What does fever feel like with acute bronchitis?

A fever may make your skin feel hot while you experience chills or shivering. Sweating, headache, body aches, thirst and low energy can follow. Acute bronchitis also commonly brings a cough that may start dry and later produce mucus, with soreness from repeated coughing. Mild chest discomfort can occur, but significant breathing difficulty or chest pain needs a different level of assessment.

Rest, drink fluids often, and wear light layers that can be removed if you become hot. Warm drinks may soothe a dry throat. Avoid smoking and smoky air, which can irritate inflamed airways. Ask a pharmacist or clinician which fever medicine is suitable for you, particularly if you have liver, kidney or stomach problems or take other medicines.

Arrange medical advice for fever that persists, returns after improving, or occurs with worsening cough. Seek urgent help for severe breathlessness, blue lips, confusion, fainting, coughing blood, or chest pain that is severe or unrelated to coughing. Children, older adults, pregnant people and those with long-term lung disease may need earlier assessment.

Ask whether your breathing and chest sounds need checking, how to manage the fever safely, and which changes suggest pneumonia or another problem.