Bronchitis Care
near Miami Beach

Most acute bronchitis coughs last two to three weeks from onset. After the infection clears, the airways can stay sensitive for a while, so a lingering post-viral cough can stretch the total to four to six weeks. That is normal healing, not treatment failure. If a cough runs past six to eight weeks, see a physician to check for other causes such as asthma, reflux, or pertussis.

In the large majority of cases, no. More than 90 percent of acute bronchitis is caused by viruses, and antibiotics do nothing for a viral infection. A TrufaMED physician prescribes antibiotics only when a bacterial cause is confirmed or strongly suspected from the exam, your history, and chest imaging. Honest stewardship means we do not hand out antibiotics that will not help and can cause side effects.

Yes. Walk in seven days a week during clinic hours. A board-certified physician evaluates your cough, checks your oxygen level, orders a chest X-ray if pneumonia is a concern, and gives you a treatment plan before you leave. No appointment and no referral are needed.

Yes. If you have wheezing or chest tightness, the physician can give an albuterol nebulizer treatment during your visit to open the airways and ease the breathing right away. The treatment takes about 10 to 15 minutes. If you need one for home, a take-home inhaler prescription is sent to your pharmacy from the visit.

Acute viral bronchitis is contagious. The viruses behind it spread through respiratory droplets, and the first three to five days of illness are usually the most contagious. Cover coughs, wash your hands, and stay home when you can. Chronic bronchitis from smoking is not contagious.

Acute bronchitis does not usually progress into pneumonia, but a viral respiratory infection can weaken the airways and make a secondary bacterial pneumonia more likely, especially in older adults, smokers, and people with chronic lung disease. A fever that worsens, or new shortness of breath after you started feeling better, should prompt a re-check. That is one reason we offer same-visit chest X-ray.

They describe the same thing. Chest cold is the everyday term, and acute bronchitis is the clinical diagnosis: a viral lower respiratory infection that causes a cough, mucus, and mild chest discomfort. In otherwise healthy adults, both are managed with supportive care.

By symptoms alone, you often cannot. Both cause cough, phlegm, fatigue, and fever, so a chest X-ray is the definitive tool. Bronchitis shows a clear film with no consolidation, while pneumonia shows a focal infiltrate. We suspect pneumonia when there is a high fever, fast breathing, focal findings on the lung exam, an oxygen level below 94 percent, or someone who looks genuinely ill. Our on-site digital chest X-ray gives that answer the same visit.

Yes. We accept Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Oscar Health, and Medicare, among most major plans. A bronchitis visit (physician exam, chest X-ray when indicated, nebulizer treatment, and prescriptions) is a standard urgent care visit covered by most plans. Self-pay patients are welcome, with clear pricing up front. Call (305) 537-6396 to confirm your plan.

Go to the emergency room or call 911 for severe shortness of breath at rest, bluish lips or fingertips, an inability to speak in full sentences, severe chest pain, an oxygen level below 90 percent, confusion, or coughing up significant blood. Those are emergencies beyond the scope of urgent care. For a cough with fever, wheezing, or phlegm and only mild breathlessness, walk in to TrufaMED for same-day care.