I would honestly prefer answers from RNs or anyone who has a medical background. This is kind of a disgusting subject so its not for the queasy.
Well, heres the deal. I recently got quite a cold (colds in the summer suck!) and all of my other symptoms have gone away apart from the fact that I'm coughing up green mucus. Disgusting, yes, but this type of coughing up mucus has been a constant problem for me since I was seven years old, and I am 16 now. Usually its clear, but when I get sick it thickens substantially and turns a nasty green. At one point last year it came up in pink chunks. My cough is also always a very deep and thick cough no matter what. I'm off to the doctor on Wednesday, but I was hoping to get a few other opinions. Thank you for your time and consideration!
Answer:
you are not describing anything unusual about your lungs. people in general have a difficult time relating to all body fluids, blood, and physiological circumstances of the body even when its normal. coughing up colored secretions for weeks or even a month is not in itself a symptom of a disastrous disease. mucus is usually the result of the bodies immune system at work.
if you were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, tracheal malacia, acute/chronic bronchitis, and even asthma then there is a different story to tell. but since you are referring yourself to a common cold then don't worry about the phlegm. another issue with sputum is odor. usually it doesn't smell foul, and if it does that is an important indicator but i wont try to describe it. just that since you didn't mention foul odor then you likely dont have it. if you did you'd know, and i dont mean bad breath as that is often associated with simple airway infections like colds or flues. the pink coloration: if you were talking frank appearance of blood in your secretions then that would need checking into, but may still be non threatening. some medications taken by inhalation can breakdown and discolor secretions. severely irritated airway lining sometimes bleed and repair themselves. this alone causes various colored sputum.
doctors, respiratory therapists, and even some nursing persons are skilled at identifying, quantifying, and analyzing what sputum is about. yours sounds fairly normal in that it is associated with some sort of lung/airway infection that the body and antibiotics are taking care of. perhaps (and i'm purely speculating) you had a pneumonia, didn't know it, but the doctor does and is treating it. if so then your symptoms, and the mucus takes longer to return to normal. what about since you were 7 and having this. still not significant unless again you have actually been diagnosed with a particular chronic disease. the exception to that statement lies in the fact that you could have recurrent sinus infections, allergies (even though you deny this), and asthma which over the years fits what you say is happening now.cant do long distance diagnosis but you can put together the pieces and come to a reasonable conclusion for yourself. then bring your concerns to a pulmonologist who will straighten you out on the medical issues.
It sounds as if you suffer from allergies. Coughing is the bodies way of ridding itself of excess mucous/infection. Without that function fluid would build up in the lungs. When there is a color there is an infection present. While waiting to see the doctor drink plenty of water and avoid dairy.
It's the type of bacteria causing infection of respiratory tract which impart colour to the sputum. Already you must be taking antibiotics, if a particular suits you you take one. Otherwise a broad spectrum like Doxycycline I like 'cz of its once a day dose.
Next is inhalations, like carvol or menthol or any other. You may put it in hot water %26 inhale. You didn't mention fever or breathing problem, so I think this much will give you relief.
Good luck!
Green mucus is generally associated with bronchitis and respiratory inflamation. It sounds like you have some chronic bronchitis and possibly ashma. The pink sputem is more of a cause for alarm. You may want to get tested for TB but I would say that most likely it is just a little blood from you lung tissue because of the intense amount of irritation.
Some things that you can do to help are to let it come up. Don't try to supress the cough and let it losen up in there. Stagnant mucus build up can cause pneumonia. A few other things you can do are to limit if not remove dairy from your diet when you have this issue. Dairy causes an increase in sputum production. Most of the time it doesn't bother people. You should also stay away from smoke and irritating allergens. If you know that you have a bad reaction to dust or pollen make sure your environment is clean, use an atinallergen filter on the vacum, and keep flowers only until they start to shed pollen. You may also start an excersise program and do some breathing exercises to increase lung capacity and keep the tissue used. Check out the website below!!
Good Luck!
Honestly, sound to me like allergies or Chronic Bronchitis. If you have had this awhile or even on and off, its something Chronic. I say Chronic Bronchitis because its something in your lungs that your coughing up. BUT there must be a cause, so either when you were younger you were exposed to a lung irritant or you are around an irritant alot such as second hand smoke OR its ALLERGIES! I know you said you don't have allergies, but sweetie your 16 and while you might feel you know your body, from your symptoms, my experience as a Respiratory Therapist and education it really sound like you have Chronic Broncitis from allergies. The mucus is green because its been sitting in there for a bit and started to get "moldy" or Bacterial to put it bluntly. Pink chunks would be you coughing so hard you are tearing the lining of the trachea and the mucus is getting tinged with blood.
Hello,Good question you have here! Basically you had a Common Cold (caused by a virus)! Cold's are very hard to cure because they come from a virus... your body responds by making alot of mucus to wall off the invader. It is also said that If your body is unable to fight it off. eventually it will progress to bronchitis... the cough you describe sounds as though it's gone into the airways... so I would recommend you see a doctor. He will probably order you a Z-pack for 5 days. That should clear it up.
Good Luck,
Angie R.N.
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