What causes chronic bronchitis?
• Smoking or being around smokers: Cigarette smoking causes most cases of COPD, including chronic bronchitis. Other types of smoke, such as pipe and cigar smoke, can also cause COPD. The more you smoke, the more damage you do to your lungs. Children of heavy smokers also have an increased risk of having chronic bronchitis later in life. People who do not smoke but who live or work around the smoke of others may get chronic bronchitis. • Exposure to things that irritate your lungs: Working around some dusts and fumes (gases) can damage your lungs over time. Living in an area that has heavy air pollution also increases your risk of lung problems. Living or working around dusts, fumes, or pollution when you have chronic bronchitis can make your illness worse. Lung irritants that may cause chronic bronchitis over time include: • Working around smoke from burning structures or grasses on a regular basis. • Fumes from chemicals, such as ammonia or chlorine. • Dusts, such as coal dust, grain
