There are two types of bronchitis (brong-kigh-tiss) -- acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis usually only lasts a few days. It's often caused by a viral infection and may begin after you develop a cold or sore throat. The first symptom is an uncomfortable cough. This inflarnes the lining of the air passages, causing you to cough up mucous that's thick and yellow or gray in color. You may also feel achy and run a fever. To make yourself more comfortable, avoid cold air, tobacco smoke, and air pollution. Warm steam will help clear the nasal and lung passages, making breathing easier. Your doctor may recommend cough medicines, antibiotics, and plenty of bed rest. Chronic bronchitis usually persists for long periods of time and occurs most often in heavy smokers or as the result of recurring episodes of acute bronchitis. If you have bronchitis and smoke, you should stop. Smoking puts you at risk of emphysema (em-fuh-see-muh), a life-threatening disease that deteriorates the lungs. An antibiotic or inhaler is often prescribed. But cough medicines shouldn't be used with chronic bronchitis because coughing is the only way the lungs can get rid of the mucous. For more information on bronchitis, talk with your doctor.