Bronchitis and pneumonia have similar symptoms, but they are different diseases that infect separate areas of the respiratory tract. Acute bronchitis is caused by a virus and usually clears up within a few weeks, while chronic bronchitis is caused by long-term damage to the airways. Pneumonia is a more dangerous condition that can be caused by a virus or bacteria and can inhibit overall body function. Increasing shortness of breath and high fever are key symptoms that can distinguish between the two. Chest X-rays can help determine if a lung infection exists. Treatment for bronchitis is often rest and over-the-counter medications, while pneumonia is typically treated with antibiotics.
Bronchitis and pneumonia can be easily confused as both can have similar symptoms. Both bronchitis and pneumonia attack the respiratory system, but they are different diseases that infect separate areas within the respiratory tract. Knowing the difference between the two diseases can help a person identify distinct symptoms and seek medical attention when needed.
Acute bronchitis is an infection of the bronchi, which are the airways that carry air to and from the lungs. Usually, this infection is caused by exposure to a virus, such as the flu or the common cold. Bronchitis typically clears up within a few weeks without medical attention, and because it is often viral in nature, antibiotics can be ineffective as a treatment.
There is also a chronic form of bronchitis which is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chronic bronchitis tends to come back regularly and is usually caused by long-term damage to the airways, such as scarring and inflammation from smoking. Signs of chronic bronchitis include a cough that produces mucus that occurs for at least three days a month.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can reduce the body’s ability to get oxygen to the organs. It can be caused by a virus or bacteria and can sometimes be treated with antibiotics. Generally, pneumonia is considered a more dangerous condition than acute bronchitis, as it inhibits overall body function if the inflammation of the lungs becomes severe.
Some symptoms are the same in bronchitis and pneumonia, causing understandable confusion as to which condition is present. Both bronchitis and pneumonia can result in a cough that produces mucus, with yellow or green mucus. Fever, fatigue, and other upper respiratory symptoms, such as a runny or stuffy nose, are common with both conditions.
A key symptom that can distinguish bronchitis and pneumonia is increasing shortness of breath. Because inflammation attacks lung tissue, pneumonia can make it increasingly difficult for you to take in oxygen, as well as allowing oxygenated blood to circulate. High fever is more common with pneumonia than with bronchitis. People with pneumonia may also pass bloody or rust-stained mucus, which is very rare with acute bronchitis.
Doctors can use chest X-rays to determine if a lung infection exists, as the conditions can be difficult to distinguish with simple descriptions of symptoms. In a patient with pneumonia, an x-ray usually shows an abnormality that denotes an infection, while bronchitis may show no signs on an x-ray. Treatment for bronchitis is often a simple course of rest, fluids, and over-the-counter symptom medications. For pneumonia, patients are typically given a course of antibiotics under the assumption that the infection is bacterial. If antibiotics don’t work or symptoms get worse, the patient may be hospitalized for tests and close monitoring.
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