The first thing you need to know about preventing and treating bronchitis is the first thing you need to know about illness in general: get some sleep.
But now that the public service announcement is out of the way, let's get down to specifics.
Bronchitis is a common condition that can follow a cold or another respiratory infection, according to the Mayo Clinic, and is defined as an inflammation of the lining of the bronchial tubes. In addition to a bacterial or viral infection, bronchitis can be caused by air pollution, inhaling chemicals and smoking, according to EMedicine Health.
There are actually two types of bronchitis: acute, which goes away within a few weeks, and chronic, which lasts several months and recurs for at least two consecutive years.
Doctors can generally diagnosis bronchitis based on the symptoms, which include a persistent cough accompanied by mucous, fatigue, low-grade fever and chills, a shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest. Like a cold, however, bronchitis should clear up on its own within a few weeks.
Medical help should be sought out if there's any difficulty breathing, if your fever lasts more than four days, and if the cough itself lasts longer than three weeks.
Take a look at the various treatment option for bronchitis, including some homemade remedies that may be able to help:
