Bronchitis and Air Pollution

Acute vs. chronic bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is the sudden development of inflammation in the bronchial tubes. The American Lung Association says it usually happens because of a virus or because of breathing in something that irritates the lungs, such as tobacco smoke, fumes, dust and air pollution. Symptoms last a couple of weeks on average.^[2]

Chronic bronchitis is different. Along with emphysema, it falls under chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a long-term condition that gets worse over time.^[3] If that is your situation, our COPD and air quality guide covers it in more depth.

How pollutants affect the airways

• Ozone. The EPA says ozone can inflame and damage the airways, make the lungs more susceptible to infection, and aggravate lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It can also cause coughing, a sore or scratchy throat, and pain when taking a deep breath.^[4]
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The EPA says NO2 can irritate the airways and that longer exposure to elevated levels may increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.^[5]
• Particle pollution. The EPA links particle exposure to respiratory symptoms such as airway irritation, coughing and difficulty breathing.^[8] The American Lung Association says short-term spikes in particle pollution are linked to more hospital admissions and emergency visits for COPD.^[6]

Long-term exposure and chronic bronchitis

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIH) reports that in a study of 50,000 women across the country, long-term exposure to PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen dioxide was linked to chronic bronchitis. It also reports that children exposed to high levels of air pollutants were more likely to develop bronchitis symptoms as adults.^[7]

These are research findings across large groups of people, not a diagnosis of what caused any individual's bronchitis.

Reducing exposure while your airways recover

• Check the AQI before exercising outdoors. Ozone tends to be worst on hot, sunny days.^[4] Our city pages show current readings.
• Avoid smoke and fumes, including tobacco smoke, which the American Lung Association lists among the irritants that can cause bronchitis.^[2]
• Keep indoor air clean. See our indoor air guide and the air purifier size calculator.

When to see a doctor

The American Lung Association says that if you have a cough that won't go away, or you get bronchitis frequently, it may be a sign of a more serious disease and you should see your doctor.^[2]

What the AQI colors mean

AirNow reports the Air Quality Index (AQI) for five pollutants regulated under the Clean Air Act: ground-level ozone, particle pollution (PM2.5 and PM10), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.^[1]

• Green, 0–50 (Good): air pollution poses little or no risk.^[1]
• Yellow, 51–100 (Moderate): acceptable, but there may be a risk for people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution.^[1]
• Orange, 101–150 (Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups): members of sensitive groups may experience health effects; the general public is less likely to be affected.^[1]
• Red, 151–200 (Unhealthy) and above: some members of the general public may experience health effects, and sensitive groups may experience more serious effects.^[1]

Check today's reading for your area on the city air quality pages or at AirNow.gov.