# Acute bronchitis and exercise? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778 "2009-03-17T18:22:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/1 "2009-03-17T18:22:38Z")
I have been diagnosed with a mild case of bronchitis. My doctor prescribed a cortisone inhaler (don’t remember the exact name) and Aerius antihistamine pills. No antibiotics. The only symptom I have is coughing up a little mucus. No blocked nose, no fever, no drowsiness, no fatigue. Is there any reason I shouldn’t exercise? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/2 "2009-03-17T19:12:42Z")
Good question to ask your doctor, who’s examined and prescribed for you. I don’t discourage exercise in my otherwise healthy patients with bronchitis, unless they have a history of exercise-induced bronchospasm. They’ll cough more, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. They’re usually smart enough to limit themselves to an appropriate level of exertion. But you’re not my patient. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/3 "2009-03-17T19:54:48Z")
I am the stubborn kind that won’t miss a training session even when sick or with a sprained leg (I know, I am stupid). So I was exercising daily (one hour running and some light weight training) all along this time. I am even more stupid because I had this case of bronchitis for the last three weeks and I only decided to go see a doctor yesterday, when I realized it won’t go away on its own. When I mentioned exercise to my doc he went apeshit crazy! But he’s old and may not be up to date with more modern practices. Besides I was doing it all along and didn’t feel make my condition any worse. On the contrary, after an hour of running I felt that I could breathe easier. That’s why I am asking for a second opinion. Anyway, I’ll skip training for a few days because I think this anti-alergy pill is sapping my energy. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/4 "2009-03-17T20:00:51Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > That’s why I am asking for a second opinion. Words on a message board do not constitute a second opinion. [sub]not even when it’s my words[/sub] Otherwise I expect you’ll survive, and it sounds like your doctor is following modern medical teachings by not giving you antibiotics, which are not needed for 99.99% of cases of bronchitis. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/5 "2009-03-17T20:14:15Z")
Adults with bronchitis symptoms for over 2 weeks should also be evaluated for pertussis. ---
**Author:** ![Dog80](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@Dog80](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dog80)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/6 "2009-03-17T20:51:37Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Words on a message board do not constitute a second opinion. > > [sub]not even when it’s my words[/sub] > > Otherwise I expect you’ll survive, and it sounds like your doctor is following modern medical teachings by not giving you antibiotics, which are not needed for 99.99% of cases of bronchitis. Thanks. BTW the inhaler is this strange device: [Fluticasone/salmeterol - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seretide). He prescribed the 250+50 dosage, twice a day. > [@USCDiver](#): > > Adults with bronchitis symptoms for over 2 weeks should also be evaluated for pertussis. I didn’t know what pertussis is so I googled it. From wikipedia: _“If not treated within the first 24 hours the chances of death increase by 90%.”_ I am still alive so I doubt I have this bug. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/7 "2009-03-17T22:21:52Z")
> [@Dog80](#): > > I didn’t know what pertussis is so I googled it. From wikipedia: _“If not treated within the first 24 hours the chances of death increase by 90%.”_ > > I am still alive so I doubt I have this bug. 🙂 Just goes to show you that Google is not a good way to find out information about adult pertussis. Nice pearl, **USCDiver**. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acute-bronchitis-and-exercise/489778/8 "2009-03-20T07:10:31Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Just goes to show you that Google is not a good way to find out information about adult pertussis. > Nice pearl, **USCDiver**. That’s correct. _Bordetella pertussis_ causes ‘whooping cough’ in infants and children and can be quite deadly. That’s why you should be immunized against it as a child as part of the DPT (diptheria, pertussis, tetanus) course. The immunization fades as you get older, but you are rarely given a booster like you would be for tetanus (actually, the tetanus booster we give in the ER if you cut yourself is a combo of diphtheria and tetanus). In adults, pertussis is usually less severe and self-limited, but it is still contagious and can be passed to any un-immunized children in the community. USCDiver, MD