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• Noisy breathing
• Shortness of breath
• Body aches
• Fever or chills
• Sore throat
•
Runny or stuffy nose
Causes of Bronchitis
• Bacterial or viral infections
• Smoking
• Air pollution
• Allergy to something in the air such as pollen
• Lung disease such as asthma or emphysema
Your Care
Your care may include medicines and breathing exercises to help you
breathe easier. You may need oxygen if you have chronic bronchitis. Your
care may also include:
• Avoiding colds and the flu.
• Drinking a lot of liquids to keep mucus thin.
• Using a humidifier or vaporizer.
• Using postural drainage and percussion to loosen mucus from your lungs.
You will be taught how to do this.
To Breathe Easier
• Quit smoking. The only way to slow the damage of chronic bronchitis is
to quit smoking. It is never too late to quit.
• Do not drink alcohol. It dulls the urge to cough and sneeze to clear your
air passages. It also causes your body to lose fluid, making the mucus in
your lungs thicker and harder to cough up.
• Avoid things that irritate your lungs such as air pollution, dusts and
gases.
• Sleep with your upper body raised. Use foam wedges or raise the head of
your bed.
Call your doctor right away if you:
• Have chills or a fever over 101 degrees F or 38 degrees C
• Need to use your inhalers or breathing treatments more often