What is Bronchitis?

Causes

In the vast majority of cases, acute bronchitis is caused by a virus, such as influenza or the common cold. However, the acute form of the condition may also be caused by a bacterial infection like pneumonia or whooping cough, but this is generally much more common when there is a current outbreak.

Either way, an infected person is likely to experience a cough and other symptoms of their bronchitis for some time after they’ve gotten over their other illness. It takes some time for the bronchial inflammation and irritation to fully go away.

By far the most common cause of chronic bronchitis is smoking. This is because, over time, all of that smoke that a person inhales can eventually cause damage to the bronchi and lead to them being permanently inflamed. Still, smoking is not the only possible cause. Long-term exposure to dust, chemical fumes and air pollution can also damage the bronchi in a similar way and thus result in chronic bronchitis. Exposure to these various irritants can happen either from the environment or the workplace, which is why people living in extremely polluted areas and those who work in certain professions are also more at risk of developing this condition.