Acute Bronchitis: Treatment Overview

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Treatment Overview

Treatment for acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy people usually includes taking steps to reduce cough, fever, and pain. Prescription medicines, such as antibiotics, generally are not beneficial. If you already have a disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, or asthma, evaluation and treatment may be more extensive.

Most cases of acute bronchitis go away in 2 to 3 weeks, but some may last more than 4 weeks. Home treatment to relieve symptoms is usually all that is necessary. This includes:

• Relieving your cough by drinking fluids, using cough drops, and avoiding lung irritants. You may also use nonprescription cough suppressants, which may help you to stop coughing, and expectorants, which may make coughing easier so you can bring up mucus. Research on cough suppressants and expectorants does not show that they stop a cough, but some people might find them helpful. Do not give cough and cold medicines to a child younger than 2 unless your child’s doctor has told you to. If your child’s doctor tells you to give a medicine, be sure to follow what he or she tells you to do.
• Avoiding caffeine and alcohol, which cause you to lose extra fluid from your body and may lead to dehydration.
• Stopping smoking, if you smoke.
• Getting enough rest so your body has the energy needed to fight the infection. Generally, you feel better sooner if you rest more than usual while you have acute bronchitis.
• Using nonprescription medicine, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or aspirin, to relieve fever and body aches. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20.
• Breathing moist air from a humidifier, hot shower, or sink filled with hot water. The heat and moisture can help keep mucus in your airways moist so it can be coughed out easily.

If prescription medicines are required, they may include:

• Inhaled beta2-agonists, which open up (dilate) the airways and may relieve coughing in people who have a hard time breathing. But the possible benefit should be weighed against possible side effects of shaking, tremor, and nervousness.
• Antibiotics, which may be used to treat people who are at increased risk for complications from acute bronchitis. They may also be used if symptoms do not improve after using a beta2-agonist and home treatment. For acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy people, antibiotics generally are not beneficial. For more information, see:

  Should I take antibiotics for acute bronchitis?

What To Think About

Most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, which are not affected by antibiotics. Using antibiotics when they are not needed is expensive, it can lead to side effects from antibiotic therapy, and some bacteria may become resistant to the antibiotic. This resistance may make the antibiotic less effective the next time it is used. Talk to your doctor about antibiotics. Find out whether they are necessary and what their benefits and risks are in treating acute bronchitis.

It is important to seek medical care if you have a long-term (chronic) lung disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and you develop signs of acute bronchitis. Early treatment of acute bronchitis may prevent complications, such as pneumonia or repeated episodes of acute bronchitis caused by bacteria. This commonly occurs in people who smoke and in people with immune system problems, such as HIV infection, cystic fibrosis, and cancer.

Last updated:	July 23, 2008
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Robert L. Cowie, MB, FCP(SA), MD, MSc, MFOM - Pulmonology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC