What is the difference between bronchitis and pneumonia. Characteristic signs by which bronchitis can be distinguished from pneumonia

Sholokhova Olga Nikolaevna

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How to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia

Bronchitis, pneumonia, tracheitis, bronchiolitis - these and other diseases are pathologies. There are many varieties of these diseases, and it is difficult for an ordinary person to understand what exactly he develops: bronchitis or pneumonia. How to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia can be understood by examining their anatomical location.

A bit of anatomy: the location of the bronchi and lungs

The entire respiratory system is divided into two main blocks: the upper respiratory tract and the lower respiratory tract. The upper tracts consist of the following organs: nose, sinuses, pharynx, larynx. These organs are designed to protect the lower respiratory tract from the penetration of dangerous microorganisms. If the inflammatory process has begun in them, it can be seen immediately, and is treated quickly enough.

The lower respiratory tract includes: trachea, bronchi and lungs. The trachea is a tube through which air passes, descending into the chest.

The bronchi are already a complicated organ. The bronchi are divided into two and three parts (left and right, respectively). In each such part, the bronchi branch, these branches still branch into small tubes that conduct air - bronchioles. Bronchioles end in alveoli - small bubbles in which oxygen "changes" to carbon dioxide.

The lungs are the most important organ for breathing. It is protected in our body by the pleura (shell) and chest from mechanical damage to the organ.

Inflammation of any organ of the lower respiratory tract will give a symptom such as coughing. How to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia if they cause the same protective reflex? There are other symptoms that allow you to differentiate how bronchitis differs from pneumonia.

human respiratory system

Manifestations of inflammation of the bronchi

Bronchitis occurs due to the penetration and reproduction of pathological microorganisms in the bronchi. Features of bronchitis are as follows:

sore throat;
nasal congestion with mucus secretion;
a person feels discomfort when swallowing;
he has occasional headaches;
there is an increasing cough;
slight hyperthermia is noted.

At first, a dry cough and fever alarm the patient, because, as a rule, pneumonia also begins with such manifestations. Then acute bronchitis is accompanied by an already wet cough (for 3-5 days), and the temperature drops slightly. On auscultation, bronchitis is accompanied by wheezing of various calibers. It is impossible to judge the development of a particular disease only by external signs, since they belong to several pathologies at once.

Symptoms of pneumonia

What are the differences between pneumonia and bronchitis? This question can be answered by carefully examining the signs of pneumonia in adults. In the first days after the onset of the disease, they are similar to bronchitis. These include:

productive cough;
sharply increasing body temperature, up to 39.8 degrees;
rapid breathing and increased heart rate;
difficulty in deep inhalation and exhalation;
Pain in chest, side above;
Expectoration with blood.

These are common symptoms of pneumonia, which develop differently for everyone. Inflammation of the lungs can also occur, which directly depends on the person's immunity. Often, when the lungs are damaged, accompanying symptoms appear: lack of appetite, insomnia, shortness of breath, intoxication, trembling in the voice.

Differences in symptoms

To know how to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia, you need to compare the indicated symptoms of diseases. The differences will be visible immediately.

Difference in diagnostic data

By comparing the symptoms of bronchitis and pneumonia, a preliminary conclusion can be drawn about the patient's condition. It is possible to finally distinguish these diseases of the respiratory system with the help of diagnostics. You need to understand that it is quite difficult to diagnose at home, so only the doctor calls the actual diagnosis after a study in children and adults.

Auscultation

When listening, the clinical picture will be different for these two diseases. Lung pathology is characterized by local wheezing, which is heard only in specific areas. The pathology of the bronchi will manifest itself as wheezing over the entire surface of the lungs. They are uniform when listening to the right, left, front, top, and so on.

Percussion

Diagnostic tapping in bronchitis and pneumonia: difference in dull percussion sound. Lung tissues are affected during inflammation, and their percussion gives a dull sound that occurs locally, where inflammation develops. With the pathology of the bronchi, changes in sound during percussion are not observed.

Radiography

The main way to diagnose these diseases, understandable to all doctors, is an X-ray examination. The doctor will not have any doubts about the diagnosis when he examines the picture.

Bronchitis is manifested by a clear pattern of the bronchial tree. even small ramifications of the bronchi, which in the normal state never appear.

