Key takeaways:
Most people don’t need to take antibiotics to treat bronchitis. Home remedies and over-the-counter medications may help ease bronchitis symptoms.
Most cases of bronchitis are caused by viruses. Antibiotics won’t help you feel better faster or ease your symptoms if you have bronchitis from a viral infection.
Get medical care if you have bronchitis and experience difficulty breathing or have a fever. You should also get care if your symptoms don’t get better within 3 weeks. These are signs you have something besides viral bronchitis.
Bronchitis is a common lower respiratory infection that causes inflammation of the bronchi, the main tubes that carry air into the lungs.
Bronchitis is very common, with 1 out of 20 adults reporting an episode of bronchitis each year. The cough and wheezing that come with bronchitis are uncomfortable and exhausting. Most people want to get back to their daily activities as soon as possible. There are treatments that can help ease symptoms. But you may be surprised to hear that antibiotics aren’t one of them. Not everyone needs to take antibiotics when they have bronchitis. Here’s how to know whether you need antibiotics to treat your bronchitis.
Does bronchitis always need to be treated with antibiotics?
No, you don’t always need to take antibiotics if you have bronchitis. In fact, most cases of bronchitis don’t need to be treated with antibiotics.
That’s because viruses cause 90% of cases of bronchitis in healthy adults. And antibiotics don’t work against viruses.
Studies show that antibiotics won’t help you feel better faster or ease your symptoms if you viral have bronchitis.
One review of studies found that people with bronchitis who took antibiotics stop coughing faster than people who didn’t take antibiotics. But the difference was only about 12 hours. The authors concluded that this small benefit didn’t outweigh the risks of antibiotic side effects and antibiotic resistance.
Quiz: Do I have bronchitis?
Not sure if your symptoms are from bronchitis? Our quiz can help you decide.
How do you know if you need antibiotics for bronchitis?
Some people with bronchitis should take antibiotics. This includes people who have bronchitis caused by bacteria (which is rare).
Some people develop a secondary infection when they have viral bronchitis. This is when a bacterial infection develops on top of the viral bronchitis. This can lead to illnesses like pneumonia. People with secondary bacterial infections should take antibiotics. But the antibiotics will only treat the bacterial infection, not the bronchitis.
Bronchitis isn’t contagious, but you are. You can pass the virus that causes bronchitis to others. Here’s how long you’re contagious.
Looking for relief from your bronchitis cough? Here are ways to treat your bronchitis at home.
Not sure what to expect from a bout of bronchitis? Three people tell GoodRx what it’s like to have bronchitis.
It can be hard to know if you fall into one of these two categories. You can’t tell whether your symptoms are caused by a virus or bacteria based on sputum color or the sound of your cough. Viral bronchitis can cause sputum that’s clear, white, green, or yellow.
The best way to know if you need antibiotics is to talk with your healthcare team. Your team may recommend tests to see what’s causing your infection or a chest X-ray to see if you’ve developed pneumonia.
Your healthcare team may also recommend additional treatments if you have a condition that puts you at risk for more serious lung infections like:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Weakened immune system
Which antibiotics can treat bronchitis?
If you do need antibiotics to treat bronchitis, your healthcare team may recommend:
Treatment courses range from 5 to 14 days depending on the antibiotic. There’s no “best” antibiotic for acute bronchitis. The best antibiotic depends on your medical history and what’s causing your illness.
What other medications can help treat bronchitis?
Antibiotics aren’t the best treatment for acute bronchitis. There’s no medication that can cure viral bronchitis. But there are OTC medications that may help ease your symptoms. You can try:
Acetaminophen
Dextromethorphan
Guaifenesin
Ibuprofen
Throat lozenges
Home remedies can also help ease symptoms. You can try:
Warm fluids, like tea or broth
Honey
Humidifiers
Rest
Your healthcare team may recommend additional prescription medications if you have a history of certain lung conditions or you have symptoms like wheezing.
When should you seek care for bronchitis?
Most cases of acute viral bronchitis get better on their own. Most symptoms go away within 10 days. But the cough can last up to 3 weeks.
Sometimes bronchitis can cause severe symptoms and lead to serious health problems. You should get medical care right away if you develop:
Trouble breathing
Rapid breathing
Shortness of breath
Trouble talking or moving because of difficulty breathing
Wheezing
Chest pain
Fever
Fast heart rate
Weakness
Confusion
Changes in mucus color, consistency, or amount
Blood in mucus
Inability to eat or drink due to symptoms
You should also get care as soon as possible if:
Your symptoms don’t start to get better within 10 days.
Your cough lasts longer than 3 weeks.
Your symptoms were getting better but then got worse again.
You keep getting bronchitis over and over again.
Frequently asked questions
Viruses are the most common cause of bronchitis. Common viruses that cause bronchitis include influenza, adenovirus, and rhinovirus. Bacteria also cause bronchitis. But bacterial bronchitis is more common in people with underlying medical conditions.
Bronchitis itself isn’t contagious. But the viruses that cause bronchitis are contagious. People with viral bronchitis are contagious for up to a week. During this time, they can pass bronchitis-causing viruses to others. If another person gets sick with these viruses, they may not develop bronchitis. Instead, they may develop another illness, like a cold or viral pneumonia.
Most people get better from bronchitis on their own. Acute viral bronchitis doesn’t usually cause any serious or lasting symptoms. It’s uncommon, but bronchitis can lead to more severe conditions or complications like pneumonia, collapsed lung, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Get medical care right away if you develop difficulty breathing or fever when you have bronchitis. Your healthcare team can make sure you haven’t developed complications from bronchitis.
Viruses are the most common cause of bronchitis. Common viruses that cause bronchitis include influenza, adenovirus, and rhinovirus. Bacteria also cause bronchitis. But bacterial bronchitis is more common in people with underlying medical conditions.
Bronchitis itself isn’t contagious. But the viruses that cause bronchitis are contagious. People with viral bronchitis are contagious for up to a week. During this time, they can pass bronchitis-causing viruses to others. If another person gets sick with these viruses, they may not develop bronchitis. Instead, they may develop another illness, like a cold or viral pneumonia.
Most people get better from bronchitis on their own. Acute viral bronchitis doesn’t usually cause any serious or lasting symptoms. It’s uncommon, but bronchitis can lead to more severe conditions or complications like pneumonia, collapsed lung, or acute respiratory distress syndrome. Get medical care right away if you develop difficulty breathing or fever when you have bronchitis. Your healthcare team can make sure you haven’t developed complications from bronchitis.
The bottom line
Most people with acute bronchitis don’t need to take antibiotics. Viruses are the most common cause of acute bronchitis and antibiotics can’t cure viral illnesses. Antibiotics won’t help you get better faster or ease your symptoms. OTC medications and home remedies can help ease symptoms while your immune system fights off the illness. It’s rare, but bronchitis can lead to more serious illnesses or complications. Get immediate medical care if you develop trouble breathing, fever, or fast heart rate while sick with bronchitis.
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References
Merenstein, D. J., et al. (2024). Antibiotics not associated with shorter duration or reduced severity of acute lower respiratory tract infection. Journal of General Internal Medicine.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2022). Bronchitis. National Institutes of Medicine.
Shaughnessy, A. F., et al. (2014). Amoxicillin/clavulanate or ibuprofen no better than placebo for acute bronchitis. American Family Physician.
Smith, M. P., et al. (2020). Acute cough due to acute bronchitis in immunocompetent adult outpatients. Chest Journal.
Smucny, J., et al. (2004). Antibiotics for acute bronchitis. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
Worrall, G. (2008). Acute bronchitis. Canadian Family Physician.
