With CHRONIC BRONCHITIS, repeated infections and irritants such as cigarette smoke cause the airways in the lungs to become swollen and inflamed, producing large amounts of heavy mucus.
This can cause clogging in the tiny air passages, and the excess mucus becomes an excellent breeding ground for infections. The major symptoms associated with chronic bronchitis are persistent coughing and production of excess mucus for long periods of time. One positive note about chronic bronchitis is that the outlook for recovery is good if you stop smoking and try to prevent repeated infections before any permanent lung damage occurs.
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