Is Bronchitis Contagious

The question ‘is bronchitis contagious?’ may seem like a simple question but before we answer that, let us take a quick look at the definition of bronchitis. Bronchitis is when the windpipe swells and spreads to the lungs therefore causing the bronchial passages to get irritated and lead to inflammation. This kind of inflammation results in the excessive formation of mucus that blocks the flow of air on the air passages, and  thus creates breathing problems. Bronchitis comes from a simple infection that is caused by a similar virus responsible for influenza, adenoviruses and rhinoviruses. This infection infects the windpipe up to the bronchioles in your lungs which causes the swelling. Secretion of heavy mucus results in the typical cough. It should also be noted though that bronchitis can be come from bacteria (one fine example of this is Mycoplasma pneumoniae), smoking and chemical pollutants.

Those who know someone who have this sickness may ask a doctor or a medical practitioner, “is bronchitis contagious? How can a person catch bronchitis?” When answering these questions, it is sensible to first discuss the types of bronchitis to learn how they can be avoided.

Types of Bronchitis

Basically, there are two bronchitis types that a person can get. These are the following:

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis happens instantly  after the upper respiratory tract gets infected. Such infections are related to influenza or the common cold. The symptoms of acute bronchitis are manifested by cough and could be accompanied by mucus. Moreover, you may also experience pain in the chest, fever and slight problems breathing.

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic bronchitis is not necessarily caused by an specific microorganism. Inhalation of dangerous chemical pollutants and smoking are the major causes and triggering factors of this kind of bronchitis. This kind of bronchitis yields excessive secretion of mucus in the bronchi that lasts for about 3 months and recurs annually. People with this type of bronchitis are highly susceptible to bacterial infections such as pneumonia. Problems with breathing with this type of bronchitis are much worse compared to that of acute bronchitis.

Is Bronchitis Contagious

Is bronchitis contagious? Yes. As a matter of fact, it is very contagious! However, if the definition of bronchitis is the swelling of bronchioles, then how can people’s swollen bronchioles make other people’s bronchiole swell too? The truth is the bacteria that cause bronchitis spread to the air through sneezing and/or coughing. Through. People who breathe this bacteria are definitely susceptible to an infection. You can even get bronchitis by simply touching the bacteria.

You may also ask ‘how long is bronchitis contagious?’ The duration of one’s bronchitis is heavily dependent on the type and cause of the bronchitis that he or she has. There is no certain time frame that that dictates how long bronchitis is contagious for.

In addition, because there are basically two types of bronchitis, we tend to ask “which one is more infectious –the acute bronchitis or the chronic bronchitis?” The answer to this question is that both types are contagious because healthy people can get one or the other  unknowingly. That’s why people are advised to take precautionary measures to prevent the rapid spread of this respiratory disease to other people.

There are different precautionary measures that we can take to prevent the spread bronchitis – washing your hands before and after eating and covering your mouth with a clean tissue or handkerchief while sneezing and coughing. A bronchitis patient should refer to a doctor or medical specialist and take prescribed medications to alleviate the infection because the slightest negligence can result in pneumonia. During the early stages of bronchitis, a patient can also take herbal remedies to subdue it immediately. The treatment should be reinforced with drinking lots of water, bed rest and avoiding places where there are smoke and other pollutants.

Bronchitis is a serious respiratory condition that could lead to different and more severe infections on the respiratory tract, which is why it is absolutely necessary to prevent it. Some of the effective ways of avoiding contracting bronchitis are wearing masks if traveling in polluted areas, quitting smoking and improving your immune system. The question “is bronchitis contagious” is a sensible one, hence gathering more information about this disease is your smartest move.