Chronic bronchitis symptoms

Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
Updated on September 09, 2024
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Chronic bronchitis is also known as "old chronic bronchitis." From the name, it can be inferred that its cough and expectoration last for a long time and its onset is slow, which can manifest as acute exacerbation. The main symptoms of chronic bronchitis are cough and expectoration, either with or without wheezing. The cough in chronic bronchitis usually occurs in the morning, meaning that the cough is more pronounced upon waking up. The sputum is generally white, sticky, mucoid, or frothy, and may occasionally contain streaks of blood but generally is not associated with coughing up blood. In addition to coughing and expectoration, a small number of patients may experience wheezing or shortness of breath. In cases where the wheezing is more pronounced, it is also referred to as asthmatic bronchitis.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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Chronic Bronchitis Clinical Characteristics

Chronic bronchitis often presents with symptoms of coughing, which are long-term, recurrent, and progressively worsen. Coughing is a very prominent manifestation of this condition. For mild cases, symptoms typically flare up during the winter and spring seasons, especially noticeable upon waking in the morning, with less coughing during the day. In the summer and fall, the coughing may lessen or disappear. In severe cases, patients may experience coughing throughout the year. It's crucial to take note and, under a doctor's guidance, use corresponding anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medications, along with cough suppressants and expectorants to alleviate symptoms. Another characteristic is the presence of phlegm, typically white mucous sputum or serous foamy sputum. It's advised to use expectorants for treatment. During treatment, avoid smoking and alcohol, and maintain a light diet. Additionally, if there are symptoms of asthma or wheezing, it may be necessary to take medications to alleviate these symptoms. (Note: The answer is for reference only; medication should be administered under the guidance of a professional physician and should not be taken blindly.)

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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How to treat chronic bronchitis?

How to treat chronic bronchitis, first of all we need to know that chronic bronchitis can be divided into two phases, one is the remission phase, the other is the acute exacerbation phase. Since most patients are in the remission phase most of the time, that is, their symptoms of cough and expectoration are relatively stable, more or less the same every day, with no significant change in the amount and nature of the sputum, no purulent sputum, no significant increase in sputum, and no fever or other symptoms of infection. In such cases, the first step in treating chronic bronchitis patients is to target some possible causes of their condition, such as smokers must quit smoking. Most chronic bronchitis patients experience some relief in cough and expectoration after quitting smoking. Furthermore, some patients' chronic bronchitis may be due to exposure to dust or irritant gases. It is crucial to avoid contact with these harmful gases as much as possible. In addition, patients in a stable condition should engage in physical exercise, enhance their physical fitness, and prevent colds. Some chronic bronchitis patients who frequently suffer from respiratory infections can consider using immunomodulators or some traditional Chinese medicine to regulate immunity and enhance resistance. Additionally, since chronic bronchitis can acutely exacerbate, which means the patient’s condition has changed, their cough and expectoration frequency may increase, the amount of sputum may increase, or there may be some purulent sputum, or fever and other symptoms. In such cases, the primary treatment may still be infection control, commonly using antimicrobial drugs, often referred to as anti-inflammatory drugs. The types of anti-inflammatory drugs are numerous, the most common ones include penicillin, erythromycin, levofloxacin, amoxicillin, and some cephalosporins. In such cases, it is necessary to choose medication under the guidance of a doctor. Additionally, in these situations where the patient’s cough and expectoration are worsened, and sputum increases, medications for cough suppression and expectoration, commonly known as expectorants and cough relievers, are also needed. There are some proprietary Chinese medicines, such as licorice preparations, and Western medicines such as bromhexine and ambroxol as well. Moreover, a very small portion of patients may experience wheezing, meaning some patients might also have symptoms like chest tightness and shortness of breath. In such cases, it would be necessary to use bronchodilators under the guidance of a doctor, such as theophylline or doxophylline, and these medications must be used under medical supervision.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Does chronic bronchitis hurt?

Chronic bronchitis, commonly known as "chronic bronchitis", generally does not involve pain. The main symptoms of chronic bronchitis are coughing and expectorating phlegm, which may or may not be accompanied by wheezing. The coughing and expectorating in chronic bronchitis are typically long-term and gradual, with recurrent episodes. The symptoms are usually more pronounced in the morning, characterized by white, sticky phlegm, and generally do not involve chest pain or pain in other areas. If a patient with chronic bronchitis experiences pain in various parts of the body, it is typically considered that they might have other concurrent illnesses.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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Is chronic bronchitis treatable?

Chronic bronchitis exists, but before treating it, we must first have a correct understanding of the disease. Chronic bronchitis is a long-term illness that can have a slow onset and may last for decades, with the possibility of acute exacerbations throughout one's life. Moreover, there is no cure for chronic bronchitis yet. Currently, the treatment for patients with chronic bronchitis mainly depends on the stage of the disease and its symptoms. Most of the time, patients are in the remission phase. The primary treatment during this phase involves addressing risk factors. For instance, patients who smoke must quit smoking, as most patients experience significant relief from cough and phlegm after quitting. Additionally, patients with a history of dust exposure or harmful gas exposure should avoid further contact as much as possible. Furthermore, when the condition is stable, patients may engage in physical exercise to improve their physical condition and prevent colds. A small number of patients may experience respiratory infections and repeated aggravations, in which case, consider using immunomodulators or traditional Chinese medicine as adjunctive therapies. Patients with chronic bronchitis may experience acute exacerbations of their condition, meaning an increase in cough and phlegm, or the appearance of purulent sputum that is difficult to expectorate. In these cases, the main treatment method is still anti-infection therapy. Commonly used anti-infection medications include quinolones, macrolides, and cephalosporins. Some patients may experience frequent and severe cough and phlegm, and have difficulty expectorating the mucus. In such cases, mucolytic and cough suppressant medications are required for symptomatic treatment, commonly using drugs such as ambroxol, bromhexine, and eucalyptus menthol. A few patients may also experience wheezing, known as asthmatic bronchitis, which may require the use of anti-asthmatic medications such as aminophylline and various nebulized medications. (Note: The use of specific medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Liu Xiao Li
Pulmonology
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How to treat chronic bronchitis?

Chronic bronchitis is divided into acute exacerbation phase and remission phase. The treatment during acute exacerbation mainly focuses on controlling infections, and administrating antitussive, expectorant, and asthma-relieving medications. To control infections, antibiotics are empirically selected based on the common pathogens in the area. If the pathogen can be cultured, an antibiotic sensitive to the organism can be chosen based on the test. Oral administration is generally sufficient. In severe cases, medication can be administered intravenously. Patients with asthma are given bronchodilators. During the remission phase, treatment involves quitting smoking, avoiding inhalation of harmful gases and other harmful particles, strengthening physical health, preventing colds, and for patients with repeated respiratory infections, vaccines or immunomodulators may be administered to enhance immunity.