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Phlegm
Cough
Nasal congestion
Blood in phlegm
Shortness of breath
Sinus pain
Coughing
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Bronchiectasis?
A condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally wide. There are various causes, including infections, but sometimes the cause is unknown.
Typical Symptoms of Bronchiectasis
- Producing phlegm that contains blood
- Wheezing or whistling sounds when breathing
- Discharge of yellow or green sputum.
- Cough
- Producing phlegm
- Family history of Asthma, Eczema, Allergic rhinitis or Allergic conjunctivitis
- Difficulty breathing
- Cough worsens after exercise
Diagnostic Questions for Bronchiectasis
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Are you producing phlegm that contains blood?
- Do you experience wheezing or whistling sounds when breathing?
- Do you have yellow or green sputum?
- Do you have a cough?
- Are you producing phlegm?
Treatment of Bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis cannot be reversed. Treatment focuses on preventing infections and flare-ups through a combination of medication, chest physical therapy, and lifestyle changes like quitting smoking. In some cases, oxygen therapy or surgery may be needed to treat complications.
Reviewed By:
Phillip Aguila, MD, MBA (Pulmonology, Critical Care)
Dr. Aguila graduated from West Virginia University School of Medicine. He has trained in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at The University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and Internal Medicine at Medical College of Pennsylvania/Hahnemann University at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. He has served as Assistant Professor since 2010.
Eisaku Kamakura, MD (Pulmonology)
Dr. Kamakura graduated from the Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry, and the Niigata University School of Medicine. He trained at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital and held positions in the Respiratory Medicine departments at Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Ome City General Hospital, and Musashino Red Cross Hospital. In 2021, he became the specially appointed assistant professor at the Department of General Medicine, Niigata University School of Medicine.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Whistling when I breathe
- Respiratory wheeze
- Loud breathing
- Tickly cough
- Stridor
- Sputum
- Cough with phlegm
- Yellow or green sputum
- Frequent and violent coughing
- Nighttime cough
- Barking cough
- Bloody mucus
- Wake up because of cough
- Blood-tinged sputum
- Started with a cough
See full list
Symptoms Related to Bronchiectasis
Diseases Related to Bronchiectasis
FAQs
Q.
Constant Mucus? Why Your Lungs Won’t Clear & Bronchiectasis Next Steps
A.
Persistent daily mucus that will not clear can be caused by asthma, chronic bronchitis or postnasal drip, but it also raises concern for bronchiectasis, where damaged, widened airways trap phlegm and drive repeated infections; classic clues are a months-long wet cough, large morning sputum, frequent chest infections, breathlessness, and occasional blood, with diagnosis best made by a high-resolution chest CT. There are several factors to consider; see below for complete next steps, including airway clearance therapy, timely antibiotics guided by sputum tests, vaccines, pulmonary rehab, red flags that need urgent care, and how to work with a pulmonologist on a long-term plan.
References:
* Polverino, F., Van der Plaat, C. J. W., Chalmers, S. J., & Van der Plaat, E. M. T. H. (2023). Bronchiectasis: A Comprehensive Review. *Journal of Clinical Medicine*, *12*(15), 5046.
* Fahy, J. V., & Dickey, B. F. (2020). Airway Mucus Function and Dysfunction. *New England Journal of Medicine*, *382*(12), 1150-1160.
* Flume, P. A., Chalmers, J. D., & Quittner, A. L. (2021). Bronchiectasis: Diagnosis and Treatment. *Annual Review of Medicine*, *72*, 399-412.
* Pastey, M. K., & Chalmers, J. D. (2022). The Vicious Cycle of Bronchiectasis: Update on Pathogenesis and Potential Therapeutic Targets. *Chest*, *162*(1), 136-148.
* Chalmers, J. D., Aliberti, S., & Blasi, F. (2020). Management of bronchiectasis in adults. *European Respiratory Journal*, *55*(3), 1901848.
Q.
