What are the signs of bronchitis?

Bronchitis, also known as a chest cold, is an inflammation of the lining of your bronchial tubes. It usually develops after you’ve had a respiratory infection (which means it usually appears when you’re already down on luck).

So how do you know if that annoying cough and phlegm production are actually bronchitis?

The common signs

The most usual symptoms of acute bronchitis last for up to three weeks (because these things have expiration dates too). So keep an eye out for:

  1. A persistent cough which may produce mucus
  2. Fatigue
  3. Shortness of breath
  4. Chest discomfort or pain
    5.Beep-like wheezing in your lungs while inhaling

If any two yet alone all five sound familiar (like that awkward moment when there’s an elephant in the room but nobody talks about it), chances are pretty high you’re dealing with this pesky lung condition.

But wait! There’s more

Don’t worry though, we got everything covered! Here are some additional signs and symptoms indicating something’s not quite right:

Coughing spells

A typical case involves persistent coughing episodes that resemble deep breathing or even laughter at times (the latter most likely being forced by one’s desperate attempt to hide their true frustration). These paroxysms can make breathing difficult as they often lead to shortness of breath and chest tightness.

Discolored mucus

Have a look-see into what comes out with those tormented coughs – chances are it won’t be pretty: greenish-yellow sputum is fairly indicative of acute bronchitis due to infectious agents such as bacteria causing sinus infections (not like brown ooze was ever something worth bragging about).

Fever

Another red flag symptom is fever – anything above 38°C is a strong indication of inflammation that should best be dealt with by a healthcare professional. (We can only imagine how disappointed you are right now, knowing your colleagues won’t approve yet another day (or more) off).

Sore throat

Your throat might feel like it’s on fire because of the irritation caused by mucus build-up or coughing-induced trauma – probably not what you had in mind when somebody mentioned hot stuff…

Tiredness and fatigue

Everybody gets tired but if you’re nodding off more frequently than usual it could mean that your receptors responsible for tracking sleep quality and sleep amount have been disrupted (too bad there’s no mercy rule in life).

Can bronchitis have complications?

Like many upper respiratory tract infections, acute bronchitis can also cause secondary infections such as pneumonia thus exacerbating symptoms further making them harder to control. There may also be instances where other organs become affected due to either infection or low oxygen levels affecting daily activities.

It’s important to keep an eye out for persistent symptoms which may otherwise indicate something else going wrong inside, especially amongst people at higher risk e.g., those who smoke heavily (smoking kills!) or have underlying health conditions compromising their lung immune responses.

Never fear though- knowledge is power! Early detection can help prevent chronic conditions and unnecessary visits to the doctor’s office so remember: if you’re experiencing any inexplicable symptoms – get yourself checked (what kind of show do you think this is?!?)

So there we have it; all the signs indicating your chest discomfort shouldn’t be laughed off as just one more anecdote shared with your friends over coffee (ah yes, ha ha ha…cough cough…that sounds hilarious!) . If anything comes up on this list come into play longer than 3 weeks then head to a medical professional ASAP before things get complicated, and you have even less to laugh about. (Better safe than sorry as they say)

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