The common cause of chronic bronchitis is smoking cigarettes. Air pollution and toxic gases in the environment can contribute to the condition.  Bronchitis occurs in two forms ie acute (lasting less than 6 weeks) and chronic (reoccurring frequently for more than two years).

Acute bronchitis is a shorter illness. Commonly it follows viral infection such as flu. Acute bronchitis consists of a cough with green sputum, chest discomfort or soreness, fever, and shortness of breath. Acute bronchitis, according to Dr. Aisha Rashid Lukwago of Clinic on Aids Research, usually lasts for weeks.

Acute bronchitis comes on quickly and gets better after several weeks. This form of bronchitis is responsible for the hacking cough and mucus production that accompany an upper respiratory infection. In most cases the infection is viral in origin, but sometimes it’s caused by bacteria. If you are otherwise in good health, the mucous membrane will return to normal after you recover from the initial lung infection.

Chronic bronchitis is also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Chronic obstructive pulmonary is defined clinically as a daily cough with production of sputum (mucus) for at least a 3-month period, two years in a row; chronic bronchitis is a serious Ends