Pneumonia can be identified by dark areas of the lungs in the picture. These areas can be different in size - it depends on the degree of damage to the segments and lobes of the lungs.

The development of diseases in children

A weak immune system and anatomical features cause a complex course of both bronchitis and pneumonia, depending on the age of the small patient. Distinguishing these diseases will require careful listening:

with pathology in the bronchi, wheezing will be dry, hoarse;
with an inflammatory process in the lungs, rales are moist.

Only a specialist can determine the correct treatment if these pathologies develop. Sometimes it is necessary to use antibiotics, the course of treatment and dosage of which is prescribed by a physician.

When we or our loved ones develop an inflammatory disease of the respiratory system, the question often arises: how can bronchitis be distinguished from pneumonia? After all, the same pathogens are the cause of the occurrence and development of these diseases. These diseases are a complication of viral diseases of the respiratory system.

Our body is prone to colds mainly in the cold season. They are caused by prolonged exposure to cold temperatures on the body, exposure to cold winds and drafts, drinking chilled drinks in hot or cold weather. Viruses and infections are the main causative agents of these colds. Often a common cold at first glance becomes complicated and turns into a more complex illness. One of these complicated forms is bronchitis.

Bronchitis and its treatment

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial mucosa. An infection from the upper respiratory tract descends into the body. In addition to bacteria and viruses, this disease can be caused by cold, hot, or dry air, chemical gases. Symptoms: the patient has a fever, he often coughs. Painful cough at first dry, then gradually becomes wet, sputum is abundantly secreted. The person may be out of breath. During breathing, hoarse and hoarse sounds appear from time to time. They appear due to sputum that accumulates in the throat, noises are also heard in the chest of a sick person.

Mild bronchitis is treated from a week to two. To recover, it is necessary to observe bed rest, drink plenty of lime and raspberry drinks, inhale with a 2% solution of sodium bicarbonate, take expectorants to get rid of copious sputum, take mucolytics, and regularly massage the chest.

If the disease becomes more serious, complex forms, then the doctor prescribes effective antibiotics to the sick person, which have wide range actions on the body and are used for bronchitis, as well as for pneumonia. To prevent diseases in the future, you need to harden. The simplest way is to wash your feet every day with warm water and then douse them with cold water.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia can develop as a complication of severe bronchitis. Quite often, doctors observe a situation in which acute bronchitis causes serious consequences. One of them is pneumonia. The symptoms of this disease are similar to those of bronchitis.

To avoid confusion, you need to know how to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia for the competent treatment of a sick person.

With bronchitis, there will definitely be pain in the chest area. A dry cough appears, which gradually turns into a wet one, it will be accompanied by the release of mucopurulent sputum. Body temperature will rise to 38 degrees. The patient's breathing is hard, accompanied by wheezing. Recovery is possible after treatment within one to two weeks. The general condition of the sick person will improve, the cough will subside.

It is more difficult to diagnose pneumonia, since it is divided into different types and occurs with SARS, which is a companion disease. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis of pneumonia after a thorough examination. However, it is useful for everyone to know how this disease differs from bronchitis in order to seek the necessary help.

With pneumonia, the following symptoms appear: runny nose and dry cough, which turns into a wet one, pain in the chest when inhaling and during coughing, dry and wet rales are heard when breathing, shortness of breath appears, sleep and appetite are lost, against the background of an elevated temperature of 39- 40 degrees, chills appear, sometimes pain in the side is possible, headache and weakness appear - signs of intoxication, breathing is rapid, shallow, trembling may appear in the voice.

Antibiotics that are prescribed to patients with pneumonia and bronchitis have a wide spectrum of action. For both diseases, after drug therapy, breathing exercises are useful, which will help you quickly and more fully restore breathing.

Sometimes bronchitis can turn into pneumonia. This complication is often found in patients with acute bronchitis. This phenomenon is typical for young children and the elderly. This is due to the characteristics of the body and the immune system.

Stressors and prevention of complications of bronchitis

For what reasons and how does bronchitis turn into pneumonia? There are a number of factors that favor the occurrence and development of complications. In particular, these are the following points:

late or incorrect diagnosis of the disease;
belated, unsystematic, incomplete treatment;
ignoring the recommended regimen and doctor's appointments;
low threshold of immune system resistance;
the age of the patient (in children and the elderly, bronchitis is usually more severe than in young and middle-aged people);
diseases of the respiratory system, inherited;
ailments of other internal systems and organs;
various bad habits (especially smoking: both active and passive);
impact of negative environmental factors (professional and climatic conditions).

People (especially those at risk) should systematically follow a preventive regimen to protect against the development of bronchitis and its consequences. It must be followed from early childhood. Preventive measures do not lose their relevance for other age categories. Preventive measures are most important for the elderly.

Prevention of the disease is considered the most effective prevention of complications. To do this, all preventive measures should be aimed at increasing immunity. It is strengthened by:

balanced, high-quality, nutrient-rich nutrition;
systematic walks (in any weather) in the fresh air;
moderate physical activity;
improving health in the summer (rest in the mountains, at sea, in the forest).

Simultaneously with the procedures for the general improvement of health and hardening, in order to strengthen the body's resistance and immunoprophylaxis of colds, it is necessary:

identify and eliminate foci of infection in the body in time;
Get vaccinated regularly to prevent influenza.

If it was not possible to avoid the disease, all efforts should be made so that its complications do not arise:

visit a doctor at the first sign of illness;
adhere to bed or semi-bed rest;
carry out all the activities recommended by the specialist;
continue the therapeutic course prescribed by the doctor, even if the symptoms of the disease are eliminated.

Characteristic of different types (usual or acute, chronic or recurrent, obstructive or purulent) have their own forms. All of them have both similar and distinctive features.

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Complications of bronchitis of various forms

The acute form of bronchitis passes mainly into focal pneumonia (bronchopneumonia) or into pneumonia. Severe inflammation of the lining of the bronchioles is considered bronchopneumonia. This disease is practically not affected by people with standard protective properties of the body. It may develop:

in the presence of severe ailments of internal organs;
in young children and the elderly;
in patients with cancer;
in the presence of immunodeficiency.

The most severe focal pneumonia endure children. Sometimes it can cause death. Therefore, therapy must be comprehensive. Be sure to use antibacterial agents. In some cases, hospitalization is necessary. Bronchopneumonia is characterized by the following symptoms:

temperature rise;
weakness and fairly rapid fatigue;
headache;
the appearance of shortness of breath;
the presence of dizziness;
cough;
the presence of mucopurulent sputum (sometimes with streaks of blood);
rapid breathing (30 times in 1 minute) and heart rate (110 in 1 minute);
pain in the chest area.

When inflammation of the lung tissue is accompanied by a violation of gas exchange, pneumonia occurs. During pneumonia, the alveoli and terminal airways are affected. The disease can develop as a primary infection or as a complication after upper respiratory tract infections and bronchitis. It can be caused by an allergic reaction in the body.

The symptoms of pneumonia are in many ways similar to those of the common cold and bronchopneumonia.

But the general condition of the patient is more severe, appetite disappears, insomnia develops.

An experienced doctor knows. After all, the inflammation present in the alveoli of the lungs gives rise to slightly different symptoms. Clinical features of pneumonia:

temperature increase (above 38.5ºС);
constant sputum production;
coughing up blood;
pain in the chest area;
difficulty breathing;
increased heart rate (above 100 beats per minute);
increased breathing (more than 24 breaths per minute);
the disease lasts more than 2-3 weeks.

Fluorography will help clarify the diagnosis. Diagnosis of blood and sputum will reveal the causative agent of the disease. Inflammation of the lungs of a bacterial nature is especially difficult. It is most dangerous for:

babies;
women who are expecting a baby;
people with chronic diseases;
older people who are over 65 years old.

Pneumonia can be complicated by:

lung abscess;
respiratory failure;
exudative pleurisy;
septic fever.

Laboratory studies for bronchitis and damage to the alveoli of the lungs are the same. The patient's body will cope with the causative agents of the disease in the lungs, if in due time and correctly select antibacterial agents and follow the correct course of treatment.

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The difference between bronchitis and pneumonia

To accurately establish the diagnosis, it is necessary to conduct a thorough diagnosis. Characteristic features of bronchitis and pneumonia:

The development of pneumonia occurs on a bacterial basis. Viral agents most often provoke inflammation of the bronchi.
Inflammation of the lungs provokes severe fever and chills. Bronchitis is accompanied by a slight rise in temperature.
In pneumonia, fluid accumulates in the alveoli and edema develops. With bronchitis, swelling and scarring appear in the airways themselves.

The correct definition of the disease helps to prescribe the correct system of therapy. Treatment of pneumonia is based on the use of antibacterial drugs. With an infectious lesion of the bronchi, therapy should be aimed at eliminating edema and reducing pain during coughing. Bronchitis (both in children and adults) is fraught with complications. If, with appropriate treatment, symptoms persist for more than 10 days, this indicates the presence of a complication. For such a period of time, bronchitis without any complications is freely treatable.

Most often, patients turn to medical specialists for help in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system. To prescribe the correct and effective therapy, the doctor must determine what the person is sick with - bronchitis or pneumonia.

These two diseases are very similar in symptoms, it is rather difficult to distinguish them without a medical examination.

Anatomical structure of the respiratory system

The respiratory system includes the following organs:

nasal passages;
nasopharynx;
larynx;
trachea
bronchial tree;
lungs.

The bronchial tree consists of two large branches, from which small branches extend - the bronchi. The smallest branches are bronchioles, at their end are alveoli - pulmonary vesicles in which gas exchange takes place. The complex of bronchioles and alveoli is the human lungs. In an adult, there are more than 300 million alveoli in the lungs.

The infection enters the respiratory system along with the air through the nasal passages. Pathogenic microorganisms first enter the bronchial branches, but if left untreated, they capture the alveoli. That is, with effective and timely treatment of bronchitis, inflammation of the lungs can be avoided. In both immunocompromised adults and children, pneumonia often occurs as a complication of untreated acute respiratory infections.

How is pneumonia different from bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a widespread inflammation of the bronchial tree. The causative agent of the disease is an infection, usually of viral origin. Pathogenic microorganisms attach to the mucous membranes of the bronchi and bronchioles, causing their swelling. As a result, the respiratory function is disturbed in a sick person, air masses cannot circulate freely through the inflamed bronchial branches.

On the initial stage disease, the usual symptoms are:

hard breath,
dry irritating cough
wheezing and whistling when inhaling and exhaling air.

At a late stage of bronchitis, a bacterial infection joins a viral infection, a sick person has a wet cough with purulent sputum.

Pneumonia is an infectious inflammation of the lung tissue. The inflammatory reaction occurs in the alveoli - the main organs of the respiratory system, absorbing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide from the body.

The main signs of the disease are shortness of breath and oxygen starvation of all tissues and organs. Hypoxia is especially pronounced in young children. If inflammation captures significant areas of the lungs, then in addition to oxygen deficiency, a sick person has weakness and a feverish state.

It should be noted that in young children, due to the incomplete development of the respiratory system, the infection rapidly spreads through the bronchial branches, reaching the lung tissues in a short time. Therefore, children are often diagnosed with bronchopneumonia. With this severe pathology, the inflammatory reaction covers not only the bronchi, but also the alveoli.

Causes of pneumonia and bronchitis

Both bronchitis and inflammation of the lung tissues begin with common respiratory diseases: colds, flu, sore throats. Most of these diseases are caused by viruses. Three or four days after the onset of a cold, pathogenic microorganisms can migrate from the upper respiratory tract to the lower sections of the bronchial tree and lung tissues, causing bronchitis or pneumonia.

The inflammatory reaction in the mucous membranes of the bronchial branches develops under the influence of the following factors:

viruses that can spread through the air;
uncomfortable temperature and humidity of the air;
irritating chemicals or allergens entering the respiratory tract.

The inflammatory reaction in the pulmonary alveoli is caused by the following factors:

In the vast majority of cases, both bronchitis and pneumonia are caused by bacteria and viruses. Moreover, inflammation of the bronchi is most often of a viral nature, provoked by influenza or adenovirus, and the inflammatory reaction in the lung tissues is predominantly of bacterial origin, caused by streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci.

However, doctors have recently been increasingly diagnosing viral pneumonia in patients. Therapy for pneumonia usually consists of taking antibiotic drugs, but antibiotic treatment for bronchitis is not mandatory.

The difference between the symptoms of pneumonia and bronchitis

How to distinguish the symptoms of pneumonia from the signs of bronchitis? In fact, there are quite noticeable differences between these two diseases. Inflammation of the bronchial tree is usually accompanied by the following symptoms:

dry and heart-rending cough at the initial stage of the disease, wet cough with sputum when recovery approaches;
pain in the chest, overstrain of the respiratory muscles;
an increase in body temperature;
weakness, general malaise;
inflammation of the upper respiratory tract - larynx, pharynx, paranasal sinuses, trachea;
difficulty breathing, especially in young children.

Inflammation of the lung tissue in most cases is accompanied by the following symptoms:

quite severe pain in the upper part of the chest, especially pronounced when taking deep breaths;
blanching of the skin due to oxygen starvation of the body;
intense cough with purulent or bloody sputum;
febrile state due to intoxication of the body;
weakness, lack of appetite.

The difference between bronchitis and pneumonia on an x-ray

Defining the disease by symptoms, you can make a mistake. And the main, most accurate and reliable method for diagnosing inflammation of the bronchi and lungs is an X-ray examination. In bronchitis, the inflammatory reaction captures the entire bronchial tree, which is clearly visible on an x-ray.

Doctors call this an increase in the lung pattern. That is, the bronchial branches on the radiograph stand out too brightly and clearly. This is a sure sign of illness. But with pneumonia on an x-ray, the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe lungs turns out to be darkened.

Moreover, the blackout has a fairly clear contour, it can be of different sizes: cover a small amount of tissue, a third, half of the lungs or the entire organ.

Features of the course of diseases in a child

In a small child, inflammation of the bronchi and lung tissues is severe, due to insufficient development of the respiratory system and immunity. Even with a common cold, complications may appear in a baby on the second or third day.

With pneumonia, a child has severe intoxication, accompanied by lethargy, impotence, lack of appetite. With bronchitis, the baby often has an obstruction of the airways.

At the first symptoms of an inflammatory respiratory disease, especially in the presence of a fever above 38 ° C, parents should take the child to the pediatrician. After examining and listening to the lungs, a medical specialist will tell you exactly what the little patient is sick with - pneumonia or bronchitis. If a child has a fever for three days, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics.

It should be noted that in childhood pneumonia, antipyretic drugs are in most cases powerless.

Features of the treatment of bronchitis and pneumonia

What is the difference between the treatment of bronchitis and pneumonia? Bronchitis and mild pneumonia can be treated at home, following the recommendations of a doctor. But with severe pneumonia, a sick person must go to the hospital without fail.

With a fever, you need to be in bed, drink plenty of warm liquids, at least three liters per day. If the temperature is above 38°C, you need to take antipyretic drugs. Mucolytic drugs are prescribed to facilitate expectoration of sputum.

The main medicine for inflammation of the bronchi and lungs is antibiotics. With bronchitis, antibiotic medications are not prescribed immediately, but when pathogenic bacteria are added to a viral infection. But pneumonia is treated with antibiotics from the first day.

Attention, only TODAY!

Pneumonia and bronchitis belong to the category of pulmonary diseases affecting the lower respiratory tract. Both diseases have a similar clinical picture, manifested by bouts of severe coughing. The lack of qualified assistance in any of them threatens the development of serious complications. In this case, in each case, its own treatment tactics are used. Therefore, before prescribing drugs, the disease must be diagnosed. So today we are talking about how to distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia, based on the manifestations of these diseases.

Bronchitis: general information

Bronchitis is an inflammatory disease affecting the lower respiratory organs. Most often, the disease is of a viral nature, developing on the bronchial mucosa under the influence of a viral infection that has entered the body. In terms of danger after pneumonia, bronchitis ranks second. At the initial stage, the disease is characterized by swelling of the tissues and the accumulation of thick mucous secretions in the bronchi. The accumulated sputum is an excellent breeding ground for pathogenic microflora. Therefore, in the absence of timely assistance, a bacterial infection occurs.

Given the viral nature of the disease, bronchitis is considered to be contagious. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets. During coughing or sneezing, virus particles spread at great speed, settling not only on the surface of objects, but also on the skin and mucous membranes of people around.

The most susceptible to bronchitis are small children who, due to their age characteristics, have immature immunity, high susceptibility to respiratory infections, a physiologically narrow bronchial lumen and poorly developed muscle fibers of the respiratory system.

Symptoms of acute bronchitis

At the initial stage, bronchitis is characterized by the clinical picture of classic ARVI. The most common symptoms:

nasal congestion, severe runny nose;
dry hacking cough without sputum, acquiring a wet character a few days after the onset of the disease;
the detachable mucous secret is abundant, has a thick consistency, depending on the course of the disease, it can be transparent, yellow or green;
increased fatigue, headaches of varying intensity;
the temperature does not rise or rises, but slightly;
shortness of breath may occur with an obstructive component of the disease;
mild pain in the chest area during coughing;
wheezing when listening with a stethoscope (in some cases, they can be heard at a distance);
pathological changes in the lungs are not detected on the radiograph.

With timely access to a doctor, the treatment of bronchitis takes 2-3 weeks.. Drug therapy is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the disease, stopping the inflammatory process and preventing the penetration of infection into the bronchioles and alveoli. For treatment, mucolytic drugs, bronchodilators and antihistamines are used. In difficult cases, glucocorticosteroids are additionally prescribed. A properly designed treatment regimen can prevent the transition of the disease into a chronic form and avoid the spread of inflammation to the lungs.

Pneumonia: general information

Symptoms of pneumonia

At the initial stage, the symptoms of pneumonia resemble the clinical picture of an acute respiratory infection. Therefore, most patients simply do not pay attention to it, continuing to be treated with cold powders and other means that are ineffective in acute inflammation in the lungs.

Any therapist can distinguish bronchitis from pneumonia in a child or an adult at the initial stage. A little later, the patient himself can cope with this. After all, the difference in the symptoms of bronchitis and pneumonia in adults and children is more than obvious:

persistent increase in temperature to 38.5 0 and above;
abundant discharge of mucous secretion of sputum from the beginning of the inflammatory process;
blood particles are found in the sputum (in a particularly difficult case, hemoptysis is observed);
pain in the chest, noted on inspiration;
difficulty breathing, shortness of breath;
cardiopalmus;
frequent intermittent breathing;
headaches, weakness in the body;
chills;
severe pallor of the skin;
loss of appetite;
another difference in children is abdominal pain and vomiting caused by the “deep” location of the inflammation focus.

Another difference between bronchitis and pneumonia in adults is a longer course. Inflammation in the lung tissues progresses rapidly and lasts much longer than 3 weeks. Complications include abscessing (purulent) pneumonia, exudative pleurisy, blood poisoning (septic fever), and respiratory failure. To recognize the disease, the same diagnostic methods are used as for bronchitis. When the diagnosis is confirmed, antibiotic therapy is prescribed.

Bronchitis differs from pneumonia in that the treatment of the latter is carried out exclusively with the help of potent antibiotics. Only by following the doctor's recommendations can you cope with a progressive infection.

How to recognize these dangerous diseases yourself

It is difficult to say which is worse: bronchitis or pneumonia. On the one hand, with bronchitis, the patient has a much better chance of quickly and painlessly suppressing the infection. While The worst complication of pneumonia is death due to sepsis or respiratory failure.. But if nothing is done, bronchitis can turn into pneumonia in a couple of weeks. Then the risks of complications are about the same.

Separately, we studied the signs of bronchitis and pneumonia, now we will try to systematize our knowledge in order to understand what disease you had to face. So the main difference is:

The cause of bronchitis almost always becomes a viral infection, pneumonia is a bacterial complication.
Bronchitis is characterized by low temperature and mild fever. Inflammation of the lungs is always a high temperature, accompanied by severe chills.
Bronchitis differs from pneumonia also in the nature of wheezing. With the defeat of the bronchial tree, whistling rales are heard, while with pneumonia they almost always acquire a wet character from the first day of the disease. Perhaps the appearance of dry wheezing, but the whistle is still absent.
Bronchitis and pneumonia are confirmed by x-ray. With inflammation of the lungs, the images clearly show areas of blackout on the lung tissue. With a limited focus of inflammation only within the bronchi, there are no dark zones on the lungs.

Why distinguish between bronchitis and pneumonia? This is necessary for the choice of treatment tactics and the selection of effective drugs. In both cases, the treatment regimen and the list of drugs are selected by the doctor. Bronchitis without symptoms of obstruction can be successfully treated at home, strictly following the instructions of a pulmonologist or therapist. Treatment of pneumonia at home is fraught with serious complications. Therefore, pneumonia is treated only with antibiotics and only in a hospital.

In any case, a strong cough that bothers you for a long time is a signal to see a doctor. Do not experiment with home treatments that will not bring anything good. Bronchitis and pneumonia are two diseases that need careful diagnosis.