Symptoms related to respiratory problems or diseases are often quite similar, so it is difficult to recognize them yourself. In particular, distinguishing between pneumonia and bronchitis is not easy as both affect the lungs and have many similar symptoms. However, these two diseases are completely different and have their own treatment methods.
Are you coughing, feverish and having a feeling of chest tightness , difficulty breathing or wheezing along with increased phlegm and mucus secretion? Are these signs and symptoms of pneumonia or bronchitis? In fact, both of these diseases cause many similar symptoms in patients, so it is difficult to distinguish between bronchitis and pneumonia.
Is bronchitis pneumonia? Although they are both diseases of the lower respiratory tract , pneumonia and bronchitis affect different organs as their names suggest:
- Pneumonia occurs in the air sacs (or alveoli) – where oxygen is transported into the blood. Inflammation here causes the alveoli to fill with fluid or pus.
- Bronchitis is a disease of the lining inside the bronchi – the pathways that carry air into and out of the lungs. The disease can be acute (usually caused by viruses/bacteria) or chronic (prolonged inflammation).
Sometimes, bronchitis can become severe and turn into pneumonia. Let’s compare the similarities and differences between bronchitis and pneumonia in the following article.
Distinguish between pneumonia and bronchitis according to disease symptoms
In general, both bronchitis and pneumonia cause many similar signs and symptoms, such as: cough with phlegm, fever, fatigue. However, there are still other symptoms that help you distinguish which condition you are suffering from. So, how are the symptoms of bronchitis different from pneumonia?
Symptoms of bronchitis
Depending on the acute or chronic condition, the patient will have slightly different symptoms of bronchitis. Acute bronchitis causes symptoms very similar to upper respiratory tract infections such as:
- Tired
- Sore throat
- Have a runny nose
- Stuffy nose
- Fever
- Chills
- Body ache
- Mild headache
When you cough, you may see yellow or green phlegm appear. Symptoms of acute bronchitis usually improve on their own after a few days to a week, but the cough may last longer.
Unlike that, chronic bronchitis causes a more persistent cough, lasting at least 3 months. Patients often have intermittent coughs that become increasingly severe. Each cough that appears and gets worse is called a flare-up. This condition is also part of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) so there may be other symptoms:
- Shallow breathing, easily short of breath
- Wheeze
- Tired
- Chest discomfort, chest tightness
Symptoms of pneumonia
Pneumonia also causes a cough, sometimes accompanied by yellow or green phlegm. Besides, you can distinguish pneumonia and bronchitis based on other signs and symptoms such as:
- Tired
- Fever, possibly as high as 40ºC
- Chills, shaking
- Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply or coughing
- Sweat
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
- Shallow breathing
- Drowsiness, lack of alertness (commonly seen in the elderly)
- Lips are pale and pale due to lack of oxygen
Pneumonia symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on the case. When you have symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection accompanied by high fever and chills, it is likely that you have pneumonia.
If your symptoms do not improve within a week or persist longer, you should see your doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Distinguish between pneumonia and bronchitis for proper treatment
You also need to distinguish between bronchitis and pneumonia to have appropriate treatment. Treatment for any disease needs to be based on the underlying cause of the disease.
For bronchitis, treatment with the possibility of a cure is reserved only for acute cases. Chronic bronchitis is a condition that does not have a complete cure, but only focuses on relieving symptoms, limiting flare-ups and preventing complications. Patients are often prescribed steroids or inhaled medications to help reduce inflammation and open the airways more.
Determining whether the cause of pneumonia or bronchitis is a virus, bacteria or fungus will be done by a doctor. From there, treatment drugs are selected based on the causative agent. For example, if pneumonia and acute bronchitis are both caused by bacterial infections , the patient will need to use antibiotics. However, most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, so taking antibiotics will not be effective. Instead, doctors often recommend resting and drinking lots of water to wait for the body to recover.
In serious cases such as severe pneumonia, the patient may need to use a ventilator or oxygen therapy to ensure survival.
Control and improve pneumonia and bronchitis at home
Besides distinguishing between pneumonia and bronchitis to know how to treat it appropriately and according to instructions, you should also apply a number of additional home remedies to make the healing process more effective and faster, including: Whether you have pneumonia or bronchitis:
- Rest much
- Drink plenty of water to dilute phlegm and mucus in water
- Avoid drinks that cause dehydration such as alcohol, beer, and caffeine
- Use a humidifier or steam bath to help thin the mucus in your lungs
- Avoid contact with irritants such as cigarette smoke, dust, chemicals, etc.
- Ask your doctor before using cough medicine if your cough is keeping you up at night
