A bronchitis cough sounds like a rattle with a wheezing or whistling sound. As your condition progresses, you will first have a dry cough that can then progress towards coughing up white mucus. If you have a bacterial infection or your airways become irritated and swollen, the color of your mucus changes from white to green or yellow. Sometimes, you might cough up phlegm and have a fever.
Bronchitis occurs when your bronchial tubes become swollen and inflamed. After becoming inflamed and swollen, the lung’s large and medium airways get filled with thick mucus. As this thickened mucus becomes hard to clear from the airways, you begin coughing to get the mucus out of your lungs.
While it’s a natural and needed symptom that helps you get rid of the mucus during bronchitis, too much coughing or uncontrolled coughing can lead to various problems, such as throat pain, abdomen pain, or blood-streaked sputum (phlegm). In rare cases, it could lead to more serious conditions, like pneumonia.
Bronchitis coughing duration varies depending on the type of bronchitis you have. In acute bronchitis, symptoms may subside after a week to 10 days, but you may have a cough that lasts for several weeks. Acute bronchitis primarily develops after you have had a bacterial or viral infection. However, other irritants such as fumes, smoke, or dust can also cause acute bronchitis.
Repeated attacks of acute bronchitis cause chronic bronchitis. Chronic bronchitis causes a productive cough, which lasts at least three months with the possibility of recurring for at least two consecutive years. Smoking is the primary cause of chronic bronchitis.
Coughing is a major sign of bronchitis. It can be unproductive or productive, depending on the type and severity of the condition. However, you can ease your cough and feel better with these bronchitis cough relief tips:
Having a proper diet will help your bronchitis coughing, so be sure to eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, chicken, fish, and low-fat or non-fat dairy. Drinking water at least 12 glasses a day can help thin out the mucus. Drinking hot tea with honey or honey with lemon water may also reduce irritation, soothe your throat, and loosen the mucus.
However, if you have kidney or heart problems, be sure to first visit your doctor for any diet recommendations.
Quitting smoking may help decrease long-term coughing. Try avoiding dust, fumes, smoke from other people, and other irritants that bother your lungs. Wear a mask if you cannot avoid exposure to these irritants.
Your body needs plenty of energy to fight the virus, so be sure to rest as much as possible. Not resting may cause stress and make your cough worse.
Steam and moisture can help your cough by relieving your dry throat and loosening up the mucus. Try breathing in steam from a bowl of hot water or use a humidifier or vaporizer in your room to create more moisture in the air.
Gargling with warm salt water can ease an irritated or sore throat and remove mucus from the back of the throat. Doing this before going to bed may help calm your cough.
You should visit your doctor if you can’t control bronchitis coughing or if you experience these symptoms:
Your doctor may prescribe cough suppressants or antibiotics that can ease your cough and loosen up mucus.
Cold air and dust mites can trigger or worsen your cough. Use a humidifier at night to ease your bronchitis coughing. A humidifier can increase your bedroom’s air quality and keep the dust mites out of your room.
Excessive coughing in bronchitis can strain your rib muscles and cause chest pain, but not diaphragm pain.
If you cough or try to clear your throat a lot, your vocal cords may swell, leading to a condition called laryngitis. This should be treated quickly to avoid any long-term damage to the larynx.
Bronchitis may start with a dry cough. After a few days, you can cough up phlegm, which may last for two to four weeks or even more depending on your condition.
Coughing can be reduced by taking 2 teaspoons of honey before going to bed. Honey increases saliva production, which can reduce inflammation in your bronchial tubes and ease your cough by lubricating your airways.
A persistent cough may be a sign of chronic bronchitis. You should visit your doctor if your cough is severe, contains blood, and lasts more than three weeks.
Dr. Bunten is originally from Huntington Beach, CA. He attended high school in Tokyo, Japan, went to college at UC San Diego and then to medical school in the Midwest. He returned home to California for residency training in Family Medicine at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. His immediate family all reside in Huntington Beach.
Dr Fishbein has been in the practice of family medicine for over 35 years in Irvine. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University, medical degree from Chicago Medical School, and completed his family medicine residency at Memorial Hospital of Long Beach.
Dr. Kim is the Medical Director of Family Care Centers, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Hoag Hospital, and a recipient of the Physicians of Excellence award from the Orange County Medical Association. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine, and has been practicing in our community for over 20 years.
Dr. Memon is a board certified Family Medicine physician and recently completed her fellowship in Geriatrics at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. She attended Saint George’s University, School of Medicine and completed her residency at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Her interest in medicine started at an early age and has since evolved into a passionate career.
Dr. Gina Nguyen obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UC Irvine where she graduated Suma Cum Laude. She went to USC Keck School of Medicine, and returned to UC Irvine for a Family Medicine Residency. Since 2005, she worked at Kaiser Permanente, VNCOC, and Family Care Center Urgent Care.
Dr. Williams is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine. He is a native to Orange County and returned home after completing his medical degree at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. After completing his residency in family practice he successfully completed a fellowship in sports medicine.
Dr. Hye Lee is a board-certified Family Practice Physician, affiliated with the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Osteopathic Family Practice.She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UC Riverside and earned her medical degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center. Afterward, she did her internship at Downey Regional Medical Center in California and has been a primary care physician since 2005.
Dr. Coyne is a board certified family practice physician and a California native. He completed his undergraduate degree at UCLA before earning his medical degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr Coyne spent 6 years in the US Air Force at Andrews and Luke Air Force bases, eventually separating as a Major. He enjoys working with patients of all ages.”
Dr. Jay Friehling is a Family Practice physician who has worked in Orange County since 1981. Born in Florida, he received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and then earned a Medical Degree at the New York Medical College.” His healthcare interests include Diabetes, Geriatric Care, and Hospice Care.
Dr. Jennifer Shoquist is board certified in Family Medicine. Her special interest is woman’s health and her practice accepts patients from 6 years old to seniors. Dr. Shoquist received her M.D. degree at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston in Houston, Texas, and did her residency with Memorial Family Practice at memorial Southwest Hospital in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Tom is a board certified family medicine physician and native Californian. He received his bachelors of science with great distinction in biochemistry and honors in chemistry. Dr. Tom was awarded a Regents Scholarship to attend medical school at UC Irvine.
Dr. Yan attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her Family Practice residency at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California. She joined Family Care Center in 2001. She chose Family Practice because she enjoys working with a wide variety of people and because it provides a unique opportunity for continuing care.
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