Which sign is commonly associated with bronchitis?

• A. Greenish-Brown Sputum
• B. Clear sputum
• C. Hemoptysis
• D. Pleuritic chest pain

Answer: (A)

Bronchitis causes inflammation of the airways with increased mucus production, so coughing up mucus is common. When the airways are irritated and there’s neutrophilic inflammation, the sputum often takes on a greenish-brown color. This color change is a classic sign teachers use to symbolize the presence of mucus and inflammation in the bronchi, even though it doesn’t definitively prove a bacterial infection.

Clear sputum can occur with viral infections and early bronchitis, but the typical mucous changes in bronchitis tend to produce colored sputum rather than clear. Hemoptysis, or coughing up blood, signals more serious issues such as pneumonia with bleeding, TB, or bronchiectasis. Pleuritic chest pain is sharp pain with breathing that points toward pleural irritation or other conditions like a pneumothorax or pulmonary embolism, rather than straightforward bronchitis.