Bronchitis, like many disorders can be classified based on length of time someone has symptoms. Chronic bronchitis is considered long-lasting or long term. While most of us non professional medical types are doing good to recognize basic symptomatic conditions, pulmonary specialists need to be much more detailed and their understanding and diagnosis of various illnesses and diseases. This is the only way that treatments for both types of bronchitis and other illnesses can be accurately diagnosed and treated.

Acute bronchitis is typically identified with flu like symptoms and a short-term induration. Acute bronchitis however, simply means short-term and is typical of many people who get the flu or other viral infections.

It's basically an infection that constricts the breathing passageways. It can be caused by either a bacteria or be viral in nature. In one case, an antibiotics treatment regimen can help shorten the duration the person is sick. In the other, antibiotics will do absolutely no good. This is one reason why it's important to visit the doctor when you suspect bronchitis if only to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. Without a simple medical test, there's no way a layperson such as you or I can determine if antibiotics are necessary. By the way, giving antibiotics when they aren't necessary can actually do more harm than good especially in children.

Acute bronchitis can be identified by a persistent cough and wheezing. A whistling or wheezing sound can be heard by listening carefully to someone breathing whose bronchial tubes are constricted. An acute case of bronchitis typically clears up in days but can last longer than a week or so. Some of the more common signs and symptoms of an upper respiratory infection such as bronchitis may include...

Wheezing
Difficulty Breathing
Congestion
a Tight Feeling around the Chest

Chronic bronchitis on the other hand, is an ongoing condition that can last for months or years. Chronic bronchial infections are many times caused by environmental factors.
These may include:

Exposure to dust
Certain odors or fumes
Smoking (both primary and secondhand)

There is no cure for chronic bronchitis and many who don't smoke but continue to suffer ongoing respiratory infections need to consider changes in their environment to limit exposure to things that may trigger a pulmonary or lung related illness.

To deal with chronic bronchitis, often times you will need to focus on the triggers that can cause the problem in the first place. This is one reason why I'm offering a free report on how to remove asthma, allergy and bronchitis triggers from your home.