Outlook

If you have chronic bronchitis, the airways that carry air to your lungs become inflamed and produce a lot of mucus. The mucus and inflammation cause the airways to narrow or become obstructed, making it difficult to breathe.

Once the airways have been irritated over a long period of time, the lining of the airways becomes thickened. This thickening of the airways results in an irritating cough, hampered airflow, and lung scarring.

The damaged airways then become a breeding place for bacterial infections that can cause acute exacerbations (worsening symptoms) of bronchitis.

Catching a cold with chronic bronchitis may also lead to bacterial infections such as pneumonia because the airways are obstructed so it is more difficult to cough out infected mucus.

Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Bronchitis (AECB) – the outlook

When symptoms of chronic bronchitis get worse, your quality of life can be greatly affected. You may cough more often, cough up more mucus than usual, have more shortness of breath, and feel tired, lacking in energy.

Many people cannot continue with their normal daily life during an exacerbation, even when they are taking medicine to treat the symptoms.

How often you experience exacerbations will influence how much your quality of life is affected. If you have continued frequent exacerbations, this can cause long term damage and your lungs may not work as effectively. This may make it more likely that you will suffer from more exacerbations in future.

Some people need to have treatment in hospital during an exacerbation. In more vulnerable people, including the elderly, exacerbations can be life-threatening.

To avoid more serious problems with chronic bronchitis, it's important to always tell your doctor immediately if your symptoms get worse.

The information provided on this website does not replace a consultation with a medical professional. If you have any concern about your condition please contact a medical professional.