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Chronic bronchitis is a form of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, known more commonly as COPD. The other major subtype of COPD is emphysema. As a general rule, chronic bronchitis is a clinical diagnosis made when a person has a cough that produces mucus and sputum daily for three months or more in at least two consecutive years.

Chronic bronchitis is primarily caused by cigarette smoking. When you smoke, the chemicals from the cigarette travel down in to the airways of your lungs and cause irritation. Over time this irritation causes your lungs to produce excess mucus as a protective reaction. However, too much of this mucus causes a blockage in the airflow to the parts of the lungs that process oxygen. This blockage by the mucus is why chronic bronchitis is known as a obstructive disease. Of course, other chemical irritants can cause chronic bronchitis over time, but cigarettes are by far the most common cause.

Chronic bronchitis is usually diagnosed by your doctor simply by taking a good history. If your doctor suspects you might be suffering from chronic bronchitis, he (or she) will ask you common questions such as: your smoking history, including how long you've smoked, how much you smoke. Symptoms such as shortness of breath while at rest or with moderate exercise are important. Some people will feel a tightness and general discomfort in their chest as well.

If your answers lead your doctor to think you may be suffering from chronic bronchitis, he can do a series of tests known as pulmonary function tests (PFT). This is a simple test where you breath in to a tube that is connected to a flow meter and a computer. The flow meter measures how much air you are able to exhale in a given period of time. Based on the results it is possible to determine how much mucus obstruction there is in your lungs and if there is reduced lung functioning. A chest x-ray can also be done, but this is usually to rule out other causes of your symptoms, not to find direct evidence of chronic bronchitis.

The most effective thing you can do to treat chronic bronchitis is to stop smoking. Since it's very unlikely you have this problem without being a smoker, this is the obvious place to start for 99% of people who suffer from chronic bronchitis. If you are exposed to other irritants that you can inhale, such a paint fumes, hairspray, dust or any other similar chemicals, you should take steps to protect yourself against breathing them in.

Your doctor can prescribe brochodilators to

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