Is acute bronchitis asthma?

Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
Updated on March 12, 2025
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Acute bronchitis and bronchial asthma, although both are bronchial disorders, are not the same disease; acute bronchitis is not asthma. Acute bronchitis is an acute inflammation of the bronchial mucosa caused by various pathogenic factors, with common symptoms being fever, cough, and expectoration. Some patients may also experience chest tightness and wheezing. Treatment primarily involves antibiotics and cough suppressants with expectorants. Asthma, on the other hand, is characterized by chronic inflammation of the airways, high reactivity, and widespread variable reversible airflow limitation, with clinical manifestations mainly including recurrent episodes of wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, or coughing. Treatment primarily involves bronchodilators such as theophylline, receptor agonists, and anti-inflammatory medications represented by corticosteroids, thus the treatments also differ.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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Can you not exercise with acute bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis has a relatively rapid onset and occurs fairly frequently. It typically causes clinical symptoms such as fever, cough, sputum, shortness of breath, and wheezing. During an acute episode of bronchitis with fever, it is generally not advisable to engage in strenuous exercise, as the body’s ability to dissipate heat is already compromised due to the fever. Continuing to exercise might lead to a rapid increase in body temperature because intense physical activity enhances heat production while the cooling functions are relatively diminished. Therefore, it is not recommended to exercise during the feverish phase of acute bronchitis. Exercise can be considered when the body temperature returns to normal and other clinical symptoms have significantly improved.

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Written by Liu Jing Jing
Pulmonology
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Can acute bronchitis cause coughing up blood?

Acute bronchitis can potentially lead to coughing up blood. This is because acute bronchitis involves the infection of the bronchi by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria, and mycoplasma, leading to congestion and swelling of the airway mucosa. Patients often exhibit symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, and fever. If coughing is severe, it could rupture small blood vessels, causing symptoms of coughing up blood. If blood is present in the cough, hemostatic treatment is needed. However, not all instances of coughing up blood are due to acute bronchitis. Other possible causes of coughing up blood include lung tumors, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and pulmonary embolism. Therefore, if symptoms of coughing up blood occur, chest X-rays or a chest CT scan should be conducted to confirm the diagnosis.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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What to do about vomiting with acute bronchitis?

Acute bronchitis is often seen in patients with weakened immune systems, or who accidentally catch cold. It frequently occurs in infants and young children who generally have lower immune functions. The invasion of pathogens into the respiratory tract can lead to various symptoms including fever, cough, phlegm, and breathing difficulties. During the acute phase of bronchitis, intense coughing due to the vigorous nature of the cough can increase gastric pressure. Therefore, sometimes after eating, patients may experience vomiting in conjunction with severe coughing. At this time, prompt treatment with anti-infection measures, cough suppression, and expectorants can naturally lead to improvement in vomiting.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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Can you run with acute bronchitis?

It is not recommended to run when suffering from acute bronchitis. For this condition, it is usually necessary to rest. During the acute phase of the illness, running and similar physical exercises are not advised as they can be detrimental to the patient's condition. Patients with acute bronchitis should also pay attention to maintaining a light diet, avoiding spicy and irritating foods. Appropriate symptomatic treatment should be given, such as using cough suppressant medications. If a patient has persistent cough symptoms or develops purulent sputum, it’s crucial to check for the possible presence of pneumonia. This may require a chest CT and a complete blood count. If the patient has bacterial pneumonia, antibiotic treatment is necessary. Moreover, it is important to note that although patients with acute bronchitis should not run during the acute phase, running and exercising regularly, enhancing nutrition, and avoiding staying up late are measures that can help prevent acute bronchitis.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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Can you exercise with acute bronchitis?

Common symptoms of acute bronchitis include coughing and expectoration. Some patients may experience chest tightness and shortness of breath. It is generally advised to rest during the illness period, as exercise is not recommended. Exercise increases lung capacity and the volume of air entering and leaving the airways, which can directly stimulate the respiratory tract, leading to worsened symptoms such as coughing and chest tightness. Additionally, after physical activity, the consumption of oxygen increases, which may lead to breathing through the mouth. This means the air bypasses the nasal cavity's filtering and warming, directly irritating the respiratory tract and exacerbating the symptoms of acute bronchitis. Therefore, it is advised to rest and avoid exercise, especially high-intensity activities, during an episode of acute bronchitis.