Persistent Mucus? Why Bronchiectasis Scars Lungs & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
Persistent mucus with chronic cough and repeated chest infections can be due to bronchiectasis, where scarred, widened airways and impaired cilia trap thick mucus, drive ongoing inflammation, and increase infection risk; diagnosis usually requires a high resolution CT, and early management can slow damage. Medically approved next steps include daily airway clearance, targeted antibiotics when indicated, inhaled therapies and mucus thinners, plus vaccinations and pulmonary rehab, with urgent care for coughing up large amounts of blood or severe shortness of breath; there are several factors to consider, so see the complete guidance below.
References:
* Polverino E, Cilloniz C, D'Silva L, et al. Bronchiectasis: the last decade. Eur Respir Rev. 2021 Mar 31;30(160):200373. doi: 10.1183/16000617.0373-2020. PMID: 33789973.
* Guan WJ, Wu MJ, Chen RC. Pathogenesis of bronchiectasis: recent advances. Curr Opin Pulm Med. 2023 Mar 1;29(2):162-168. doi: 10.1097/MCP.0000000000000947. PMID: 36585140.
* Lee AL, Hill AT, Bandelow S, et al. Airway clearance techniques in bronchiectasis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Respirology. 2020 Mar;25(3):286-294. doi: 10.1111/resp.13689. Epub 2019 Jul 24. PMID: 31278854.
* Hill AT, Sullivan AL, Chalmers JD, et al. British Thoracic Society Guideline for the management of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. Thorax. 2019 Sep;74(Suppl 1):1-69. doi: 10.1136/thoraxj-2018-212137. PMID: 31213401.
* Munkholm M, Hedrick C, Nørregaard S, et al. Chronic Inflammation in Bronchiectasis: A Focus on Neutrophil-Mediated Damage and Therapeutic Targeting. Cells. 2023 Mar 19;12(6):951. doi: 10.3390/cells12060951. PMID: 36980481.
Q.
Is bronchitis contagious: 5 important things doctors wish you knew
A.
Acute bronchitis is usually caused by viruses and is contagious through cough and contact, while chronic bronchitis from long term irritants like smoking is not contagious. There are several factors to consider; see below for key differences that can change what you do next. To lower spread, practice hand hygiene, cover coughs, clean surfaces and consider a mask around vulnerable people; most cases improve in 2 to 3 weeks and antibiotics are rarely needed. Seek medical care sooner for high fever, trouble breathing, chest pain or bloody mucus, and find additional details and next steps below.
References:
Spinks A, Glasziou PP, & Del Mar CB. (2013). Antibiotics for acute bronchitis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 24172805.
D'Amico G, Garcia-Tsao G, & Pagliaro L. (2006). Natural history and prognostic indicators of survival in cirrh… Hepatology. 16822261.
European Association for the Study of the Liver. (2018). EASL clinical practice guidelines for the management of patients with decompensated cirrhosis. Journal of Hepatology. 29526292.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Chang AB, Bush A, Grimwood K. Bronchiectasis in children: diagnosis and treatment. Lancet. 2018 Sep 8;392(10150):866-879. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31554-X. Erratum in: Lancet. 2018 Oct 6;392(10154):1196. PMID: 30215382.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)31554-X/fulltextO'Donnell AE. Bronchiectasis update. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2018 Apr;31(2):194-198. doi: 10.1097/QCO.0000000000000445. PMID: 29489526.
https://journals.lww.com/co-infectiousdiseases/Abstract/2018/04000/Bronchiectasis_update.14.aspxMagis-Escurra C, Reijers MH. Bronchiectasis. BMJ Clin Evid. 2015 Feb 25;2015:1507. PMID: 25715965; PMCID: PMC4356176.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356176/Amati F, Simonetta E, Gramegna A, Tarsia P, Contarini M, Blasi F, Aliberti S. The biology of pulmonary exacerbations in bronchiectasis. Eur Respir Rev. 2019 Nov 20;28(154):190055. doi: 10.1183/16000617.0055-2019. PMID: 31748420.
https://err.ersjournals.com/content/28/154/190055Visser SK, Bye P, Morgan L. Management of bronchiectasis in adults. Med J Aust. 2018 Aug 20;209(4):177-183. doi: 10.5694/mja17.01195. PMID: 30107772.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.5694/mja17.01195