Bronchitis, a Breathing Disease
Bronchitis is the swelling in the passage of the windpipe, which in turn connect to the lungs. Bronchitis starts with the irritation in the bronchial tubes. Then, there is a formation of mucus. The mucus deposit blocks the air passage. This creates problem in breathing.
Type of Bronchitis
There are two types of Bronchitis:
1. Acute Bronchitis
2. Chronic Bronchitis
Acute Bronchitis occurs due to severe cold and stays for a shorter period of time. But Chronic Bronchitis usually is the pain in the chest. This is accompanied by cough and fever. There is a difficulty in breathing too in case of chronic bronchitis.
Effects of Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic Bronchitis lasts for a long time and mucus is released during cough. The patients find it difficult to breathe for a longer time. The level of difficulty may vary from person to person. They may fall sick due to lung infections too. The other names of this disease are ‘chronic obstructive lung disease’ and ‘chronic obstructive air passage disease’. The difficulty lies in respiration in the body of the patient. Let us analyze, is Bronchitis contagious or not?
Is Bronchitis contagious?
It is extremely true. It is contagious disease. The virus can transfer the disease when you sneeze or cough. In the initial stage, there is a swelling in the air passage. At this time, there is no formation of virus. When the bacteria released by the patients through sneeze and cough spreads through the air, the disease gets spread to others around. The infected person should consult a physician immediately and get medicines. Otherwise it leads to pneumonia too. Both the types of Bronchitis are contagious. The viral infection is powerful and it may affect the healthy people around through indirect and direct contacts.
How to Prevent Bronchitis?
By following healthy and hygienic daily routine, we can prevent the disease from spreading. Cleanliness is very important. As virus lies everywhere, wash your hands before meals and after using the toilets. Do not spread the infection in the air by sneezing and coughing. Use a hand towel, if you are having such a problem. Asthmatic patients develop acute Bronchitis. Taking antibiotics is the best solution to get relief from acute Bronchitis. Only such medicines can work well with viral infections. Take the advice of doctor for the consumption of medicines and follow the dosage and duration strictly. Other than taking medicines, take lot of fluids and bed rest is important for the patients. Antibiotics are is helpful in preventing further infections. Asthma patients can consult a doctor and get themselves medicated in such scenarios. They can take the medicines regularly and use the inhaler for fast relief. This will widen the passage of respiratory organs and affected person can feel more comfortable.
Get to know the reality on IsBronchitisContagious and prevent yourself from falling into the rap of broncitis with ease. Read more about seasonal allergy symptoms with our Health Partners
FAQ. Bronchitis Info
How to treat bronchitis?
- Adhere to the following tips and this would help you lots in treating bronchitis
- Minimize your exposure to irritants. Quit smoking
- A vaporizer can ease your breathing difficulty
- Let your mouth and nose not be exposed to cool air around
- Hot bath can relax you lots before sleeping
- Take proper medication on time and avoid taking too much of cough syrup
- Increase fluid intake and stop taking diary products sugar rich food and processed food items to alleviate the allergic reaction
Who discovered bronchitis?
The first case of broncitis was discovered in 1808. The term bronchitis was coined by Charles Badham in the year 1808. However, Greeks have been suing the term ‘excess phlegm’ to refer to this lung problem earlier.
How to prevent bronchitis?
Wash your hands and legs as often as you can especially when you roam around and come back home. Minimize your exposure to pollutants. Use a mask to cover your mouth and nose. Ensure that your immunity is high and get your vaccinations on time
How long does bronchitis last?
Bronchitis symptoms are generally visible for 1-2 weeks timeframe. However, the cough and sneezing can continue for a few weeks too. It is very contagious during the first one week.
What is chronic bronchitis?
Bronchitis is the inflammation of the lungs. This often causes constriction to the air passage in and out of the lungs. The cilia that is present adjoining the air passage secrete mucus and obstruct the passage of air thereby leading to suffocation. When this continues to be present for around a few months timeframe, then it is termed as chronic bronchitis. Smoking has been proven to be the main cause of chronic bronchitus.
What causes bronchitis
Bronchitis is caused by bacteria and viruses. Rhino virus, influenza and adenoviridae are a few that can cause bronchitis. However, chronic bronchitis is often caused due to the habit of smoking. Occupational exposure to pollutants has also been determined to be the cause of brochitis.
How do you get bronchitis?
Bronchitis is caused usually by bacterial or viral infections. However, it is contagious and can also be caused just by being in touch with the infected person. Second hand smoke can even result in accumulation of irritants in the air passage which in turn can result in broncitis
204 responses to “Is Bronchitis Contagious”
I liked it. So much useful material. I read with great interest.
