A complete history must be obtained, including information on exposure to toxic substances and smoking. Symptoms of bronchitis include the following:
-Cough (the most commonly observed symptom)
-Sputum production (clear, yellow, green, or even blood-tinged)
-Fever (relatively unusual; in conjunction with cough, suggestive of influenza or pneumonia)
-Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (rare)
-General malaise and chest pain (in severe cases)
-Dyspnea and cyanosis (only seen with underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] or another condition that impairs lung function)
-Sore throat
-Runny or stuffy nose
-Headache
-Muscle aches
-Extreme fatigue
-Physical examination findings in acute bronchitis are variable and may include the following:
-Diffuse wheezes, high-pitched continuous sounds, and the use of accessory muscles (in severe cases)
-Diffuse diminution of air intake or inspiratory stridor (indicative of bronchial or tracheal obstruction)
-Sustained heave along the left sternal border (indicative of right ventricular hypertrophy secondary to chronic bronchitis)
-Clubbing on the digits and peripheral cyanosis (indicative of cystic fibrosis)
-Bullous myringitis (suggestive of mycoplasmal pneumonia)
-Conjunctivitis, adenopathy, and rhinorrhea (suggestive of adenoviral infection)