pain medicines like as ibuprofen and acetaminophen. "Using a humidifier may also help alleviate symptoms," says Nagata.

Such at-home treatments are all that is usually required, "but you should see a healthcare provider if your cough lasts more than two to three weeks, worsens or causes difficulty breathing," advises Nagata.

In such cases, a doctor can determine if there's another underlying issue at play and recommend additional medical interventions. These may include an oxygen supply to make breathing easier and specific medications. Antibiotics are rarely recommended to treat acute bronchitis, however, "as the main cause of the infection is viral in nature," says Bakshi, and antibiotics are only designed to target and kill bacteria, not viruses. But he adds that antiviral medicines are sometimes recommended to treat specific bronchitis-causing viruses such as COVID-19 or the flu.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is bronchitis contagious?

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