I was just curious as to how you came to the conclusions listed in your article? What was your initial intention? To scare the living crap out of people, make people lose jobs, or just to simply misinform the masses?
First off, I have chronic bronchitis. It is NOT contagious. It is caused by an infection or an irritation that enters the lung cavity, like smoking or working in a dusty environment. The virus is what is contagious but once you begin exibiting acute bronchitis, you have already spread the contagion from the cold or flu bug you just got over. Also, the recovery period is 2-4 weeks, not 1-2.
When putting health information out for people to use as a guide for their life, I would suggest citing your references unless you are a doctor, and then you should provide your qualifications.
PS. I would prefer not to be emailed or added to any junk lists please and thank you!
Bronchitis is not contagious. The flu or cold virus that you would have had 4-6 days prior to the onset of bronchitis is what would be contagious.
i had the worst fever n head felt like it would explode with every cough, chest hurt n still does 6 days later
the fever still returns less severe when i take myself off the over the counter pain n fever pills etc
although i do not smoke, is the fever solely associated with Chronic or can someone still have the fever with Acute bronchitis- i guess my sinus infection n blocked eustacian Left side tube do not help either 🙂
thanks
i guess i’ve had it for about 2 weeks now and didnt know. i have kissed my girlfriend a lot during this time frame. she i be extremely worried she has it? and how long should i avoid kissing her to ensure she wont get it? or if she already does how long should i wait. I feel terrible right now because i think she already has it =/ help please?
Yeah, absolutely… a friend of mine had this happen to him. It wasn’t a pretty picture!
Why do you have to wash your legs? I understand to wash your hands, but your legs??
It is correct that some forms of bronchitis are bacterial, some are viral. Antibiotics will only work with bacterial, and not always in those cases. Changing your lifestyle and eating habits to improve immune system function can do a lot to help, and there are herbal remedies that are quite effective during outbreaks.
My brother has bronchitis, how can I keep from getting it?
The entire section describing preventative measures for bronchitis is completely inaccurate and should not be utilized. Viral infections CANNOT be cleared up with antibiotics..etc.
Is there a lot of vomiting involved with bronchitis? If so is there a way to minimize the frequent vomiting?
please what type of herbal remedies are there
Generally there is not a lot of vomiting due to Bronchitis. When there is vomiting it is usually caused by the gag reflex being aggravated from extreme coughing and that’s when vomiting occurs. Thus being the reason why Inhalers are prescribed, they help control the cough and open the air ways.
I know for myself and my children having a humidifier pumping moisture into the air and tea help relieve some of the coughing.
I have chronic bronchitis can be contagious for my family? thank you!
I have had bronchitis for eleven days now. I went to the doctor on day two and she diagnosed bronchitis and prescribed cough medicine and an antibiotic. I continued to run a low grade fever 99-100.3 so missed work all week and returned on day six to the doctor. She said possible pneumonia, changed meds to another antibiotic, prednisone and albuterol inhaler. Still ran low grade fever and returned to doctor on day nine, changed prednisone dosage to higher, changed albuterol to a nebulizer, ordered chest xray. Still running low grade fever in evening. Chest xray showed no pneumonia just bronchitis. Have missed a week and a half of work (school teacher), was planning to go back half days for the remainder of this week and then resume full days next week but what if my fever continues this evening rise. Is it okay to go to work or not?
I have had bronchitis four to five times, and each time have been on antibiotics. This may have been done due to misinformation at the time, but I believe I would have gotten a lot worse without them. My mother was sick for a week or two and finally saw the doctor and was told she had pneumonia with bronchitis. It isn’t wise to wait it out that long. I am sick now. I had a cold for two weeks. I was feeling pretty much normal except for a nagging cough. Then I spiked a 101 F fever. My nasal passages became inflamed and it became unbearable to sleep because I’d wake up in the middle of the night coughing. I have been taking Mucus pills to unplug my nose and help my cough, have been using a vaporizor to help me breathe and not worsen my asthma. I can’t take Sudafed (which helps me the most) due to a thyroid condition. I still have my tonsils. So, all in all, my cold has now turned into an infectious disease. I am not a chronic doctor going person and only go if I feel my absolute worst. I think seeing your doctor and accepting antibiotics, if recommended, is the wisest thing you can do. Don’t deny antibiotics if you’re being told to take them. There’s an obvious reason for it. If you want to beat bronchitis, exercising and staying away from air pollutants/allergens will help most. There’s always two sides to every story.
bronchitis is swellin gof the broncholes (tubes in the lungs) different from laryngitis shwelling of the larnyx (voice box)
Thanks for the information. Why is washing legs important? Or, is it only after using the toilet(I understand that.) and before eating also?
