Acute bronchitis guide

Acute bronchitis (chest cold) treatment online in Virginia and West Virginia

Symptom relief for an uncomplicated, short-term viral cough in otherwise-healthy adults and children 4 and older (with a parent or legal guardian). Because acute bronchitis is almost always viral, antibiotics are not used, and trouble breathing, a low oxygen reading, chest pain, or coughing blood are directed to in-person or emergency care.

Start online

Start a $59 online review for Acute bronchitis.

Most acute bronchitis is a viral chest cold that improves on its own over one to three weeks, and antibiotics do not help and can cause harm, so this visit deliberately offers none. Online care is appropriate only when the cough is recent and uncomplicated: severe breathlessness, a low home oxygen reading, chest pain, coughing blood, stridor, high fever with rigors, a cough over three weeks, chronic lung disease, immunocompromise, whooping cough, or pregnancy are all non-bypassable stops that route to in-person or emergency care.

If treatment is appropriate, your physician can send a non-controlled prescription to your pharmacy and provide portal instructions for the next step.

Start this visit See response times

Quick facts

You must be physically located in Virginia or West Virginia at the time of request.
Starts at $59
No insurance needed
No app download
Physician review around the clock
Non-controlled prescriptions can be sent to your pharmacy when appropriate
A work or school note can be included when medically appropriate
Response times apply 24/7, every day

Common symptoms

A cough with or without clear or discolored mucus after a cold
Chest congestion, soreness from coughing, or a low-grade fever
A cough that started within the last three weeks
Breathing that is comfortable at rest with no chest pain

May fit online care

Adults & children 4+ (with a parent or legal guardian)
An otherwise-healthy adult, or an otherwise-healthy child 4+ with a parent or legal guardian, with a recent (3 weeks or less) cough
No shortness of breath at rest, chest pain, or coughing up of blood
No asthma, COPD, or other chronic lung disease that is flaring
Not pregnant, not immunocompromised, and not recently hospitalized

Look for another care setting

Severe trouble breathing, chest pain, blue lips, fainting, or a resting home oxygen reading of 92% or lower
Stridor, drooling, or inability to swallow, or coughing up a large amount of blood
Fever with rigors and feeling very ill, a cough over 3 weeks, or whooping-cough features
Flaring asthma/COPD/chronic lung disease, immunocompromise, recent hospitalization, or pregnancy

What to have ready

When the cough started and whether you have any wheeze or chest tightness
Any home pulse-oximeter reading and your temperature
Chronic lung, heart, thyroid, immune, and pregnancy history
Current medicines and allergies, including any MAOI or 'caine'-anesthetic reaction

What happens next

Standard

$59

Within 6 hours

Priority

$99

Within 3 hours

Rush

$149

Within 1 hour

Start the request on the website, answer a few questions to check that this visit fits you, and choose how fast you want an answer (the response window). If your concern still fits this service, a physician reviews it and sends you a secure update after you sign in. When appropriate, non-controlled prescriptions can be sent to your pharmacy, and a basic work or school note can be included at physician discretion.

Your physician

Every visit is personally reviewed by Ankur Fadia, MD. He is board-certified, has extra training in heart care (a cardiology fellowship), and is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha, a medical honor society. He is licensed in Virginia and West Virginia, and your care is never handed off to someone else.

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Will I get antibiotics for bronchitis?

No. Acute bronchitis in a healthy adult or a healthy child 4 and older is almost always viral, and national guidelines (ACP and CDC) advise against antibiotics because they do not speed recovery and add side effects and resistance. This visit focuses on proven symptom relief instead, and any warning sign for pneumonia sends you to in-person care where an exam and, if needed, a chest X-ray can be done.

What can this visit provide?

Over-the-counter guidance and prescriptions for symptom relief: dextromethorphan/guaifenesin or guaifenesin alone, honey and supportive care, and acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and aches. A non-controlled prescription cough suppressant (benzonatate) and, for a mild-wheeze subset without chronic lung or heart disease, a rescue albuterol inhaler may be offered when appropriate. No antibiotics and no controlled medicines are prescribed.

When is a cough or chest cold an emergency?

Call 911 or go to the emergency department now for severe trouble breathing or shortness of breath at rest, chest pain or pressure, blue or gray lips, confusion, fainting, noisy high-pitched breathing with drooling or inability to swallow, coughing up a large amount of blood, or a resting home oxygen reading of 92% or lower.

Do you also need a short work or school note?

The treatment visit and a note request are separate. If you need a basic note for up to five days, and your request fits that visit's timing and purpose limits, use our work and school note visit.

Read the work and school note guide

Other conditions we treat

Not quite what you have? Here are other conditions we treat.

Rebound congestion COVID-19 antiviral Flu (influenza) antiviral Hoarse voice & laryngitis Mono (infectious mononucleosis)Lingering cough after an infection