Coughing up Green Mucus

Coughing up Green Mucus






Before knowing how to treat green mucus, you should understand how it is formed. Mucus is nothing but enzymes and non-organic salts that protect our body from virus and bacteria. It is normal to have salivary gland secretion and mucus for safeguarding the body. But green mucus is an indication of infection caused by bacteria. The mucus changes its color to form greenish or yellow-green mucus. But you have to consult your doctor if you have green mucus accompanied by Nasal Congestion, sinus, and high fever for more than 3 days and bloody discharge in the mucus or cough.

Presence of green mucus can be indicative of cold, flu, Sinusitis, Nasal Polyps, dryness and allergic reaction. It clearly shows that your body is attacked by virus or bacteria. It has to be dealt with seriously but unlike many people believe, you should not take antibiotics for getting rid of green mucus.

What Causes Green Mucus ?

Sinusitis, Rhinitis, infection in the nasal membranes or any infection caused to the membrane lining of trachea or bronchioles may cause green mucus. The infection can be due to viruses or bacteria or any other microorganism. Actually, secretion of green mucus helps your body to moisten the airways and nose thus preventing the lining and tissues to dry out. It also helps in trapping the foreign particles like bacteria and viruses inside. Given that, green mucus is literally protecting your lungs and respiratory organs from invasion of bacteria and viruses.

How it Changes Color ?

Normally, healthy mucus is colorless or whitish grey in color. There will be always circulation of mucus from the nasal cavities to the sinus and vice-versa, thus facilitating free circulation. When the mucus is blocked in the midway for some reason, it will give room for the growth of bacteria or viruses causing infection. This infection changes the color of plain mucus to green or greenish yellow mucus. You can also feel bad odor coming through the nose or mouth while spitting out mucus.

Very often Sinus Infection is the culprit causing green mucus which is caused by virus. Initially, the affected individual will have mucus drainage in white color which gradually changes into yellow and green.

Eventually, there will be accumulation of Sinus Pain and pressure causing Headache. Coughing up green mucus will precede some of the symptoms like nasal polyps, cold and flu.

Treatment :

First you should identify the underlying cause before giving any treatment for green mucus. In case it if it caused due to allergic reaction, then you should avoid taking foods that produce mucus. Try to keep the nasal cavity as clear as possible by blowing up the mucus. You should not allow the green mucus to stagnate in the nasal cavity which will increase the infection.

Drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Take Vitamin C in any form which will provide some relief from mucus secretion. You can also try acupressure therapy or herbal treatment for getting rid of green mucus. You can take antihistamine medicines but follow the instructions and there may be side effects like drowsiness. Some people get addicted to antihistamine syrup and drugs and they will continue to take them even after the mucus got settled.

You need not rush using nasal spray unless advised by your medical practitioner. Do all possible efforts to increase the immune system. You can also try home remedy like inhaling hot steam to clear the nasal block and for removing mucus. If required, you can add few drops of eucalyptus oil in it for getting instant relief. Take enough rest and avoid indulging in stressful activities. Avoid taking coffee, tea and other soft beverages which will increase mucus secretion.

Coughing up Green Mucus

Coughing up Green Mucus

What is Phlegm?

The term “phlegm” means inflammation and it is the actually term of the mucus that builds up in your throat and needs to be coughed up. This is a watery matter, often gelatinous, which differs in color as well as quantity contingent on the illness you might have. This is created in the mucous layer of the windpipe.

In terms that are medical, it is known as expectorated matter or sputum, meaning “coughed out substance”.

When an individual has an infection or illness, it creates the conditions allowing mucus to accumulate in the throat. This mucus will irritate the airway and generates discomfort. This will trigger coughing that expels the mucus.

Causes

Mucus is usually normally white. A person begins coughing up white mucus during ailments that are minor. Clear white mucus means the lack of pus. But if the mucus is colored this means there is some illness and the color of the mucus can determine the illness causing it.
Green mucus usually happens when there is an infection by bacteria in the bronchi or the lungs, for instance Tuberculosis. It also can occur by a post nasal drip because of an infection of the sinuses.

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There are some cases where coughing up mucus and phlegm is linked to bloating of the abdomen. This occurs when an individual swallows the mucus instead of coughing it out. This swallowed mucus or phlegm is degraded by the bowel bacteria. This is what produces the gas and causes the bloating of the stomach.

Treatment

If the mucus becomes really thick, it is often painful and hard to cough up. Mucus that is thinned is much calmer to expel. Below are some remedies that can be tried to thin the mucus out.

• Put boiling water in a bowl. Add to it eucalyptus, mint or menthol. Inhale this steam deeply thru the nostrils.


• Drink hot beverages such as tea. It is best to drink teas that contain eucalyptus or mint. This will thin the mucus and will as well keep congestion in the chest away. An individual can also drink soap that this hot for the identical purposes.


• Apply any type of warmth in the chest. A piece of cloth can be wrapped around a hot vessel of some sort and when unwrapped apply it to the chest. Doing this several times should give speedy relief. If the individual is already coughing up mucus, wrap the hot towel around the neck which can offer some relief.


• Eating food that is spicy may also help to thin the mucus out naturally. A natural expectorant is capsicum which is the hot ingredient in hot peppers. So adding it to the diet will help an individual to cough up mucus more easily.


• Avoid eating starchy foods, dairy products as well as excessive meat


• Drink lots of pure water


• Gargling with salty water provides temporary relief to the upper throat. Spit it out after gargling – don’t swallow it.


• Having a hot bath or shower will be useful in providing relief. The individual will need to breathe in the steam deeply.

If an individual is suffering from a cough that is persistent and expelling mucus, the primary care physician should be consulted. This medical professional will do a detailed physical checkup. Tests such as sputum and blood exams, ECG, CT scans and x-rays of the chest will help the physician diagnose the aliment causing the cough. It will also allow the physician to rule out serious diseases such as TB or Lung Cancer.

Curing mucus or phlegm accumulations is finished by curing the underlying disease. Once that disease is managed, the mucus or phlegm in the airways will be greatly reduced.