When you’re coughing nonstop from bronchitis, you’ll take anything you can get if it will make the coughing stop. Besides a cough suppressant, which can have side effects like drowsiness, dizziness or dry mouth, there are some other things you can try at home that can help you feel better!

Our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah team provide some further helpful info below.

Can Bronchitis Be Treated at Home?

Truthfully, it depends on the type of bronchitis. There are two types of bronchitis—acute and chronic—and acute bronchitis can typically be treated at home without medical treatment. Acute bronchitis is usually caused by a viral infection, and it’s often caused by the same viruses that cause COVID-19, colds and the flu.

Chronic bronchitis, however, is long-term inflammation of the bronchial tubes, and can’t be effectively treated at home. If you aren’t sure if you’re dealing with bronchitis, we’ve listed some common signs and symptoms of the infection below.

Common Bronchitis Symptoms

• Cough
• Production of mucus (sputum), which can be clear, white, yellowish-gray or green in color—rarely, it may be streaked with blood
• Fatigue
• Shortness of breath
• Slight fever and chills
• Chest discomfort

So Can I Treat Acute Bronchitis?

Yes, you typically can. In fact, most cases of acute bronchitis improve within two weeks.

It’s important to treat your symptoms at the first sign of them to ensure a rapid recovery. With proper self-care and some of the remedies we’ve listed below, you should be able to bounce back quickly, but if the bronchitis worsens and your lungs sound congested, seek medical advice.

Ways to Treat Bronchitis at Home

• Get plenty of rest. The infection and cough that come with bronchitis can make you very tired. Listen to your body and get as much rest as you can—especially over the first few days.
• Drink clear fluids. When you have bronchitis, it’s important to loosen the mucus in your chest so you can cough it up and breathe more easily. The best way to thin mucus is to drink plenty of fluids like water, herbal tea and clear soups.
• Breathe in steam. This is another way to loosen mucus so it can move out of your body faster.
• Use a humidifier. A cold or warm-mist humidifier in your bedroom puts moisture in the air while you sleep, which will help clear mucus.
• Gargle salt water. This can get rid of some of the mucus that coats and irritates your throat.

Think you may have bronchitis? Don’t hesitate to visit our AFC Urgent Care Ooltewah center today if you need further medical treatment!