Bronchitis Is Usually A Lot Milder Than Pneumonia
As cold and flu season draws nearer, and especially in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, we’re quickly being reminded of just how many illnesses and respiratory infections are out there. Oh, and it can be really tough to know what you’re dealing with.
Take bronchitis and pneumonia, for instance: These two cough-inducing illnesses share a lot of similarities in how they present, but they are actually very different and need tailored treatment. Neither of those is fun to deal with, and both can become much more of a pain than just a nagging cough. In fact, pneumonia can even mean life or death.
So, how exactly can you tell the difference and know when your illness is particularly serious? Here, a pulmonologist breaks it down.
What causes bronchitis and pneumonia?
Bronchitis is an infection of the lining of bronchial tubes, which carry air to the lungs, explains Saba Hamiduzzaman, MD, a pulmonologist at Loma Linda University Health in Loma Linda, California.
Bronchitis can either be acute or chronic and often develops after someone gets a cold or other respiratory illness.
1. Acute bronchitis
Acute bronchitis, which is often caused by a virus, could last for a few weeks and resolve on its own. There is usually no long-term damage caused by acute bronchitis, notes Dr. Hamiduzzaman.
“Acute bronchitis is always contagious, and when you cough or sneeze on your hands, the virus can spread onto surfaces near you where it can be carried to another individual if they touch those surfaces,” she says.
2. Chronic bronchitis
Another type of bronchitis is chronic bronchitis, which happens in patients who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (or COPD, a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes obstructed airflow from the lungs) and a history of smoking.
3. Pneumonia
Pneumonia, meanwhile, is an infection of the alveoli, or the air sacs in your lungs that contain the air you breathe in. Pneumonia can become life-threatening, according to Mayo Clinic. “Pneumonia is caused by bacterial organisms and rarely involves a virus, meaning it is usually not contagious, as the infection is in the lung’s air sacs and does not transmit to your hands or surfaces with coughing,” Dr. Hamiduzzaman explains.
What are the symptoms of bronchitis?
Chronic bronchitis can be more serious than an acute diagnosis, according to Dr. Hamiduzzaman, as it can be caused by viral or bacterial organisms and will usually flare up in the wintertime. Symptoms of cough and sputum (or phlegm)—respiratory mucus often expelled by coughing—production may last about three months. To be considered chronic, they would return each year for at least two years.
Symptoms of bronchitis include:
Cough,
Stuffed nose
Chest congestion
Fever
Fatigue
Muscle aches and pains
What are the symptoms of pneumonia?
When someone has pneumonia, the air sacs are filled with bacteria and puss, causing a cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and/or difficulty breathing, says Dr. Hamiduzzaman.
Symptoms of pneumonia can last up to two to three weeks and include:
Cough
Chest congestion
High fever
Nausea
Chills
Confusion (if over the age of 65)
Chest pain which worsens when with breathing
Decreased appetite
How would you get diagnosed for each of these conditions?
As you can see, many of the above symptoms are quite similar, which can lead to a ton of confusion about which condition you might have. Bronchitis is milder, says Dr. Hamiduzzaman, while pneumonia is more severe and is often accompanied by a fever.
A bronchitis diagnosis can be made by identifying the above symptoms, and sometimes a nasopharyngeal swab will be done to see which virus is causing the symptoms, says Dr. Hamiduzzaman. “If your symptoms last more than two to three weeks, or if there is a change in the color or quantity of the sputum, then you should be sure to visit your physician to ensure you’ve got an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan,” she says.
A diagnosis of pneumonia, meanwhile, will require a chest X-ray to see the abnormality in your lung where the pneumonia is present, explains Dr. Hamiduzzaman.
Sooo...is it possible to have both? Technically, yes. “While it is possible to have both infections at the same time, it’s more likely that bronchitis left untreated would move from the airway down into the lungs and become pneumonia, and the patient would have them back-to-back," she says.
What does treatment look like for each?
Treatment for bronchitis typically includes medications to decrease your fever, hydration with fluids and vitamins such as vitamin C, which can help decrease the amount of time you have the symptoms of bronchitis, says Dr. Hamiduzzaman.
If you have bacterial pneumonia, it will require treatment with antibiotics, especially if the symptoms continue to get worse. For viral pneumonia, treatment can be as simple as monitoring fluids and controlling milder symptoms. “If the symptoms are severe enough, however, your physician might have to admit you to the hospital for intravenous antibiotics or supplemental oxygen,” says Dr. Hamiduzzaman.
The bottom line: While neither of these conditions are anything to mess around with, it’s important to get a proper diagnosis to know exactly what you’re dealing with and treat it accordingly.
You Might Also Like
