Bronchitis, Antibiotics (Adult)

Bronchitis is inflammation and swelling of the air passages (bronchial tubes) in your lungs. This is often caused by an infection. Symptoms include a dry, hacking cough that is worse at night. The cough may bring up yellow-green mucus. You may also feel short of breath or wheeze. Other symptoms may include tiredness, chest discomfort and tightness, body aches, fever, and chills.

This illness can be spread to other people in the first few days. It is spread through the air by coughing and sneezing. It is also spread by direct contact. This means touching the sick person and then touching your own eyes, nose, or mouth.

Bronchitis is most often caused by a virus. It is not often treated with antibiotic medicine. But severe or long-term bronchitis may be treated with antibiotics. Other medicines may be given to help relieve symptoms. Symptoms can last up to two weeks. The cough may last much longer. It may signal another problem, such as asthma or pneumonia.

In most cases, antibiotics won't help you recover from bronchitis. Antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that cause illness. But bronchitis is caused by a virus most of the time. Antibiotics do not help cure a virus.

Follow these guidelines when caring for yourself at home:

• If an antibiotic is prescribed, take it exactly as directed. Do not stop taking it, even when you feel better. Finish all of the antibiotic medicine.
• If your symptoms are bad, rest at home for the first 2 to 3 days. When you go back to your daily tasks, don't let yourself get too tired.
• Don't smoke, vape, or use other tobacco or nicotine products. Stay away from secondhand smoke.
• You may use over-the-counter medicines to control fever or pain. Or use another medicine as prescribed. Talk with your doctor before using these medicines if you have chronic liver or kidney disease. Or if you have ever had a stomach ulcer or bleeding in your stomach or intestines. Also talk to your doctor if you are taking medicine to prevent blood clots. Aspirin should never be taken by anyone younger than age 18 who has a virus or fever. It may cause severe liver or brain damage, or even death.
• Your body needs a lot of fluids now. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluids per day. This includes water, soft drinks, sports drinks, juices, tea, or soup. Extra fluids will help loosen mucus in your nose and lungs.
• Your appetite may be low. A light diet is fine.
• Over-the-counter cough, cold, and sore-throat medicines will not shorten the length of the illness, but they may help ease symptoms. Don't use decongestants if you have high blood pressure.

Follow up with your doctor, as advised. If you had an X-ray or ECG (electrocardiogram), you will be told of any new test results that may affect your care.

Ask your doctor what vaccines you should get to prevent lung infections in the future. These may include the pneumococcal, influenza (flu), RSV, and COVID-19 vaccines. You're at higher risk of lung infection if any of these apply to you:

• Older age
• You have a chronic lung disease
• You have a condition that affects your immune system
• You smoke

Contact your doctor right away if have any of these:

• Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
• Coughing up more mucus
• Facial pain or ear pain
• Mild weakness, drowsiness, headache, or a stiff neck

Call 911 if any of these occur:

• Coughing up blood
• Weakness, drowsiness, headache, or stiff neck that gets worse
• Trouble breathing, wheezing, or pain with breathing
• Lips or skin looks blue, purple, or gray in color
• Feeling of doom