Bronchitis is inflammation of the airways leading to the lungs. Its most common symptom is a persistent cough that eventually produces mucus.

Bronchitis occurs when the trachea and bronchi, or airways that supply the lungs, fill with mucus after developing inflammation. This usually occurs due to a viral infection, such as a cold. However, bacteria, harmful substances, and fungi may also cause bronchitis in rare cases.

This causes the body to trigger a consistent coughing response to clear the mucus. While irritating, the cough rarely poses a serious threat to health and clears up without treatment. However, the cough disperses droplets that contain the virus or bacteria causing bronchitis, meaning that they can pass to another person who comes into contact with it.

This article discusses the cough that is associated with bronchitis. It also goes over other possible symptoms and treatment options.

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The main symptom of bronchitis is a persistent and often unpleasant cough that may last longer than other symptoms.

Even though coughing can occur for various reasons, bronchitis is one of the most common causes.

A bronchitis cough usually starts as a dry cough that produces no phlegm but develops into a “cough with sputum,” or one that produces phlegm. The phlegm may change color as the illness progresses and then recovers, such as starting off-white before turning yellow or green in around 50% of people with the condition.

This cough may be forceful and persistent enough to cause pain or discomfort in the chest, but it often resolves without treatment. However, a chronic bronchitis cough may continue for 3 months or more.

If a cough lasts for longer than 3 weeks, a healthcare professional may need to rule out other causes. These other causes might include:

Bronchitis symptoms tend to resolve without treatment within 2 to 3 weeks. These might include:

Bronchitis causes the same symptoms, whether the inflammation is short- or long-term.

Learn more about the symptoms of bronchitis.

A bronchitis cough often resolves without treatment, does not require medications, and may not need a consultation with a physician. If people feel unwell, they may benefit from getting as much rest as possible.

Some medications are available to manage coughs, including cough suppressants that make people cough less and cough expectorants that increase the amount of mucus a person brings up. However, not enough research is available to confirm their effectiveness as bronchitis treatments.

It is important to note that coughing serves the crucial function of clearing the airways of mucus and foreign substances. Not enough research supports the use of cough suppressants and expectorants in acute bronchitis, and people should only consider cough suppressants if a cough is particularly severe or affects sleep.

Coughs can lead to a sore throat, but several herbal or over-the-counter (OTC) remedies may help to soothe discomfort, including:

  • hot tea
  • honey, although people should not give honey to infants under 1 year of age
  • ginger
  • throat lozenges

Even though clinical trials have not confirmed the effectiveness of these remedies, they are generally safe to try.

Pain relief medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help reduce coughing pain and bring down fevers that might accompany it.

Read more about treatment for bronchitis.

Most people with bronchitis will not need to see a doctor. People with a persistent cough due to bronchitis should speak with a doctor if the following apply:

  • A cough has been present for over 21 days.
  • A person has coughed up blood-stained mucus or blood.
  • Chest pain occurs intermittently, during breathing, or during coughing,
  • An individual is 65 years old or over.
  • A person is pregnant.
  • A person has a known underlying condition, such as heart, kidney, or lung problems or diabetes.
  • A person’s immune system is less effective than normal, for example, due to cancer treatments, medications for a recent transplant, or a health problem that affects immune health.
  • Symptoms of illness are severe.

How long does a cough last with bronchitis?

A bronchitis cough usually lasts 10 to 20 days but may continue for more than 4 weeks in people with severe bronchitis.

Do you need antibiotics for a bronchitis cough?

Antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, so a healthcare professional will only recommend them for bronchitis if bacteria, such as pertussis, are causing the coughing.

Does bronchitis turn into pneumonia?

Bronchitis can lead to pneumonia. The infection may spread from the airways to the lung tissue.

Coughing can occur for many reasons, but bronchitis, or airway infection, is one of the main causes. Bronchitis causes a persistent cough that starts dry but typically produces mucus later on, usually lasting 10 to 20 days. The color of the mucus may also change.

Other bronchitis symptoms include low fever, chest pain, and fatigue. These tend to resolve in a few weeks, but the cough may outlast other symptoms. People with bronchitis should rest as much as possible and can use OTC pain relief medications or home remedies to soothe discomfort during healing.