Bronchitis and Coronavirus: Symptoms, Differences, and More - WebMD

Posted: 23 Mar 2020 12:00 AM PDT

The symptoms of COVID-19 , the new coronavirus, include fever, fatigue, and a dry cough. These can also happen with other conditions, including bronchitis. It's hard to tell what you have just by how you feel.

Bronchitis is the general term for inflammation of the cells lining the tubes that carry air to and from your lungs. The main symptom is a deep cough that comes on fast. It can start as a dry, hacking cough, but you'll usually start noticing mucus. Other symptoms might include:

Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Slight fever and chills
Chest discomfort
Cold symptoms, such as a mild headache or body aches

You might have a cough for a few weeks or months after your other symptoms clear up.

To be on the safe side, call your doctor to discuss your symptoms.

Acute Bronchitis

Acute bronchitis is something that comes up suddenly and doesn't last that long. Some people call it a chest cold. It's usually caused by the same viruses that cause colds and the flu. But it can also be a symptom of COVID-19.

Coronaviruses and other viruses that affect your respiratory system can cause bronchitis. This can sometimes lead to pneumonia, an infection of the tiny air sacs in your lungs. Pneumonia usually causes a wet cough, fever, and trouble breathing. These symptoms can be severe and dangerous without treatment.

It can be easy to mistake symptoms of a cold, the flu, or bronchitis for COVID-19. This is especially tricky because the symptoms of COVID-19 can be mild. You won't be able to tell if COVID-19 is causing your symptoms without a lab test for the virus. Your doctor can help you know if you need a test.

Chronic Bronchitis

In some cases, bronchitis can be chronic, meaning it lasts for more than a few months or keeps coming back. This can be caused by smoking, air pollution, lung disease, or a weakened immune system.

Bronchitis doesn't cause COVID-19 or make you more likely to get it. But if you have chronic bronchitis or other health problems, you're more likely to get very sick if you do catch COVID-19. (Many conditions put people at higher risk with COVID-19.)

Continued

Research shows that almost half of people who have COVID-19 have mild symptoms but can still spread the virus. So if you've had chronic bronchitis or other lung problems like asthma or lung disease, take extra care to not get sick. This means you should, like everyone else, make sure to:

Wash your hands often and/or use hand sanitizer.
Try not to touch your face.
Stay away from people who are sick, even with mild colds.
Avoid contact with anyone who has traveled in the past 2 weeks.
Follow local instructions about going out in public, including social distancing.
Wash your hands after touching animals.
Clean and disinfect surfaces often.

If you think you might have come into contact with the virus, check your temperature every day and keep an eye out for symptoms. About 97% of people who get sick show symptoms within 2 weeks of being exposed. If you feel ill, call your doctor to talk about the next steps. If you start to have chest pain, tightness, or trouble breathing, get medical care as soon as possible.

Nurse with Coronavirus Says the Pain Felt Like Her 'Bones Were Breaking' - RADIO.COM

Posted: 24 Apr 2020 01:45 PM PDT

A nurse has opened up about the excruciating discomfort she experienced while battling coronavirus.

Meghan Harpole, a 43-year-old assistant nurse manager in Kentucky, first started feeling COVID-19 symptoms on March 26th.

Initially, she described feeling exhausted and running a slight fever. Within days, Harpole experienced high fevers, vomiting, diarrhea and began choking on her own phlegm.

"I thought I was going to die," she recounted to the Louisville Courier Journal.

"My body hurt so bad, it felt like my bones were breaking."

An emergency room nurse and former co-worker came to her home and hooked her up to an IV since she was dehydrated.

After her symptoms progressed, she went to the emergency room and found out she had pneumonia in her left lung.

"All of a sudden, I started seeing the patients I take care of and the patients on the news," she said. "They go in and get intubated. Oh my God, this is it. I may not make it. I may be on a ventilator. I may not be able to see my son for weeks."

As a single mother of a 13-year-old, Harpole was afraid of leaving her son alone as he was showing early signs of the virus.

After five hours in the ER, doctors sent her home with oxygen, breathing treatments and antibiotics.

Harpole has since started feeling better and has regained her appetite, but has yet to be cleared of the virus. Her son's symptoms have also gone away.

And while she's grateful for her health, she's now concerned about what the future may hold.

"I'm actually scared of the long-term effects," she said. "Am I going to have asthma? Am I going to have problems breathing? Am I going to have a low immune system? No one knows enough about the virus to know the long-term effects of what this has done to me."

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