Everyone has experienced coughing fits at some point in their lives. But have you ever had a cough that just felt different? Has it lasted longer than a typical cold? Is your cough making it difficult to breathe? Does it just not sound right?

While there are number of different illnesses that cause coughing, one of the most common is bronchitis. Before you worry too much, bronchitis isn’t typically too serious. In fact, you may just have acute bronchitis, which isn’t much worse than an everyday cough.  A few of acute bronchitis’ symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Dry coughing fits
• Coughs producing yellowish-green mucus, called ‘sputum’
• Difficulty breathing
• Slight discomfort in chest

While acute bronchitis can be the result of many factors, frequent smoking is the most common cause. Non-smokers can still contract bronchitis, especially if they are exposed to harmful gases. People who live in cities with bad air pollution often experience bronchitis as well. This is because bronchitis is an inflammation in the bronchial tubes, which are the airways to the lungs.  When they’re inflamed, mucus builds up over time, which eventually makes it difficult to breathe.

This typically clears up in under two weeks in most patients. While prescription medication is often unnecessary, we recommend you consult a Provider as it’s wise to monitor bronchitis, as a means to avoid it from developing into chronic bronchitis.

Chronic bronchitis is a reoccurring form of bronchitis developed in many patients who have smoked for years. However, people who have frequently suffered from frequent respiratory infections may also contract it, even if they have never smoked. This is because repeated trauma in the respiratory tract weakens the bronchial tubes. Chronic bronchitis will often plague patients for their entire lives, so this is exactly why we recommend visiting us at AFC Urgent Care North Andover if you’re experiencing any bronchitis symptoms. Our Providers will diagnose your illness and then advise you in your fight against bronchitis. They can additionally prescribe medication if they find it necessary.

For fast diagnosis, visit us any day or call us now at 978-470-0800.