Bronchitis pain comes in many forms, but the good news is that there are a few different ways to manage it. You can usually treat the symptoms at home, using approaches that reduce the discomfort of many illnesses. For example, drinking plenty of fluids and getting sufficient rest can help, as can using a humidifier. There are some medications that you can take to manage the pain, such as cough medicine, antibiotics, and acetaminophen. If you suffer from chronic bronchitis, you may need to see a respiratory therapist to be rehabilitated.
The symptoms of this illness include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, pain in the chest, and mucus. You can try to relieve some of the bronchitis pain by resting as much as possible and drinking lots of fluids, such as water and juice. You should also use a humidifier to add moisture and warmth to the air, as breathing in this kind of air can soothe your throat and chest. Of course, staying away from cigarette smoke and people who have cold and flu symptoms can also help reduce your discomfort since it should keep you from getting sicker.
You may feel the need to see a doctor to manage your bronchitis pain. This is a good idea if the typical home remedies do not work, but you should be aware that most doctors do not prescribe medications, such as antibiotics, unless they think you have a bacterial infection that is causing the bronchitis pain. Since most people have the viral form of this illness, antibiotics are not usually helpful, but over-the-counter drugs may be. For example, you can take acetaminophen to relieve discomfort, as well as cough medicine in order to soothe the throat. On the other hand, if your cough brings up lots of mucus, you should take only a limited amount of medicine to suppress it, since coughing is good for helping your body to get rid of irritants.
Some people have chronic bronchitis, usually due to smoking. This type of bronchitis pain cannot usually be soothed through the typical remedies, in which case you might have to see a respiratory therapist to get any relief. This kind of doctor can help you get started with pulmonary rehabilitation, which will assist you in breathing easier than usual, and even occasionally working out despite this illness. Of course, if this treatment is to work, you will need to stop smoking completely first.