Bronchitis Slideshow Pictures Asthma Myths Quiz Slideshow Pictures Asthma Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

View Full Profile

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

View Full Profile

Bronchitis Medical Treatment

Treatment of bronchitis can differ depending on the suspected cause.

• Medications to help suppress the cough or loosen and clear secretions may be helpful. If the patient has severe coughing spells they cannot control, see the doctor for prescription strength cough suppressants. In some cases only these stronger cough suppressants can stop a vicious cycle of coughing leading to more irritation of the bronchial tubes, which in turn causes more coughing.
  
  
• Bronchodilator inhalers will help open airways and decrease wheezing.
  
  
• Though antibiotics play a limited role in treating bronchitis, they become necessary in some situations.
  
  
  • In particular, if the doctor suspects a bacterial infection, antibiotics will be prescribed.
    
    
  • People with chronic lung problems also usually are treated with antibiotics.
  
  
• In rare cases, the patient may be hospitalized if they experience breathing difficulty that doesn't respond to treatment. This usually occurs because of a complication of bronchitis, not bronchitis itself.