Acute Bronchitis - When To Call a Doctor

When To Call a Doctor

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if:

• You have chest pain that is crushing or squeezing, is increasing in intensity, or occurs with any other symptoms of a heart attack.
• You have severe difficulty breathing.
• You are coughing up large amounts of blood (more than streaks of blood or blood mixed with mucus).

Call your health professional today if you:

• Feel short of breath, even when at rest.
• Notice new or increasing whistling sounds when breathing (wheezing) or difficulty breathing, even at rest.
• Have a cough that frequently produces yellow or green sputum from the lungs (not postnasal drainage), lasts longer than 2 days, and occurs along with a fever of 101° (38.3°) or higher.
• Are coughing up small streaks of blood.
• Develop symptoms of acute bronchitis and you have a chronic lung disease such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Call your health professional in 1 to 2 days if you:

• Notice increased shortness of breath after any physical activity.
• Have a cough that causes you to vomit frequently.
• Have a cough that has lasted longer than 4 weeks.
• Are being treated for acute bronchitis and your symptoms have not improved after 14 days of treatment.

Watchful Waiting

Watchful waiting is a period of time during which you and your health professional observe your symptoms or condition without using medical treatment. Watchful waiting is often appropriate in otherwise healthy people with acute bronchitis unless you have:

• A persistent cough and increasing amounts of mucus being coughed up from the lungs (especially if the mucus is becoming thicker and has more color).
• Shortness of breath.
• Pain in the chest.
• Ongoing fever or fever that gets worse.

Who To See

Acute bronchitis can be diagnosed and treated by most health professionals, including:

• Family medicine doctors.
• General practitioners.
• Internists.
• Pediatricians.
• Nurse practitioners.
• Physician assistants.

If you have complications, such as pneumonia or repeated episodes of acute bronchitis caused by bacteria, you may go to a pulmonologist for diagnosis and treatment. Complications rarely occur.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment