Chronic Bronchitis Is Different from Bronchitis.

If you're like most people, you've probably had bronchitis before. Or, "acute bronchitis" as it's sometimes called. It's a common bacterial or viral infection, often found in children. But this type of infection is very different from chronic bronchitis, which is far worse. You might confuse them because they share symptoms — like coughing, phlegm production, and shortness of breath — but they are not the same condition.

Chronic bronchitis is a long-term inflammation of the lungs.

Chronic bronchitis is an inflammation of the airways. It results in coughing (with phlegm) that you have every day, and that occurs often. It's caused by smoking or exposure to pollutants.

The inflammation occurs when the tiny hair-like projections — called cilia — that line your bronchial tubes are damaged. Normal cilia help propel mucus up the bronchial tubes. But when cilia are damaged, it becomes harder to cough up mucus. Which in turn causes more coughing, more irritation, and more mucus production. And that means your airways become swollen and clogged. The result is obstruction and increased shortness of breath.

Chronic bronchitis can cause frequent and severe respiratory infections. It's also often associated with other lung diseases, including:

• pulmonary emphysema
• asthma
• sinusitis
• upper respiratory infections

Narrowed airways limit airflow in and out of your lungs.

You might say you have a "smoker's cough" or a cold that won't go away. But it could be due to damaged airways that have gotten tight, swollen, and filled with mucus. These changes limit airflow in and out of your lungs. And, this makes it hard to breathe.