Coughing up phlegm when you don't have a cold could be due to a number of different conditions: a sinus infection, allergies with postnasal drip, pneumonia, smoking, asthma, heartburn, or even some medicines like angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors for high blood pressure.
Call your doctor if your cough (or your child's cough) doesn't go away after a few weeks or if it also involves any one of these: Coughing up thick, greenish-yellow phlegm. Wheezing. Experiencing a fever.
If you're coughing up light-colored or clear mucus, it might indicate that you're dealing with allergies or that you have a minor infection in your respiratory tract.
A persistent cough may be caused by: a long-term respiratory tract infection, such as chronic bronchitis. asthma – this also usually causes other symptoms, such as wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. an allergy.
According to Medical News Today2, common symptoms of mucus build up in your lungs may include: Wheezing. Difficulty Sleeping. Sore Throat.
What dissolves mucus in the lungs? Expectorants such as guaifenesin (Mucinex, Robitussin) can loosen mucus so that it comes out of the throat and chest.
A lingering cough can result from many conditions, including bronchitis, asthma, acid reflux, or chronic allergies. Natural remedies, such as drinking tea with honey or inhaling essential oils, can help. You may also need over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medications, depending on the cause.
“Coughing up mucus is not normal, and it should raise the alarm that something is wrong.” - Irina Petrache, MD, Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at National Jewish Health. If you are experiencing excess mucus production, there are steps you can take to help prevent and clear the mucus in your lungs.
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.
"Clear phlegm is normal. It's made of water, salt and other cells," says Dr. Kreel. "When you become sick, the phlegm may thicken as well as change color as your body fights off the infection."
Thin and clear mucus is normal and healthy. White. Thicker white mucus goes along with feelings of congestion and may be a sign that an infection is starting. The white color comes from an increased number of white blood cells.
An infection can make mucus thicker and stickier. 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.
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.
Most acute coughs last around 3 weeks or less. Sometimes, a cough may last longer than 3 weeks, becoming subacute or chronic. This can be due to a postnasal drip, the effects of an infection, or an underlying health condition.
White/Clear: This is the normal colour of phlegm. phlegm may be brownish in colour. have an active chest infection. This means that a visit to your GP would be advisable as antibiotics and/or steroids may be needed.
Chest pain: When a lung tumor causes tightness in the chest or presses on nerves, you may feel pain in your chest, especially when breathing deeply, coughing or laughing.
The main symptoms of a chest infection can include: a persistent cough. coughing up yellow or green phlegm (thick mucus), or coughing up blood. breathlessness or rapid and shallow breathing.
Olson, M.D. Walking pneumonia is an informal term for pneumonia that isn't severe enough to require bed rest or hospitalization. You may feel like you have a cold. The symptoms are generally so mild that you don't feel you need to stay home from work or school, so you are out walking around.
It's also important to see a doctor if: the congestion worsens and lasts longer than three or four days. mucus changes from a runny substance to a thicker texture. mucus has a green or yellow color, as this may indicate an infection.
Phlegm is a type of mucus that comes from the lungs and respiratory tract. Problems in the lungs can cause phlegm to change color. Green or yellow phlegm can occur with an infection, but brown phlegm might be a sign of bleeding in the lungs. Typically, phlegm is clear, thin, and unnoticeable.
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.
Phlegm is naturally clear. If your phlegm is yellow or green, you may have a viral or bacterial infection. If it's another color like brown, red, or black, you may have coughed up blood and may be experiencing a more serious condition.