Sputum color is not always an indicator of infection. Allergies, food, and time of day can affect color. Clear mucus is normal, but accompanied by other symptoms it may indicate a more serious condition. Yellow and green mucus can also be harmless or related to allergies. Blood-stained sputum can indicate pneumonia, chronic lung conditions, or cancer, but can also be caused by certain foods.
At one time, many thought that changes in sputum color were a sign of infection. When accompanied by other symptoms, this may be true. There are variables other than disease, however, that contribute to the color of the phlegm. Healthcare professionals suggest that allergies, the types of foods eaten, and the time of day also contribute to various sputum colors.
Bacterial colonies produce a wide range of colors when their numbers reach certain levels. Some strains of staph appear yellow, pseudomonas may appear green, and colonies of serratia are typically clear. These colors may or may not appear in the phlegm until an infectious process progresses and is accompanied by many other symptoms. Various sputum colors could be related to inhaled irritants or pollutants in the air or related to the amount and thickness of the phlegm.
Generally, people consider clear phlegm normal, but individuals sneeze and cough clear phlegm when they experience allergies, viral infections, or some bacterial infections. Many do not recognize a disease due to the presence of clear discharge, but sputum color alone is not an indicator of good health. Clear mucus accompanied by nasal congestion, sore throat, difficulty breathing, and fever usually represents a more serious condition, and under these circumstances, clear mucus generally becomes thicker and more prevalent.
Many associate yellow sputum and nasal discharge with the onset of an infection, but this is not the case unless an individual has other symptoms. Yellow phlegm first thing in the morning could be the body getting rid of old mucus. This is especially true if someone does not see this color in phlegm for the rest of the day. Yellow mucus can also be associated with allergies. White phlegm is also generally not a problem unless thick and followed by other indications.
Green mucus expelled first thing in the morning may also be harmless if not seen for the rest of the day. In the presence of an infection or irritant, white blood cells rush to the area to protect the body. Healthcare professionals believe that the green color may be the result of an enzyme produced by white blood cells called myeloperoxidase. Fungal infections also typically produce green or sometimes black phlegm.
Bleeding in the respiratory tract often appears as blood-stained, rusty, or red sputum and can indicate pneumonia, chronic lung conditions, or cancer. This sputum color can also appear after eating or drinking certain foods. This is the case for people who have recently consumed colas, dark wines or after eating chocolate.
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