If I'm Taking Antibiotics For Bronchitis Or Pneumonia, How Soon Should I Expect To Feel Better?

Dec. 29, 2008 -- Question: If I'm taking antibiotics for bronchitis or pneumonia, how soon should I expect to feel better?

Answer: Bronchitis and pneumonia are different things. Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi, which are the large airway passages that lead from your mouth to your lungs -- and a pneumonia is actually inflammation and infection of your lung tissue.

The vast majority of patients with bronchitis have a virus usually caused by the common cold. And most patients with pneumonia may have bacteria as well but they can also have a viral pneumonia. When patients need antibiotic treatment, and again, antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections, patients should start to feel better in three to seven days.