What Is Asthmatic Bronchitis?

Asthmatic bronchitis is a respiratory condition in which you have asthma and also get an infection that causes your airways to swell. When your airways are swollen, you can’t get enough air into your lungs, which means that your blood doesn’t get enough oxygen.

Asthmatic bronchitis is very similar to asthma. It’s something that you can learn to manage. Here, at Cermak Immediate Care, our team of providers has expertise in asthmatic bronchitis. To understand how to care for it, it’s important to first understand the different aspects of bronchitis.

Understanding acute and chronic bronchitis

Often, acute bronchitis has lingering symptoms of a virus, which may include:

• A cough that lasts a few days or weeks
• Productive cough that causes green or yellow mucus to surface
• Chills
• Fever

You can generally expect symptoms of acute bronchitis to go away within a few weeks at most.

Chronic bronchitis includes the following symptoms:

• Cough that lasts for weeks or months
• Productive cough that brings up clear or white mucus
• Tightness or pressure in your chest
• Wheezing

Chronic bronchitis is often a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which can become very serious and requires regular medical monitoring.

Understanding asthmatic bronchitis

When you have asthmatic bronchitis, your airways become swollen. This makes it harder for you to breathe. Because mucus builds up in your lungs, this makes it more difficult to take in oxygen and move out carbon dioxide.

One contributing factor to asthmatic bronchitis is cigarette smoking. If you have chronic or asthmatic bronchitis, exposure to any sort of cigarette smoke is a top trigger.

Other causes of asthmatic bronchitis include:

• Productive cough that brings up mucus
• Chest congestion
• Wheezing
• Feeling tired or lethargic
• Having a low-grade fever (usually less than 100F)
• Allergens, including animal dander and dust

Although asthmatic bronchitis is uncomfortable, it usually clears up, but it does require medical attention.

Symptoms of severe asthmatic bronchitis

If your bronchitis is particularly severe, you may have additional symptoms. Some of the symptoms include:

• Weight loss
• Swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet
• Weakness in your lower muscles, including your abdomen and your legs
• Bluish fingernails, skin, and lips (because you’re not getting enough oxygen)
• Wheezing or crackling sounds when you breathe
• Heart failure

Make an appointment to come in and see us before your bronchitis progresses.

Tests for asthmatic bronchitis

When you schedule an appointment with us at Cermak Immediate Care, we may recommend certain tests, which include:

Arterial blood gas

This is a normal blood test that measures the amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen in your blood and the acidity of your blood.

Pulse oximetry

This uses a small sensor, placed on your finger, to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood.

Chest X-ray

A chest X-ray can help your provider get a look at your lungs and tissues to check for abnormalities that can explain your symptoms.

CT scan

This test is computerized tomography, which combines X-rays with computer technology to give your provider an accurate picture of what’s going on with your lungs.

How to treat your asthmatic bronchitis

Managing asthmatic bronchitis is challenging but possible. You may receive a prescription for bronchodilators, which are medications that open your airways to enable easier breathing. We may also prescribe antibiotics, which sometimes help with bronchitis. 

You should also quit smoking or eliminate exposure to smoke.

If you have symptoms of bronchitis and they’re not going away, schedule a consultation with our team. Click here to contact our friendly office staff by phone, or book an appointment online at the location nearest you in Berwyn, Cicero, Little Village, or North Lawndale, Illinois.