National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Visit this government site for more information on COPD and other respiratory conditions. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Founded in , this organization funds research into the condition, and its website has a wealth of information for those living with or taking care of someone with cystic fibrosis.
References Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm. NIH News in Health. My Snot Is Green. Penn Medicine Health and Wellness. March 4, Cleveland Clinic. January 25, Food and Drug Administration. January 24, Public Drinking Water Systems. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 28, Airway Mucus Function and Dysfunction. New England Journal of Medicine.
December February October 2, Cystic Fibrosis. Mayo Clinic. March 14, Sources Nasal Congestion. February 16, Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm.
Lung Health Institute. June 7, Torberg L. Mayo Clinic News Network. January 26, By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. By Brian P. And anytime you see blood in the phlegm you cough up, you should seek medical attention.
Mucus, explains Ellis, helps protect the lungs by capturing dirt and dust as you inhale. The dirt, dust, and debris are passed out of your system.
While a persistent yellow or green color, possibly accompanied by an unpleasant odor, is often a sign of infection, color does not always indicate a health problem, says Ellis. Thick mucus, which may seem to have greater volume and may create problems such as postnasal drip, results from a number of situations and is usually an indication of being over-dry. Using a small facial steamer or humidifier, taking a hot steamy shower, or even breathing through a warm wet washcloth can give you some relief from thick, crusty mucus.
Your doctor will evaluate the character of your mucus as well as the presence or absence of other allergy or cold symptoms. Getting the right diagnosis means you can get the right treatment. Unfortunately, many people misdiagnose themselves, thinking, for example, that a large quantity of thick mucus indicates an allergy which actually is signaled by a lot of watery secretions accompanied by allergy symptoms. They then mistakenly take antihistamines , which end up drying out the nose and making thick mucus worse.
With a bacterial sinus infection you may be able to take a doctor-prescribed antibiotic to treat the cause, but with viral colds the best you can do is correctly treat symptoms, so you want to be sure you have the right match. Any option is fine, says Ellis.
Boucher says. Dry mucus could cause something as innocuous as a dry mouth or itchy eyes or something as serious as lung damage. Many factors lead to dry mucus, including side effects caused by medication and diseases such as cystic fibrosis. The simplest cause is not drinking enough water, so stay hydrated to keep your mucus healthy. If your body was a nightclub, mucus would be the bouncer—located at all entrances and ready to kick out anyone causing trouble. When a sickness-causing agent like a virus or bacteria enters your body, the cells that produce mucus kick into a higher gear and pump out more of the slimy stuff, which then picks up the germs.
Coughing and blowing your nose are the best ways to help mucus fight the good fight. For that reason, Dr. Boucher does not recommend taking a cough suppressant medication. 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.
When you are blowing your nose or coughing, pay attention to your mucus. Boucher puts it.
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