Coughing up phlegm can be short-lived or long-lasting, caused by infections like the common cold, flu, acute bronchitis, pneumonia, allergies, or COPD. Excess phlegm is produced during an immune response, and decongestants can provide relief.
Coughing up phlegm is a nagging problem that can be short-lived or long-lasting, depending on the cause. Infections such as the common cold, the flu, acute bronchitis and pneumonia are the most common causes of short-term cough and phlegm. Allergic reactions and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are often responsible for a long-lasting or recurring phlegm cough.
Coughing up phlegm is one of the most annoying and annoying symptoms of the common cold, flu, acute bronchitis, and pneumonia. Coughing up phlegm occurs during these types of infections because the body mounts an immune response in an attempt to destroy invading bacteria or viruses. The immune response inflames the airways and produces excess phlegm.
The cough, which often accompanies these infections, occurs when excess phlegm tickles the sensory nerves of the respiratory system. The reflexive response to tickling is a cough. This cough is often referred to as a productive cough because it helps clear phlegm from the lungs. A productive cough relieves the feeling of heaviness in the chest that is often part of being sick.
Another common cause of coughing up phlegm is COPD. The term refers to two diseases: chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Smoking is the main cause of both, and the most common symptom for both is coughing up phlegm.
Phlegm is normally removed from the lungs via cilia or tiny wavy hairs. Tar, a poisonous byproduct of cigarette smoke, builds up in smokers’ lungs over time. The tar coats the eyelashes, making them brittle and preventing them from being able to remove the phlegm. Instead, phlegm builds up in the lungs. Repetitive and frequent coughing, the main symptom of COPD, is necessary to try to clear the phlegm from the lungs.
Allergic reactions are another common cause of coughing up phlegm. When foreign bodies such as pollen and dust enter the nasal passages, they can irritate the mucous membranes lining the respiratory system and produce phlegm. The excess of phlegm, often referred to as post-nasal drip in this case, carries away the foreign invaders. During a bad allergic reaction, excess phlegm can travel to the lungs, where it irritates sensory nerves and causes a cough.
Decongestants somewhat relieve coughing up phlegm associated with infections and allergies. This group of medicines works by narrowing the blood vessels in the nose and sinuses. The result is a reduction in inflammation and a decrease in the amount of phlegm generated during the immune response.
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