What Is Chronic Bronchitis?

Chronic bronchitis is when damaged lungs produce more mucus than they should. If you cough up mucus and feel short of breath for at least three months each year, two or more years in a row, without another diagnosis to explain the cough, you may have chronic bronchitis.

Healthy Lungs

Inside the lungs are branching airways of stretchy tissue. Each airway is wrapped with bands of muscle that help keep it open. Air travels in and out of the lungs through these airways.

The cells in the lining of the airways produce a sticky fluid called mucus. This traps dust, smoke, and other particles in the air you breathe and helps protect the lungs.

Tiny hairs, called cilia, then sweep the mucus up the airways to the throat, where it is swallowed or coughed up, again to protect the lungs

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