Symptoms
The symptoms of both acute and chronic bronchitis are basically the same. In addition to the aforementioned cough and sore throat, many individuals may also experience shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness or discomfort. Bronchitis can also cause you to feel achy or fatigued and to experience a slight fever or chills.
Although individuals with acute bronchitis generally feel much better within 10 days, their cough may continue to persist for upwards of a month or so. However, if the cough persists for much more than a month, it is a good idea to see your doctor. This is especially true if you find yourself experiencing bronchitis frequently since this could be an indication that you have chronic bronchitis.
Chronic bronchitis is characterized by having a strong cough that produces mucus for a period of over three months multiple times in a two-year period. Still, it is important to note that many individuals with this condition won’t experience continuous symptoms, which is to say that their cough will generally improve and worsen at various times. In many cases, the reason for this is that the individual will occasionally suffer from an acute respiratory infection that thus worsens their chronic condition.
