Sputum colors, recognize the meaning here

Mucus is mucus that usually appears when you cough. If you notice, the color of sputum is not always the same. Do not underestimate the change in the color of sputum, because the color of sputum can indicate certain diseases.

Besides being clear, the color of phlegm can change to white, green, yellow, red, pink and even black. Try to see the color of phlegm that comes out when you cough. Besides being a sign to estimate the cause of complaints, sputum discoloration can also be an indicator of the level of disease progression. For clarity, consider changes in sputum color and the possible causes below.

 

Clean the phlegm

Phlegm produced by the body contains dissolved protein, water, antibodies, and salt. These phlegm acts to moisturize the respiratory system in the body. Cough with clear mucus is often caused by a viral infection or allergic reaction from the respiratory system.

White phlegm

White phlegm usually indicates several diseases such as:

• Viral bronchitis

Bronchitis caused by a viral infection usually causes a white phlegm cough.

• COPD

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-standing lung disease that causes narrowing of the airways, which can be accompanied by a white phlegm cough.

• Stomach acid disease

Gastric acid disease (GERD) usually causes stomach pain and heartburn. However, this disease also sometimes causes phlegm to become thicker and whiter.

• Congestive heart failure

Heart failure is a condition when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently throughout the body. This condition can be accompanied by accumulation of body fluids, including the lungs, increasing the production of white mucus. People with heart failure often feel short of breath. Heart failure is an urgent condition and requires immediate medical treatment.

Green or yellow phlegm

This green or yellow color comes from white blood cells that fight the cause of infection. At the outset, sputum is usually yellow and can turn green over time. Green or yellow phlegm can indicate that you have an infectious disease, for example:

• pneumonia

Pneumonia is inflammation of the lung tissue that often accompanies other respiratory disorders. If you suffer from pneumonia, in addition to green or yellow phlegm, you will also experience other symptoms, such as fever, shortness of breath, or shortness of breath. Under certain conditions, sputum can be mixed with blood.

• bronchitis

Common bronchitis starts with a dry cough which then becomes phlegm coughing, and over time it causes green or yellow phlegm. This discoloration may be a sign of a viral infection followed by a bacterial infection.

• sinusitis

Green or yellow phlegm can also be caused by infections that cause inflammation of the sinuses or sinusitis. In addition, you may also experience a number of other symptoms, such as pressure on the sinus cavity which often causes pain in the surrounding area and nasal congestion.

• Cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis is a chronic lung disease of genetic origin that causes a buildup of thick mucus in the lungs, disrupting the breathing process. This condition is usually experienced from an early age. Sputum color varies from yellow to green and green.

Brown phlegm

Brown color that appears on the sputum may indicate prolonged bleeding. This condition can be preceded by a cough with red or pink phlegm. Brown mucus can be caused by cystic fibrosis, bacterial pneumonia, bacterial bronchitis and many other conditions such as:

• pneumoconiosis

This is a lung disorder that is difficult to treat. This condition can occur if you inhale a lot of industrial dust, such as asbestos dust which causes asbestosis or silica dust which causes silicosis.

• Lung abscess

Lung abscess occurs when there is an infection that triggers lung tissue and fills it with pus. Besides causing coughing with brown blood or phlegm, it can also be accompanied by an unpleasant breath odor.

Red or pink phlegm

The red color comes from blood found in sputum. This blood can be caused by injury or inflammation of the airways, for example diseases such as:

• Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that can be contagious. This condition is characterized by a long cough (more than 2 weeks), and the cough can produce reddish phlegm. This complaint is often called blood spitting. Fever and night sweats are other symptoms of tuberculosis.

• Lung cancer

Red phlegm is one of the symptoms of lung cancer. This disease causes various respiratory problems, often accompanied by other symptoms, such as drastic weight loss.

• Pulmonary embolism

Pulmonary embolism is caused by a blockage of blood in the pulmonary artery (pulmonary artery). These blood clots are usually the result of blood clots from other parts of the body. In pulmonary embolism can occur complaints of cough with red phlegm.

Black phlegm

Black phlegm or also known as melanoptisis can be influenced by several factors such as pneumoconiosis, heavy smokers or fungal infections with Exophiala dermatitidis. Black phlegm is more common in people with cystic fibrosis.

If your phlegm is clear, yellow or green, without other dangerous symptoms, you don't need to worry too much. You can overcome this with simple methods, such as gargling with salt water or taking expectorant cough medicine. But if the sputum changes color to red, brown or black, see your doctor immediately for the right treatment.

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