Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that can help treat bronchitis that has developed due to a bacterial infection.

Antibiotic medications treat infections by killing bacteria. Amoxicillin is a type of penicillin antibiotic that prevents bacteria from growing. Healthcare professionals often prescribe it to treat dental abscesses and chest infections such as pneumonia, and it is safe for adults and children.

Bronchitis is inflammation of the airways that bring air to the lungs. It causes them to fill with mucus and fluids, leading to at least a week of coughing that brings up phlegm. Often, this occurs due to viruses, but bacteria can also cause bronchitis, especially in children.

This article explores the use of antibiotics to treat bronchitis.

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Healthcare professionals may prescribe antibiotics, such as amoxicillin, to treat bronchitis if they identify that bacteria are causing the infection.

However, bronchitis is more due to viral infections from:

Antibiotics cannot treat viral infections.

People can take amoxicillin by mouth two or three times daily as a tablet, capsule, chewable tablet, or liquid.

American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) guidelines generally recommend against using antibiotics to treat bronchitis that has not yet caused complications, due to the following factors:

  • the cost of antibiotics
  • the risk that the bacteria may learn to counter the effects of the antibiotics, known as antibiotic resistance
  • the side effects of many antibiotics, which, for amoxicillin, often include sickness and diarrhea and less frequently:
    • bloody diarrhea
    • gallbladder and liver problems
    • bruising
    • muscle or joint pain
    • skin rash

Antibiotics are only helpful for treating bacterial infections. According to a 2023 review, no data confirms that antibiotic use leads to significantly less severe or shorter-lasting coughs in adults with bronchitis.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) notes that younger children are more likely to have bacterial bronchitis, such as pertussis or whooping cough, than adults. This means they are more likely to benefit from antibiotics.

Types of antibiotics for bronchitis

In a meta-review of 8 studies that included data from 5,099 people, doctors prescribe the following antibiotics for bronchitis:

However, based on this review’s findings, the American Academy of Family Physicians has assigned antibiotics a “red rating” for bronchitis treatment, meaning that they provide no benefits.

Despite this, the review authors note that doctors prescribe antibiotics for 50% to 90% of people who see them for bronchitis. They advised that the best route of treatment is to manage symptoms.

Many viruses and bacteria that cause bronchitis can be contagious, meaning they may pass easily between people.

When people with bronchitis cough, droplets containing the virus or bacteria leave their mouths. If these droplets come into contact with another person, they may develop bronchitis.

The organisms that cause bronchitis may spread easily in crowded places, such as schools, public gatherings, and workplaces.

Learn more about bronchitis transmission.

Acute bronchitis often requires no treatment and usually resolves without seeing a healthcare professional. However, the persistent coughing can be uncomfortable, and people may choose to take the following steps to feel better:

  • use over-the-counter (OTC) cough suppressants or expectorants to reduce coughing or make mucus easier to shift, which may contain dextromethorphan or guaifenesin
  • drink hot tea with honey
  • take throat lozenges
  • keep a humidifier in the room
  • use albuterol, which healthcare professionals may prescribe to treat wheezing

Read more about treatments for bronchitis.

People can generally manage bronchitis at home without seeing a healthcare professional. However, if they notice the following symptoms, they should contact a doctor for further investigations:

  • coughing that lasts longer than 3 weeks
  • coughing up blood or bloody mucus
  • intermittent chest pain while breathing or coughing
  • severe illness
  • a fever that lasts at least 3 days

People who are over 65 years of age, pregnant, or those with other health problems such as lung, kidney, or heart issues and diabetes should also speak with a doctor about bronchitis symptoms. Likewise, people with compromised immune systems should also consult a physician about bronchitis.

How do I know if my bronchitis is viral or bacterial?

Some bacterial infections cause specific symptoms, such as a “whoop” sound while breathing in or vomiting after coughing. These symptoms suggest that an individual has a bacterial infection called pertussis, which can cause bronchitis.

Another factor that is more likely in bacterial bronchitis is the presence of fever, and is more commonly associated with an upper respiratory tract infection.

Does amoxicillin clear up the lungs?

Amoxicillin can help treat bacterial infections of the lungs that cause bronchitis and may slightly reduce the severity and duration of coughing. However, it does not directly decongest or “clear out” the lungs.

Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic that some doctors prescribe to treat bacterial bronchitis. However, it is not effective against viral bronchitis.

It is one of many antibiotics that may help to counter bacteria that cause bronchitis, but their effect on coughing and disease duration is only slight.

Most people with bronchitis have viral bronchitis, although bacterial bronchitis is more common in children than adults. Doctors may prescribe amoxicillin for children, as it is safe. Bronchitis often gets better without treatment, so doctors recommend rest and home remedies to relieve the soreness of coughing.