Is coughing up phlegm a good thing? Yes. While the presence of mucus may indicate an underlying issue, coughing up phlegm is a good thing because it helps clear irritants, allergens and infections out of your system.
Colds can make you cough up phlegm as the body fights the infection. But once the infection is gone, the phlegm should also go away. Longer lasting symptoms, or more severe symptoms such as fever or shortness of breath may indicate a bacterial infection (such as pneumonia) that requires an antibiotic.
Changes in mucus color, from clear to white to yellow to green, are part of the normal course of an illness. It's a sign that your immune system is fighting to get better. Pink, red, orange, or brown snot, on the other hand, is typically not from an illness.
Reasons for coughing up phlegm without feeling ill. It is not unusual to cough up phlegm with a common cold. However, it can also be a sign of a different, sometimes serious, underlying condition such as stomach acid reflux, lung disease, or heart disease.
During a common cold, nasal mucus may start out watery and clear, then become progressively thicker and more opaque, taking on a yellow or green tinge. This coloration is likely due to an increase in the number of certain immune system cells, or an increase in the enzymes these cells produce.
These symptoms can be unpleasant, but they usually get better on their own in about 7 to 10 days. The cough and mucus can last up to 3 weeks.
Bronchitis is an infection of the main airways of the lungs (bronchi), causing them to become irritated and inflamed. The main symptom is a cough, which may bring up yellow-grey mucus (phlegm).
Even if you're coughing up yellow or green phlegm, you might not need antibiotics. Your mucus color alone can't tell you if a virus or bacteria is causing your cough. If your cough lasts longer than 3 weeks, it's time to see a healthcare provider. You may need an X-ray or antibiotics.
Green or Yellow Mucus
It's no reason for concern, and in fact, it means your body is working extra hard to fight off infection. White blood cells rush to battle infection, and when they've done their job, they get flushed out of the body along with the virus.
Red or pink phlegm can be a more serious warning sign. Red or pink indicates that there's bleeding in your respiratory tract or lungs. Heavy coughing can cause bleeding by breaking the blood vessels in the lungs, leading to red phlegm. However, more serious conditions can also cause red or pink phlegm.
Clear snot is in the normal range, while white mucus can mean you're congested and yellow or green mucus can sometimes mean that you have an infection.
Cold and flu symptoms such as a blocked nose or cough usually subside after 7-10 days and the absence of these things is quite an obvious indication that you are on the mend.
It usually occurs within 2–3 days of experiencing the first cold symptoms. People may also notice mucus from the nose turning white, green, or yellow during this stage.
Common symptoms of pneumonia include: a cough – which may be dry, or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus (phlegm)
If you have a bacterial chest infection, you should start to feel better 24 to 48 hours after starting on antibiotics. You may have a cough for days or weeks. For other types of chest infections, the recovery is more gradual. You may feel weak for some time and need a longer period of bed rest.
Your GP will usually only prescribe antibiotics if they think you have pneumonia, or you're at risk of complications such as fluid building up around the lungs (pleurisy). If there's a flu outbreak in your local area and you're at risk of serious infection, your GP may also prescribe antiviral medication.
While a cough itself isn't contagious, the germs that a cough spreads may be. Whether visible or not, each time someone coughs, very small particles are spread into the air. Sometimes these particles spread just a few inches, sometimes several feet.
According to Medical News Today2, common symptoms of mucus build up in your lungs may include: Wheezing. Difficulty Sleeping. Sore Throat.
If a cough brings up phlegm or mucus it is called a productive cough and could suggest pneumonia, bronchitis or the flu. The color of the mucus can signal a more serious problem. You should see a doctor if your cough brings up yellowish-green phlegm or blood.
So, to answer your questions: The phlegm itself isn't toxic or harmful to swallow. Once swallowed, it's digested and absorbed. It isn't recycled intact; your body makes more in the lungs, nose and sinuses. It doesn't prolong your illness or lead to infection or complications in other parts of your body.