Medications

Most cases of acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy people go away in 2 to 3 weeks. You generally only need nonprescription medicines to treat your symptoms. Most people do not need to use prescription medicines, such as antibiotics.

Medication Choices

• Nonprescription cough suppressants, which may help relieve coughing, and expectorants, which may make coughing easier so you can bring up mucus. Do not give cough and cold medicines to a child younger than 2 unless your child’s doctor has told you to. If your child’s doctor tells you to give a medicine, be sure to follow what he or she tells you to do.
• Nonprescription pain relievers and fever reducers, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than age 20.

Your doctor may prescribe:

• Inhaled beta2-agonists, such as albuterol, which open up the airways and may relieve coughing in people who have a hard time breathing. But the possible benefits should be weighed against possible side effects of shaking, tremor, and nervousness.
• Antibiotics, which may be used to treat people who are at increased risk for complications from acute bronchitis. For acute bronchitis in otherwise healthy people, antibiotics generally are not beneficial. For more information, see:

  Should I take antibiotics for acute bronchitis?

What To Think About

Most cases of acute bronchitis are caused by viruses, which are not affected by antibiotics. Using antibiotics when they are not needed is expensive, it can lead to side effects from antibiotic therapy, and some bacteria may become resistant to the antibiotic. This resistance may make the antibiotic less effective the next time you use it. Talk to your doctor about antibiotics. Find out whether they are necessary and what their benefits and risks are in treating acute bronchitis.

If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, take them as directed. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. You need to take the full course of antibiotics.

Corticosteroids, which may help relieve difficulty breathing, frequent wheezing, or a persistent cough, may be prescribed if other medical conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or asthma are present.

Other medicines may be prescribed to treat complications, such as pneumonia. The medicine used depends on the complication.