Doctor shares how to tell if your cough is bronchitis

Winter brings with it a multitude of seasonal illnesses which all share similar symptoms, therefore making it harder to easily identify what you actually have. Having a persistent cough could just mean you are recovering from a cold, but it could also be an indicator of something more serious - bronchitis.

Knowing the difference between the two is extremely important, as bronchitis can be either acute or chronic. Being able to identify the symptoms can help you receive the correct treatment quicker and take a step towards recovery.

But what even is bronchitis and how does it differ from other seasonal colds? Fortunately, health experts have explained what this illness entails and what red flags to look out for. They have also advised when medical intervention is needed.

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Dr Ashwin Sharma, from pharmacy MedExpress, explained: "Bronchitis is a respiratory condition characterised by inflammation of the airways in the lungs." It is a condition that can present itself in two distinct forms: acute and chronic.

Erika Radford, head of health advice at Asthma + Lung UK, explained the difference between the two. She said: "Acute bronchitis is a common respiratory infection that affects both children and adults and usually gets better on its own.

"Whereas chronic bronchitis is more common in people over the age of 35 and is usually caused by long-term lung damage, the main risk factors being smoking or exposure to air pollution.”

Acute bronchitis is mostly caused by the inflammation of your airways due to infections. This can be from a common cold, influenza or Covid. On the flip side, chronic bronchitis occurs for a variety of different factors, such as age and family history. However, the biggest cause is exposure to smoke - either second hand or willingly taken.

According to the NHS, a hacking cough is the primary symptom of the illness. One clear distinction is that a bronchitis-related cough has the presence of mucus. Sharma added: "This mucus may vary in colour, appearing clear, white, yellow, or green."

Other symptoms include chest pain, breathlessness, a sore throat, a runny nose and a high temperature, which unfortunately many of us experience during a common cold.

Radford added: "Bronchitis can be short-term (acute) and symptoms usually last around three weeks. But some people can have long-term (chronic) inflammation of the airways. This is known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)."

The NHS advises that if you have severe difficulty breathing - struggling to speak without pausing, gasping or choking- intense chest pain that does not go away, or pain that spreads to the arms, neck, back or jaw, then you must call 999 or visit A&E.

Medical attention is also required if your skin or lips are turning pale, blue or grey, or if you are feeling unusually drowsy. One of the most common complications of bronchitis is pneumonia, which occurs if the infection spreads further into the lungs and causes the air sacs to fill with liquid.

Those most vulnerable to the illness are the elderly, young children, smokers, those with other health conditions such as heart, liver or kidney disease, and people with weakened immune systems.

For those who develop acute bronchitis, the good news is that it normally resolves itself without needing specific treatment. Sharma adds: "However, supportive measures such as drinking warm tea with honey, using throat lozenges, or taking over-the-counter medications to alleviate cough symptoms and loosen mucus can be helpful."

However, if symptoms last longer than three weeks, then you should contact your GP as you may need antibiotics due to your cough being caused by a bacterial infection. In order to treat chronic bronchitis, you need to focus on symptom control and improving respiratory function, says Sharma.

She added: "Treatment options may include quitting smoking, medications to help clear the airways, oxygen therapy, and other interventions tailored to each individual to enhance breathing and overall quality of life."

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