Bronchitis

Bronchitis is an infection of the main airways of the lungs (bronchi), causing them to become irritated and inflamed.

The main symptom is a cough, which may bring up yellow-grey mucus (phlegm). Bronchitis may also cause a sore throat and wheezing.

Read more about the symptoms of bronchitis.

Symptoms

The main symptom of bronchitis is a hacking cough. It is likely that your cough will bring up thick yellow-grey mucus (phlegm), although this does not always happen.

Other symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of other infections, such as the common cold or sinusitis, and may include:

sore throat headache runny or blocked nose aches and pains tiredness

If you have bronchitis, your cough may last for several weeks after other symptoms have gone. You may also find that the continual coughing makes your chest and stomach muscles sore.

Some people may experience shortness of breath or wheezing, due to inflamed airways. However, this is more common with long-term (chronic) bronchitis.


If you have bronchitis:

get plenty of rest drink lots of fluids – this helps prevent dehydration and thins the mucus in your lungs, making it easier to cough up treat headaches, fever, and aches and pains with paracetamol or ibuprofen – although ibuprofen is not recommended if you have asthma 

There is little evidence that cough medicines work – read more about treating coughs. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recommended that over-the-counter cough medicines should not be given to children under the age of six.

As an alternative to an over-the-counter cough medicine, try making your own mixture of honey and lemon, which can help soothe a sore throat and ease your cough.