Symptoms
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes. The leading symptom is a cough that is first dry and later often productive. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, sounds when breathing (whistling, rattling), feeling sick, hoarseness, fever, chest pain, and accompanying symptoms of the common cold or flu. The disease is usually self-limiting, so it passes on its own. The cough persists for 2 to 3 weeks, but may last for more than 2 months. It can cause muscle tension, headaches, and rib fractures. Other complications include sleep disturbances and bacterial superinfections. Existing respiratory conditions such as asthma may be exacerbated.
Causes
The cause of acute bronchitis is usually a viral infection affecting the respiratory tract. Pathogens include rhinoviruses, adenoviruses, parainfluenza viruses, RS or coronaviruses, and influenza viruses. Bacteria such as , or are also possible pathogens. They can cause superinfection. Rarely, fungal infection is also possible. Acute inhalational intoxications occur in accidents and fires and are a special form of acute bronchitis. They must be treated in the hospital.
Diagnosis
Numerous diseases or even medications can trigger cough. In the diagnosis, medical treatment must exclude in particular pneumonia, which is an inflammation of the lung tissue that mainly affects the alveolar space and/or the interstitium and is usually caused by bacteria. It may be suspected in the presence of fever, but the distinction cannot be made on the basis of symptoms alone.
Drug treatment
Drug treatment is based on symptoms. Causative treatment has been available only for bacterial bronchitis and influenza. Cough-irritant agents:
- Such as codeine, dextromethorphan, marshmallow, mallow, ribwort, Iceland moss, sundew or honey are used against dry irritable cough.
Expectorants:
- Such as acetylcysteine, carbocisteine, guaifenesin, bromhexine, ivy, thyme, primrose, eucalyptus or licorice are used as expectorants for coughs with viscous mucus.
Pelargonium sidoides:
- Is officially approved for acute bronchitis and has been studied in clinical trials. The extract can shorten the duration of the disease and relieve symptoms.
Inhalations:
- Of hot water, possibly with the addition of chamomile flowers or other herbal medicines relieve the discomfort.
Beta2-sympathomimetics:
- Such as salbutamol may be able to relieve cough and obstructive respiratory symptoms, but results of clinical trials are mixed. They should be used cautiously in children because of possible adverse effects.
Antibiotics:
- Are not usually indicated, because often there is a viral infection. At most, they should be used in a minority of patients in whom a bacterial pathogen is identified, for example, whooping cough.
Other options:
- NSAIDs, analgesics, inhaled glucocorticoids, neuraminidase inhibitors for influenza.
