It's made by cells in membranes that run from your nose to your lungs. While you swallow most of it without noticing, what's left behind keeps your airways moist so that they work properly.
Mucus lines the moist surfaces of the body, including the lungs, sinuses, mouth, eyes, and even the stomach and intestines; it is usually clear or grey. Snot is the substance produced in the nose and sinuses during an infection. Lung phlegm is the good mucus mixed with inflammatory cells that gives it color.
It is produced by the lower airways. Mucus on the other hand will normally be found in the mucous membranes inside the nose. It acts like a filter protecting your lungs as you inhale. To clear it you simply blow your nose.
Submucosal glands, found in the airways, mouth, and gastrointestinal tract, also produce and release mucin and mucus. Ciliated cells use their tiny projections to move mucus throughout the body. The cilia move in a way that creates a unified pulse, pushing mucus along in waves.
Infections also lead to inflammation in the mucous membranes that line the nose and the rest of your airway. This can cause certain airway glands to make more mucus. That mucus can get thick with bacteria and cells that arrive to fight the infection. That can stimulate even more mucus production.
Nose blowing can relieve some sinus pressure and provide comfort, but it cannot clear the bacterial or viral infection of the sinuses. The infections require medical attention.
If your mucus is dry and you are having trouble coughing it up, you can do things like take a steamy shower or use a humidifier to wet and loosen the mucus. When you do cough up phlegm (another word for mucus) from your chest, Dr. Boucher says it really doesn't matter if you spit it out or swallow it.
Does coughing up mucus mean you're getting better? In most cases, coughing up mucus means your body is working to fight off an infection, and it is in the healing stages. Drink plenty of fluids to help thin the mucus.
Phlegm is a specific type of mucus that originates in your lungs and throat. It's slightly thicker than the mucus that's produced in your nose and sinuses.
Take a breath that is slightly deeper than normal. Use your stomach muscles to make a series of three rapid exhalations with the airway open, making a "ha, ha, ha" sound. Follow this by controlled diaphragmatic breathing and a deep cough if you feel mucus moving.
Mucus and phlegm are similar, yet different: Mucus is a thinner secretion from your nose and sinuses. Phlegm is thicker and is made by your throat and lungs.
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.
Signs and symptoms of a chest infection
coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood.
Snot is mucus produced in your nose. Membranes on the inside of your nose are lined with cells that make it. This mucus lining traps dust and germs that you breathe in. Tiny hairs move the mucus down your nasal cavity to where you swallow.
By definition, phlegm is a byproduct of inflammation in the sinuses and the lungs. Your body is responding to some sort of irritant and is creating the phlegm to combat the issue. It can be related to a bacterial infection like bronchitis, sinusitis or pneumonia.
Allergic reactions and respiratory infections like colds, the flu, and sinus infections can cause your body to produce even more mucus. Even something as simple as eating spicy food can trigger increased mucus production, and when you think about it, it makes sense.
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.
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.
Your doctor will listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. If you have pneumonia, your lungs may make crackling, bubbling, and rumbling sounds when you inhale.
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.
Possible causes of excess mucus can be food allergies, an acid reflux from the stomach, or an infection. The consistency of mucus in the throat also varies depending on what is going on in your body. Common causes of too much mucus in the throat include a cold or flu, acute bronchitis, sinusitis or pneumonia.
As bacteria, allergens, dust or other harmful particles come into the nose, the mucus traps them. Mucus contains antibodies, or enzymes, which kill unwanted bacteria and viruses.
The stages of a cold include the incubation period, appearance of symptoms, remission, and recovery.