I have just been diagnosed with chronic bronchitis (no i don’t smoke and never have) and have had it several times a year for 15-20 years. I have NEVER passed it on to anyone, including my hsband in that time. According to my doctor, it’s not contagious at all and, being a teacher, I take that part very seriously.
my little boy whoes 1 has bronchitis can me and my partner catch it ?
I get bronchitis quite a few times a year, yes I am a smoker. I always am around people when I have it but none of my friends or family members have gotten it. It’s not like when you have it you are sneezing or coughing in anyones face so I dont think it is a big deal.
I’m glad that none of your family members have gotten it from you. However, it doesn’t matter that you are not coughing or sneezing right in their faces, germs pass through the air. I believe that bronchitis IS contagious. I’ve gotten bronchitis from people before, and trust me, I don’t let anyone cough in my face. As person with a chronic lung disease (Cystic Fibrosis), I see things a bit differently and do think that it’s a big deal.
Yes you and your partner can both catch it. to be safe take him to a doctor and get him meds. But in order for you two not to get it I recomend that you wash his hands and legs SO often, even when he wakes up in the morning and goes to sleep at night. Give him lots of tylenol to so he doesnt cough as much. BTW is he coughing up anthing??
Is he coughing up anything?
Hey I’m sure it’s important to you not to get your class sick so from the things I’ve read on many web sites and heard from my doc you might want to stay home the next time it’s acting up. See I have lupus and this is something that can put me back in the hospital and fast. Thank you for being so caring about this but you might want to talk with another doctor and see if there is something you can do to help you and save your class!
I have bronchitis also, currently, yes I’m a smoker but I wasnt at the age of 2. I got it every year as a child and now I’m 50, it’s still the same and my family I live with do not get it, so I assume I am not contagious after all these years. Also my lungs are not damaged and a pulmonologist tested me for 2 years ,different tests. I do not have COPD.
antibiotics only help bacterial infections, not viruses. You just have to let the virus run its course.
This post becomes immediately suspect when it claims that a viral infection spreads BACTERIA with the coughing and sneezing. To quote from above: “The virus can transfer the disease when you sneeze or cough. In the initial stage, there is a swelling in the air passage. At this time, there is no formation of virus. When the bacteria released by the patients through sneeze and cough spreads through the air, the disease gets spread to others around.”
hello i became very ill with the normal virus (fever) only not any cold as such , but my doctor examined me and said he is feeling a little cold in my chest, however after a few days i develop this terrible cold, coughing etc, he then said after another visit that i have bronchitis very bad, i was put on the nebilizer machine for axygen to my lungs to health me with breathing etc also given a little machine to use at home to help me with clearing up of my lungs, hea also said its not contagious, how much truth is this????
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Well I don’t care what anyone says because according to my girls it IS very contagious.One was just diagnosed a few days ago and now the other is showing the same exact symptoms only worse in severity. I have done everything in my power to keep them apart including setting up a bed in the living room so they are not sleeping in the same room. I have made sure they were not in the same room as each other. Which now seems I was too late on separating them. I myself have to be careful when it comes to any respiratory illnesses because having asthma they easily turn to pneumonia with me.
Again with the legs? What sense dose that make? I don’t wipe my nose with my thigh.
Interesting article! I’m just getting back into things and love positive articles – physical and mental well being are keys to a life well lived.
If anyone is interested in natural cures for bronchitis, please see the website mothernature.com and then do a search on their website for bronchitis. Lots of good information that you can try, if you’d like. I’m not a doctor and I’m not affiliated with the above website. I just did a search today (March 13, 2010) on alternative cures for bronchitis and then checked out mothernature.com. Hope it helps.
Are you taking stop-smoking medications? How long were you a smoker before quitting? Could be nicotine withdrawals, go to a doctor though.
I have been diagnosed with bronchitus wed march 17th and started my antibiotics since then my son will be visiting this sunday march 28th will I still be contagiuos if I dont cough around or near him I really thought if I’M being treated I’m not contagious anymore is this true???? please reply thank you.
I’ve had it for over a month, twice to the doc. Changed anti. and predison, felt ok for a couple of days, Sat. woke up and all stopped up again, still on antibio. Had my grandson over last Thurs. he seems to be ok, at least I hope he does not come down with it, my husband hasn’t caught it from me for over a month.
