Outside research has confirmed that the color of phlegm is not a good indicator of bacterial infection in otherwise healthy adults who have acute coughs. However, coughing colored phlegm from the lungs can indicate a bacterial infection or other illness, and may need to be evaluated by a doctor.
Occasionally, excess phlegm and mucus can indicate a more serious condition. See a doctor if the problem is severe, persistent, or does not improve with rest and home remedies.
Read the article in Spanish. Postnasal drip is extra mucus felt dripping down the back of the nose and throat. It may be caused by allergies, dry air, or an infection.
Learn more. Having a stuffy nose can be uncomfortable, but home and over-the-counter remedies can often relieve it. Get some tips on managing nasal congestion….
Sputum is a type of thick mucus that is produced by the lungs when they are diseased or damaged. It is a substance known as phlegm, and it can be an…. Home remedies for phlegm and mucus.
Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D. How to get rid of phlegm and mucus When to see a doctor Takeaway We include products we think are useful for our readers. How to get rid of phlegm and mucus. Share on Pinterest Drinking fluids, keeping the head elevated, and using nasal sprays may help to get rid of phlegm and mucus.
Share on Pinterest A saline nasal spray or rinse may help to clear out mucus. When to see a doctor. Share on Pinterest Antibiotics should not be taken to treat mucus unless prescribed by a doctor.
Latest news Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Exposure to air pollutants may amplify risk for depression in healthy individuals. Related Coverage. What's to know about postnasal drip? Rather, Metson suggested that your level of contagion is more closely linked with where you are in the cold cycle. Interestingly, Metson noted that sneezing was once thought to be the main cause of a cold spreading, but now scientists think it has more to do with hand-to-hand contact with the virus.
As for what causes those clumps of mucus, also known as "boogers," Metson explained it this way: When people breathe in, especially during the winter, they're inhaling drier air. This dries out mucus found in the front of the nose, forming a nasal crust. Want to ease up on boogers as well as unclog a stuffed-up nose? The treatment most often recommended was nasal irrigation , or rinsing out your nose with a salt-water solution, ideally twice a day. In other words, after brushing your teeth, you then flush out your nose with a glass of warm water and a teaspoon of salt delivered via a bulb syringe, neti pot or squeeze bottle found in nasal rinse kits sold at pharmacies.
You probably think of mucus as the substance that tends to come out of your nose, and phlegm as the stuff that come out of your mouth. In medical speak, the term phlegm is interchangeable with sputum, and "all of it is mucus," explained Marshall. Phlegm is a mixture of mucus and saliva and white blood cells produced by the body in response to inflammation. It brings moisture to the area and helps your body clear away infection.
And since there are mucous membranes lining the nose and sinuses, as well as the throat, esophagus, lungs and even the stomach, there's plenty of mucus around to form phlegm. Smokers and people with a cold or lung conditions, such as emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, produce more phlegm. When this happens you might notice that one drop sometimes hangs from the tip of your nose.
That drop is mostly water that has condensed out of the cold air passing over warm nasal tissues. Learn more about vaccine availability. Advertising Policy. You have successfully subscribed to our newsletter. Antibiotics do nothing against viruses — regardless of whether green mucus is produced. However, the timing of symptoms may offer a clue as to the type of germs present. Thick, colored nasal mucus more often occurs at the beginning of a bacterial illness, rather than several days into it, as occurs with a viral infection.
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