Bronchitis: Contagiousness, Remedies, Chronic Cough

Bronchitis is acute (sudden onset and temporary) or chronic (ongoing) inflammation of the bronchi. The bronchi are the large tubes that carry air from the trachea to the lungs. The inflammation triggers a cough that often produces mucus.

Many people wonder if bronchitis is contagious. Technically, the answer is no. However, while bronchitis itself is not contagious, some of the viral or bacterial infections that cause it can be.

This article explains bronchitis symptoms, treatment, when it is contagious, and when to see a healthcare provider.

Bronchitis Cough: How Symptoms Present

Acute and chronic bronchitis have the same symptoms, including:

• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Fever (usually lower than 100.4 degrees F)
• Shortness of breath
• Wet cough
• Wheezing

With acute bronchitis, symptoms usually resolve in two to three weeks. However, chronic bronchitis symptoms can last for months. Lung disease is usually the cause of chronic bronchitis.

Bronchitis With Lung Disease

While acute bronchitis develops from respiratory illnesses, like a cold, the flu, or COVID-19, chronic bronchitis develops over time from chronic lung conditions. It is included in the umbrella term “chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).”

Risk factors for developing chronic bronchitis include:

Quick Relief for Bronchitis

How do you get rid of a bronchitis infection quickly? Home remedies for acute bronchitis include:

• Rest: Take naps, go to bed early, and take time off from work and school if you are able.
• Fluids: Drinking enough fluids is recommended. Especially with a fever, you want to prevent dehydration.
• Steam: Bend over a bowl of hot water, take a hot bath, sit in a steam room (or a bathroom with a hot shower running). Doing so may reduce respiratory symptoms. But take care to avoid accidental steam burns, especially when using a bowl of scalding water (and never use this method with children).
• Humidifier: Like steam, a humidifier can help reduce respiratory symptoms by keeping the air moist. With children, opt for the cool mist variety to avoid scald burns.
• Saline (salt and water) drops or rinses: You may have nasal congestion due to the cause of acute bronchitis, such as a virus or particulate matter. Saline nasal drops can help relieve a stuffy nose. In addition, research has found that nasal irrigation with saline significantly improved oxygen saturation in infants with bronchiolitis (infection of the small airways, affecting infants under 2).
• Salt water: Gargling can help soothe a sore throat and reduce swelling.
• Garlic: A study found that garlic supplements may reduce the incidence of upper respiratory infections and reduce the duration of symptoms in those with upper respiratory infections.
• Honey: Honey may soothe a sore throat, reduce symptoms of an upper respiratory infection like coughing, and, due to its antimicrobial properties, act as a natural antibiotic. However, never give honey to a baby under 12 months because of the risk of botulism.

With Bronchitis, When Is It Contagious?

Bronchitis itself is not contagious, in that if you have bronchitis, you won’t transmit bronchitis to another person. However, you can transmit some of the causes of bronchitis, which can produce a respiratory illness in another person. That illness may not progress to bronchitis.

Viral Transmission

Viral infections are the most common cause of acute bronchitis. If bronchitis is caused by a viral infection, the viral infection that caused it can be passed to others.

Some viruses that may lead to bronchitis include:

Bacterial Transmission

Bacteria are a less common cause of acute bronchitis, accounting for fewer than 1 in 20 cases. These bacteria can be transmitted to others and may cause a respiratory infection. Bacterial causes include:

Noncontagious Risk Factors

Risk factors for noncontagious chronic bronchitis include:

• Air pollution
• Being over 40 years old
• Chemical fumes and dust
• A genetic condition called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (which makes you more susceptible to lung damage from environmental pollutants)
• Smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke

When to See a Provider for Bronchitis

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises seeking medical attention for acute bronchitis in the following situations:

• You have a fever higher than 100.4 degrees F.
• You cough up bloody mucus.
• You experience shortness of breath or have difficulty breathing.
• Your symptoms do not resolve after three weeks.
• You have recurrent bronchitis.

To diagnose bronchitis, a healthcare provider will take your medical history and symptoms and may order some tests. Common diagnostic tests include a viral swab, chest X-ray, and blood tests.

How to Treat Acute Bronchitis

Treatment for an acute infection includes the at-home remedies mentioned above and medications for bronchitis. These medications could include:

• Over-the-counter medications to relieve cough and break up mucus
• Inhaled albuterol (quick-relief medication for asthma symptoms)
• Antibiotics (if bacteria cause the infection)

How to Manage Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is not contagious, so you don’t need to worry about exposing someone else to it. Managing chronic bronchitis differs from treating acute bronchitis and involves treatments to prevent complications and slow progression.

Some management strategies include:

• Antibiotics (to treat bacterial infections)
• Bronchodilators (to widen the airways)
• Oxygen therapy (to help with breathing)
• Pulmonary rehabilitation (to help people get better lung function through lifestyle choices)
• Steroids (to reduce inflammation)
• Surgery (to remove damaged lung tissue)
• Vaccines (to prevent respiratory illness)

Why Do Bronchitis Symptoms Come Back?

There is no cure for bronchitis. Instead, acute bronchitis must heal after a respiratory infection, and chronic bronchitis requires various management strategies.

Chronic bronchitis recurs because the airways become permanently damaged and never fully heal. Swelling and tissue thickening may narrow the lungs.

In addition, damaged air sacs lose their ability to stretch and shrink back. Mucus in the airways can block airflow, making it difficult to breathe.

Steps to Minimize Bronchitis Flares

The best thing to do to prevent chronic bronchitis flares is to avoid the things that trigger them. Common triggers include:

• Air pollution
• Dust and chemicals
• Extreme temperatures
• High humidity
• High pollen counts
• Respiratory infections like the cold, flu, or COVID-19
• Smoke
• Strong fragrances or perfumes
• Weather changes

Summary

Bronchitis may be acute or chronic. Acute bronchitis resolves in a couple of weeks, while chronic bronchitis may last for months and come and go. At-home therapies and medicines can help reduce the symptoms of bronchitis. If your symptoms do not resolve within three weeks, it’s time to see a healthcare provider.