For acute bronchitis from a virus, you DO NOT need antibiotics. The infection will generally clear on its own within one week. Take the following steps for some relief:

• Take aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol) if you have a fever. DO NOT give children aspirin.
• Rest.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Use a humidifier or steam in the bathroom.
• DO NOT smoke.

If your symptoms do not improve, your doctor may prescribe an inhaler to open your airways. If your doctor thinks that you have a secondary bacterial infection, antibiotics will be prescribed.

For chronic bronchitis, the most important step you can take is to QUIT smoking. If caught early enough, you can reverse the damage to your lungs. Other important steps include:

• Limit your exposure to pollutants and other lung irritants.
• Get a flu vaccine each year and a pneumococcal vaccine one time.
• Attend a respiratory training program that includes physical activity and breathing exercises. Your doctor can recommend a medically appropriate and well-supervised program. If it is early in your disease process, you can likely exercise on your own; talk to your doctor about safety.

Your doctor will usually prescribe inhaled medicines for chronic bronchitis.

These drugs, which include bronchodilators like albuterol and ipratropium, open your constricted airways and aid in the clearance of mucus. An oral bronchodilator called theophylline and steroids (either inhaled or by mouth) are often necessary as well. If you have an active infection, your doctor will put you on antibiotics and sometimes recommend regular antibiotics to prevent infection.

If you have low oxygen levels, home oxygen will be used.

For acute bronchtitis, symptoms usually resolve within 7 to 10 days if you do not have an underlying lung disorder. However, a dry, hacking cough can linger for a number of months.

The chance for recovery is poor for advanced chronic bronchitis. Early recognition and treatment, combined with smoking cessation, improve the chance of a good outcome significantly.

Pneumonia can develop from either acute or chronic bronchitis. If you have chronic bronchitis, you are susceptible to recurrent upper respiratory infections. You may also develop:

• Right-sided heart failure or cor pulmonale
• Emphysema
• Pulmonary hypertension

Call your doctor if

• You are coughing up blood.
• You have a high fever or shaking chills.
• You have a low-grade fever for three or more days.
• You have thick, greenish mucus, especially if it has a bad smell.
• You feel short of breath or have chest pain.
• You have an underlying chronic illness, like heart or lung disease.
• You have a cough most days of the month or you have a frequently recurring cough.