Coughs can be dry or productive, with the latter producing phlegm or mucus. Productive coughs can be caused by various conditions, including colds, bronchitis, pneumonia, and lung disease. It’s important to note the color of the mucus and whether coughing produces blood, as this can indicate a serious infection. GERD can also cause a productive cough.
When people cough they may have what is called a dry cough, or they may have a productive cough. A dry cough usually doesn’t “produce” anything. There is no mucus or phlegm that comes out when the person coughs. When a person has a productive cough, he will cough up some form of phlegm or mucus into his throat and usually into his mouth.
There are a number of reasons people may have a productive cough. It may be the throat’s way of clearing mucus that drips from the sinuses when a cold is present. Coughing helps eliminate this process and can actually produce a better breathing space. Alternatively, when the airways are blocked with phlegm, as in the case of bronchitis, or if the lungs contain fluid, when pneumonia occurs, the body responds by trying to expel this substance. Other times, when people have conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or when they smoke, they will also have a productive cough.
However, it’s also important to note when mucus could indicate the presence of a very serious or real infection that isn’t just a cold or a virus. Clear phlegm may not be as worrisome as dark green or yellow mucus. Doctors should also know if coughing produces blood. Sometimes it is just throat or airway irritation, but some conditions such as tuberculosis can include coughing up blood, and this is extremely serious and requires treatment.
It may also be helpful to let your doctor know when your cough is dry. Dry cough can be associated with things like viral forms of pneumonia. However bacterial types of pneumonia usually have a productive cough. If symptoms suggest pneumonia, the type of cough can be a way of telling the cause of the condition and how it should be treated.
It’s easy to think of a cough as associated with respiratory disorders, colds, flu, infections, or lung disease. There is another type of productive cough that can give people a lot of trouble. Some who suffer from gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), experience a productive cough especially when lying down. This is caused by acid entering the esophagus. When a person is not otherwise ill and experiences a cough at night while trying to sleep, they may want doctors to look for other GERD symptoms.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
