How Is Bronchitis Treated?

The main goals of treating acute and chronic bronchitis are to relieve symptoms and help make breathing easier.

If you have acute bronchitis, your doctor may recommend rest, plenty of fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever.

Antibiotics usually aren't prescribed for acute bronchitis. This is because they don't work against viruses—the most common cause of acute bronchitis. However, if your doctor thinks you have a bacterial infection, he or she may prescribe antibiotics.

A humidifier or steam can help loosen mucus and relieve wheezing and limited air flow. If your bronchitis causes wheezing, you may need an inhaled medicine to open your airways. You take this medicine using an inhaler. This device allows the medicine to go right to your lungs.

Your doctor also may prescribe medicines to relieve or reduce your cough and treat your inflamed airways (especially if your cough persists).

To lower your risk of getting bronchitis, your doctor also may suggest a flu shot and/or a pneumonia vaccine (if you're aged 60 or older).

If you have chronic bronchitis and have also been diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), you may need medicines to open your airways and help clear away mucus. These medicines include bronchodilators (inhaled) and steroids (inhaled or pill form).

Sometimes people who have chronic bronchitis need oxygen therapy to help them breathe better and get enough oxygen to their bodies.

One of the best ways to treat acute and chronic bronchitis is to remove the source of irritation and damage to the lungs. If you smoke cigarettes, it's very important to quit. Talk to your doctor about programs and products that can help you quit smoking. Try to avoid secondhand smoke. Also, try to avoid places with a lot of dusts, fumes, vapors, or air pollutants.