What is coughing up phlegm? Coughing up phlegm is a symptom of infections like the flu and common cold. 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. Another name for phlegm is sputum.
Most causes of coughing up phlegm are not serious. However, more severe conditions, such as COPD or heart failure, require lifelong treatment. Coughing up phlegm is typically not a cause for concern. For example, GERD and the common cold are responsible for many cases of coughing up phlegm.
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.
Postnasal drip refers to excess mucus that someone may feel in the back of the nose and throat, causing a constant need to clear the throat. It may lead to symptoms, such as a sore throat and trouble swallowing. Environmental triggers, such as allergies, cold weather, or dry air, may cause postnasal drip.
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.
Types of cough
A dry cough is one of the most common coronavirus symptoms, but some people may have a cough with phlegm (thick mucus).
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.
About bronchiectasis
Bronchiectasis is a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become abnormally widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection. The most common symptoms of bronchiectasis include: a persistent cough that usually brings up phlegm (sputum)
Q: How long does your phlegm often last? A: Phlegm refers to the thick mucus we cough up, which often lasts as long as the underlying medical condition. For instance, the phlegm least for one to two weeks if you have a cold. Meanwhile, bronchitis can take a few weeks to several months for the mucus to disappear.
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.
Coloured phlegm or snot does not mean you need antibiotics. In most healthy people, phlegm or snot production with or without a cough will stop as your cold or flu-like illness clears up, although it may take up to 3 to 4 weeks.
Too much phlegm may cause a “wet” or “gurgly” voice, or even difficulty swallowing. Increased amount of phlegm may cause one to clear his or her throat out often and repeatedly. Phlegm may also be a reason that individuals wake up at night.
"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."
Clear. 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.
According to Medical News Today2, common symptoms of mucus build up in your lungs may include: Wheezing. Difficulty Sleeping. Sore Throat.
When mucus starts to build up or trickle down the back of the throat, this is known as postnasal drip. Causes of postnasal drip include infections, allergies, and acid reflux. As well as feeling the need to clear the throat frequently, a person with postnasal drip may also experience: a sore throat.
Green and cloudy: viral or bacterial infection
A lot of the symptoms of viral infections – fever, cough, headache, loss of smell – overlap for COVID-19 and other viral infections like the flu, respiratory syncytial virus and the common cold.
Typically, phlegm is clear, thin, and unnoticeable. When someone has a cold or infection, the phlegm can become thickened and change color. Other underlying causes may also affect phlegm color. This article looks at the various colors that phlegm can be and what these mean for a person's health.
Things like allergies, eating spicy food, and being outside in the cold can result in a more watery nasal leakage. Your body usually makes thicker mucus when you have a cold (caused by viruses) or sinus infection (caused by bacteria). Most mucus problems are temporary.