I think i have bronchitis. my teacher has and i am worried for my heatlh. I’m not happy!!!
Chronic bronchitis is different from acute bronchitis, and it is not communicable.
I’ve been told by a few Doctors that I am not contagious. I was diagnosed with bronchitis 3 weeks ago, I have two young children who have no symptoms of it. Even as a young child I had bronchitis at least 2 times a year. This time, the first day I was diagnosed with it, I was given a shot of steroids to help me get over it ‘quicker,’ an inhaler and a a Z-Pack. A week later I was wheezing even worse and went to an After Hours Clinic because I couldn’t get in to see my Doctor and they gave me a steroid dose pack and an antibiotic. Here I am in week 3 and my breathing is getting even worse. I’m not wheezing as much but the shortness of breath is worse and I feel tight in my chest. But still, my children are not showing any symptoms, thank goodness!!
I have chronic bronchitis all the time and don’t know what to do about it. I think I have it all the time. And when it really flares up I get the worse chest cold and cough. I don’t smoke, I don’t burn fuels for heat in my home, I have a heat pump. I need to find the right herbal remedy to help control it. When I go to the doctor she give me antibiotics. I had it bad in December and now in March. Please any suggestion will be appreciated.
I think i might have bronchitis, a friend i work with was diagnosed with it last wednesday and i saw her once that day before she went to the docs. But i’ve been ill since wednesday. I have experienced headaches from coughing so much and the cough seems quite bad now.. Also had a fever. Not sure if i just have a common cold though, any1 think i might have bronchitis??
Just because your family and those you work with you do not catch your bronchitis does not make you non-contagious. I am writting from my Moms hospital room.She currently is hospitalized because someone thought they were not contaious and were.She is a 75 yr old cancer pt. The person who gave it to her had contact with many people and only infected a few but had this person stayed home only his family members would have been exposed.I am sorry to say this to folks that think it is okay to go to work sick but you piss me off!There are 2 kids in this hospital who were infected by this same person both are under age 5.I sat with their Moms tonight after we were told their kids have the same virus as my Mom.We talked and found out the same company had worked on all of our homes, and it was the same crew of guys.All of the crew had been coughing so I had asked if any were sick, they all had said it was smokers cough in the begining of the day… but one of the guys later in the day said one of the others was sick. Less than 48 hours later my Mom was sick. I learned these kids got sick at the same time.The guy who worked on our house was only at our house long enough to rip out a carpet.
What kind of advice is being given on this site?? “Taking antibiotics is the best solution to get relief from acute Bronchitis. Only such medicines can work well with viral infections.” EVERYONE knows that antibiotics DO NOT work on viral infections! and that most acute bronchitis is VIRAL. What other misinformation is printed here?
I currently have bronchitis. Going on for the 3rd week. I don’t smoke cigerretes but I do smoke Marijuana, not as much as smokers smoke cigarretes but I do smoke.
I haven’t had bronchitis since I was a child.
Why is it that people listen to their relatives? Bronchitis according to DOCTORS and Medical Professionals is NOT CONTAGIOUS. It is an issue an inflamation of your tubes, which get covered by muccus. However, because of your weak state you may become infected by something that CAN be passed on to others when you sneeze or cough, BRONCHITIS IS NOT CONTAGIOUS. Those of you who think or believe it is are WRONG.
yeah people that go to work that get other people sick, well hey douche, nowadays people have to go to work to make money. as long as you try and stay healthy you’ll be fine. people get sick all the time. yes cancer is horrible and im sorry.
I’ve been smoking for about six years now and my girlfriend got sick from some one at her work, she’s fine now but i’ve been coughing up spots of blood and mucus for about 2 weeks now, is this bronchitis?
Although I agree, people who are sick should stay home, for people like myself who have chronic bronchitis getting it at least once every 2 months due to a weak immune system, asthma and weak lungs from chronic croup as a kid it is hard to call out of work every time you are sick. Your superiors start thinking you are lieing and won’t allow you to call out, so a lot of times it is not the person who is sick that is the culprit it is the big wigs in the world that believe being sick doesnt matter and you need to be at work. I am a manager so most of the time I cannot call out when there is no-one to come in for me, working different shifts and having no back up person because your work will not hire in some-one to cover a position that is open when someone else left is the problem. It’s today’s society and the lack of jobs that cause the problems not the sick people.
This confirms the presence of obstructive airways disease of which chronic bronchitis is one type.
nnoooooooooooooooo!!! I believe I have bronchitis because of my 4 year old sister. I believe she got it from a friend at school