In most cases, short-lived, or acute Bronchitis follows a viral respiratory infection of some kind, and usually will go away on its own within a week. The order in which this disorder spreads through your body is as follows, your nose, sinuses, throat, and then spreads to the lungs. In other cases, there is a possibility you may get second bacterial infection in your airways. Some people that are at a higher risk for acute Bronchitis are, smokers, the elderly, young children, infants, and those with a heart or lung disease.
On the other hand, chronic Bronchitis is a different story. As you may have already guessed chronic Bronchitis is a long term disorder. Some signs that you may have chronic Bronchitis would be if you have a cough that produces excessive mucus that last somewhere around three months.
Some things that can make Bronchitis worse are air pollution, allergies, or any other kind of infection. One thing that you should take into consideration is your job. Some occupations would make you more prone to Bronchitis. Some of the jobs may be, but are not limited to; coal mining, textile manufacturing, or grain handling.
Some of the symptoms of either kind of Bronchitis are chest discomfort, excessive mucus coming from a cough, low fever, becoming tired, shortness of breath, or wheezing. For acute Bronchitis, even after you have been cleared of the disorder, you may have a dry couch that lasts for several weeks.
There are also symptoms that only apply to those with chronic Bronchitis would be ankle, feet, or leg swelling. Another thing to look for would be blue colored lips from the lack of oxygen in them. If you have had frequent cases of the flu or a cold that can also be a symptom of chronic Bronchitis.
You can go to the doctor to get checked out, and to have tests