What is the difference between bronchitis and a chest infection

There are two types of bronchitis: acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis usually goes away within a few days to a few weeks. Chronic bronchitis is one form of COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and can occur for several months at a time; treatment can improve symptoms, but not cure them. Industrial bronchitis refers to a condition which can affect certain people who are regularly exposed to fumes, dust, or smoke. The airways become irritated and result in coughing and mucus production.

Symptoms may go away on their own, or medication or air filters especially face masks may be required to improve symptoms. Your doctor can diagnose bronchitis by assessing your symptoms as well as listening to your chest with a stethoscope for the rattling sound in your lungs which accompanies bronchitis.

Pneumonia is an infection of one or both lungs which can result from bacteria, viruses, or fungi. These can be acquired by airborne sources such as sneezing or coughing , or can occur when bacteria or viruses in the nose and sinuses spread to the lungs. Much like bronchitis, people with pneumonia will experience a cough which brings up mucus, as well as a shortness of breath.

Pneumonia may similarly be accompanied by a fever — although the fever may be high, unlike bronchitis. Pneumonia may also cause confusion, clammy or sweaty skin, headache, malaise, loss of appetite, sharp chest pain, or leukonychia white nail syndrome. Bronchitis occurs when air-carrying tubes in your lungs become inflamed, often after a viral infection such as a cold or the flu, says Dr.

As these airways called bronchioles swell, they begin to fill with icky-and-sticky mucus. In response, you cough… and cough… and cough. That frequent hacking often brings up that yellow-green mucus from your lungs. That off-putting color is a key sign of infection.

Chronic bronchitis lasts for at least three months and recurs in multiple years. It can be brought on by an initial respiratory infection, exposure to tobacco smoke or other irritating things in the air around you. Acute bronchitis often starts with a viral infection such as a cold. Smoking can help launch the illness and make it worse. Acute bronchitis typically lasts 10 to 14 days, with some symptoms lingering for three weeks.

Acute bronchitis can be contagious and spread by all of that coughing. It can be picked up through droplets in the air or by touching contaminated surfaces. Chronic bronchitis is less likely to be passed along.

Although most are mild and get better on their own, some can be serious or even life-threatening. You may also experience more general symptoms of an infection, such as a headache , fatigue, sweating, loss of appetite, or joint and muscle pain.

A chest infection is an infection of the lungs or airways. The main types of chest infection are bronchitis and pneumonia. These infections are usually spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. This launches tiny droplets of fluid containing the virus or bacteria into the air, where they can be breathed in by others. The infections can also be spread to others if you cough or sneeze onto your hand, an object or a surface, and someone else shakes your hand or touches those surfaces before touching their mouth or nose.

Read more about the causes of bronchitis and the causes of pneumonia. Many chest infections aren't serious and get better within a few days or weeks. You won't usually need to see your GP, unless your symptoms suggest you have a more serious infection see below.

Avoid cough medicines, as there's little evidence they work, and coughing actually helps you clear the infection more quickly by getting rid of the phlegm from your lungs. Antibiotics aren't recommended for many chest infections, because they only work if the infection is caused by bacteria, rather than a virus. Your GP will usually only prescribe antibiotics if they think you have pneumonia, or you're at risk of complications such as fluid building up around the lungs pleurisy.

If there's a flu outbreak in your local area and you're at risk of serious infection, your GP may also prescribe antiviral medication. Medically reviewed by Elaine K. Luo, M. However, they each affect different parts of your lungs: Bronchitis affects the bronchial tubes that carry air to your lungs.

Pneumonia affects the air sacs, called alveoli, where oxygen passes into your blood. Pneumonia causes these air sacs to fill with fluid or pus. In addition, bronchitis comes in two forms: Acute bronchitis is an infection caused by viruses and sometimes bacteria. Chronic bronchitis is a long-term inflammation in your lungs. What are the symptoms?

What causes bronchitis and pneumonia? How bronchitis and pneumonia are diagnosed. How bronchitis and pneumonia are treated. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Bronchitis: Is it Contagious?