Have you had a cough that lasted for weeks? Did you get checked by a doctor, or did you just wait for it to go away? Chances are, you may have had acute bronchitis.
The condition, caused by inflammation in the bronchial tubes (the major airways into your lungs), happens because of a virus or other factors like smoke, dust, air pollution and other irritants. Cells become infected and swell when the body tries to fight the infection which can cause excessive coughing. Acute bronchitis makes you feel wheezy, short of breath and tight in the chest because less air moves through your inflamed bronchial tubes.
Your immune system kicks in and fights the infection in about three to ten days, but your cough can last for weeks. While acute bronchitis is usually not serious, complications can arise for people with weakened immune systems, the elderly and young children.
Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, is a serious complication that can arise from acute bronchitis if coughing doesn’t subside within two weeks. Germs that cause pneumonia travel to the lungs and fill your lungs’ air sacs (alveoli) with fluid, making it difficult to breathe.
Your bronchitis can subside in two or three weeks but if you feel your cough getting worse or are experiencing trouble breathing, visit your Las Vegas Urgent Care Center immediately. There they will rule out pneumonia or prescribe antibiotics to help your immune system fight the infection. At an Urgent Care you can get help more quickly than waiting in an E.R. and receive quality care from trained physicians. Make an appointment or walk in to Las Vegas Urgent Care today for your health and wellness.
