Why is swallowing phlegm bad

When you do cough up phlegm another word for mucus from your chest, Dr. When you are blowing your nose or coughing, pay attention to your mucus. Boucher puts it. If you get dehydrated or the body has been introduced to something harmful, it turns yellow and gets thicker. You also might experience a runny nose or phlegm in your chest and throat, which is a symptom of increased mucus production. This situation is most likely the result of a common cold.

Mucus not only traps infectious agents, but it also picks up cells produced by your body. Inflammatory cells created by the body in response to a sickness or irritation get absorbed by mucus, giving it that green hue. Keep tabs on any other symptoms you might have in conjunction with discolored mucus. The most concerning color to watch out for in mucus is red. If you cough up blood, that means there could be damage to your lungs, and you should see a doctor.

This is different from a hint of blood in mucus from your nose, which most likely means a small blood vessel has ruptured from the stress of coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose. Neutze says. Instead of taking a decongestant to relieve post-nasal drip, Ellis recommends using an expectorant, which will increase the amount of serous fluid your mucus is diluted in. Most of the mucus in your nose gets swept by your cilia to the back of your throat. But sometimes — especially in arid environments — some of the mucus near your nostrils in an area formally called the nasal vestibule begins to dry out first, becoming too viscous to be swept by cilia.

If it sits there long enough, it dries even further, becoming the crusty accretion colloquially known as a booger. Boogers, as it happens, are the subject of some scientific study. Several researchers have considered the question of why people pick their noses. One theory is that people simply derive pleasure from the act of "cleaning up," and while tissues aren't always available, your fingers are.

Whatever the reason, it's widespread. The authors of one small survey finding that 91 percent of adults admitted to picking from time to time. But that doesn't mean it's a good idea: Dutch researchers, among others, have found that nose-picking can spread infections. Mucus, in its natural state, is clear. But that doesn't mean that colored mucus is necessarily a bad thing. Grey, whitish, or yellowish mucus could simply be the result of dust, pollen, or other particles you've inhaled from the air around you.

On the other hand, these colors can be a sign of an infection , as they can be caused by an excess of white blood cells or pus. And darker colors — like pink, red, or brown — can be a sign of bleeding in your nasal cavity. Don't use this. The nasal decongestant spray Afrin which has the active ingredient Oxymetazoline works really, really well.

Too well. Afrin relieves congestion by cutting down on blood flow to the conchae, rapidly reducing swelling and opening up the nasal cavity. But soon after it wears off, it leads to rebound swelling, with the conchae getting even bigger than they were before. As a result, many people become totally dependent on Afrin, continuing to use it to fix congestion that it's causing in the first place.

Ellis, among others, thinks the spray should be a prescription-only medicine. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Please consider making a contribution to Vox today to help us keep our work free for all. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.

By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Mucus is gross. Mucus strands form cross links, producing a sticky, elastic gel. The solid gel layer acts as a physical barrier to most pathogens and the constant flushing movement prevents the establishment of bacterial biofilms.

However, the pore size of the gel mesh means small viruses can easily penetrate it. Both nasal cavities combined have a surface area of square centimetres, aided by bony folds on their side walls. The blood flow to the nose varies with changing outside temperature, acting like a reverse-cycle air conditioner for the lungs. Mucus is constantly produced although in lesser quantities during sleep and moved along.

The mucus carries with it dead cells and other dust and debris, ending up in the stomach for recycling. Many cells lining the airways have a long, tail-like hair, called cilia. Cilia beat at ten to 12 times per second, propelling mucus at one millimetre per minute. Lung airways also have cilia, working hard to move mucus uphill against gravity.

The nose produces over millilitres of mucus a day and the lungs produce approximately 50 millilitres daily. Mucus assists in fighting infection when white blood cells and antibodies are excreted into the mucus film. The amount of mucus and watery liquid is increased to flush away infection, irritants or allergens. Viruses that damage respiratory lining cells also damage cilia, so a runnier mucus layer is more easily propelled.

Dehydration and some medications such as nasal decongestants reduce the effectiveness of cilia by lowering the ciliary beat frequency.