{"id":22542,"date":"2019-02-12T10:41:04","date_gmt":"2019-02-12T17:41:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=22542"},"modified":"2025-04-17T15:56:42","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T21:56:42","slug":"bronchitis-or-pneumonia-how-to-tell-the-difference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/bronchitis-or-pneumonia-how-to-tell-the-difference\/","title":{"rendered":"How to tell the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_22547\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-22547\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-22547 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891.webp\" alt=\"A young woman feels under the weather while trying to study which could be bronchitis or pneumonia.\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891.webp 1500w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/02\/12103751\/GettyImages-1127503891-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-22547\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Is it bronchitis or pneumonia? While the two illnesses are similar, they require different treatments. Photo by Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you\u2019ve had a persistent cough, shortness of breath and feel run down, you may have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/bronchitis\/\">bronchitis<\/a>. Then again, it might be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/pneumonia\/\">pneumonia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Both illnesses have similar symptoms, but require different treatments. And pneumonia is especially important to diagnose as it can become a serious health issue, fast.<\/p>\n<p>Below, Crystal Henderson, a family nurse practitioner at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-primary-care-clinic-craig\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">UCHealth Primary Care Clinic in Craig<\/a>, outlines how to tell the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia, and when to seek medical attention.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Do I have bronchitis?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Bronchitis causes the airways, or branching tubes that bring air into the lungs, to swell and produce mucus. It\u2019s usually caused by a virus, such as R.S.V., rhinovirus or influenza.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms of bronchitis include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Coughing<\/li>\n<li>Fatigue<\/li>\n<li>Wheezing<\/li>\n<li>Runny or stuffy nose<\/li>\n<li>Muscle aches<\/li>\n<li>Fever.<\/li>\n<li>The sputum \u2013 or gunk that\u2019s coughed up \u2013 may be clear, yellow or green.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cBronchitis usually lasts five to seven days, but it can last up to three weeks and still not be bacterial,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cThat\u2019s why this is tricky. It may feel like pneumonia.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Do I have Pneumonia?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As the leading cause of death worldwide, pneumonia is much more serious. In the U.S., there are 4.5 million outpatient <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/pneumonia\/prevention\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">visits for pneumonia<\/a> each year.<\/p>\n<p>Just like bronchitis, symptoms of pneumonia include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Cough<\/li>\n<li>Fatigue<\/li>\n<li>Sputum may also be clear, yellow or green.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Additionally, pneumonia symptoms are more likely to include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High, persistent fever<\/li>\n<li>Shortness of breath<\/li>\n<li>Sharp chest pain<\/li>\n<li>Chills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cPneumonia is more of an (bacterial) infection of the air sacs of one or both lungs,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cAnybody can get it, though we worry most about our older patients, patients with chronic illness and young children.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Pneumonia is often caused by bacteria, which means it requires treatment with antibiotics. It can also progress quickly, so it should not be ignored.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>When should I see a provider for my symptoms?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Since it can be difficult to tell the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia, Henderson recommends seeing a health care provider if you have symptoms of either.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf people are really feeling ill and having shortness of breath, they should get it checked out,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cUsually, bronchitis is going to get better on its own \u2013 it just takes time. But we don\u2019t want to miss that pneumonia.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Patients most at risk for bronchitis or pneumonia include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Those older than 65<\/li>\n<li>Those with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease and lung issues<\/li>\n<li>Young children.<\/li>\n<li>Having previously had influenza is also a risk factor, as the virus can lead to pneumonia.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cIf it\u2019s progressing fast, you should seek medical attention immediately,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Diagnosis and treatment for pneumonia and bronchitis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Your doctor will check your vitals and take a history of your symptoms to make a diagnosis. The only way to confirm pneumonia is with a chest X-ray.<\/p>\n<p>Since pneumonia is often caused by bacteria, it is typically treated with antibiotics. Your provider will prescribe an appropriate antibiotic, taking into consideration any antibiotic resistance in your area. As a viral infection, bronchitis does not require an antibiotic.<\/p>\n<p>For both bronchitis and pneumonia, treatment includes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Rest and hydration<\/li>\n<li>Over-the-counter medications, such as cough syrup, decongestants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (such as ibuprofen) may help with symptoms, open your airways by loosening mucus, and make it easier to cough. But always check with your provider to make sure a medication is safe for you.<\/li>\n<li>Saline nasal rinses can also help, especially if the patient has upper respiratory symptoms.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The best ways to prevent bronchitis and pneumonia:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Getting a flu vaccine can help prevent both bronchitis and pneumonia<\/li>\n<li>Regularly washing your hands<\/li>\n<li>Avoid cigarette smoking.<\/li>\n<li>A pneumonia vaccine may be recommended for higher-risk patients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cBoth bronchitis and pneumonia are really common, and it\u2019s hard to distinguish between them,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cSo don\u2019t hesitate to see your health care provider if you have symptoms of either.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This article first appeared in the Steamboat Pilot &amp; Today on Feb. 4, 2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019ve had a persistent cough, shortness of breath and feel run down, you may have bronchitis. Then again, it might be pneumonia. Both illnesses have similar symptoms, but require different treatments. And pneumonia is especially important to diagnose as it can become a serious health issue, fast. Below, Crystal Henderson, a family nurse practitioner [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2163,"featured_media":22547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[9138,1112,162,9187,257],"class_list":["post-22542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-ear-nose-and-throat-care","tag-ear-nose-throat-care-otolaryngology","tag-infectious-diseases","tag-readysetco","tag-virus-prevention"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to tell the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bronchitis and pneumonia have similar symptoms, but require different treatments. 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