Is a virus or bacterial infection causing the symptoms? ⚠️ Use Discretion: Graphic phlegm images. Coughing Up More Than Air Coughing is an automatic reflex that begins when nerves called cough receptors sense that something has entered your airways that shouldn’t be there. The ...
Antibiotics are prescribed whenever it seems like a person has the slightest possibility of infection. The doctor might know the causes of phlegm and other symptoms are viral which means that antibiotics won't help at all, but they still prescribe them so it looks like they are doing something...
Whooping cough – (pertussis) is an acute infectious disease accompanied by inflammation in the upper respiratory tracts and paroxysmal spasmodic cough. Among the most frequently infected are unvaccinated children under the age of 5. But infants are even more frequently affected by such a disease. T...
A cough is your body’s way of protecting your lungs. Sometimes when you cough, you can bring up mucus, also called phlegm or sputum. When that happens, it's called a “wet” or "productive" cough. When you have one, it may sound and feel like something is rattling around in your ...
There are a number of reasons for a patient to develop a dry cough, ranging from the early signs of a respiratory infection to a cancerous growth in the lungs. Persistent dry coughs should be treated by a doctor, as he or she can determine the cause and recommend a treatment which will...
About half of all people who get this disease have night sweats. The bacteria usually grow in your lungs. You'll probably have a serious, painful cough with blood and colored gunk (phlegm). You also might feel feverish, tired, and weak, and have no appetite. ...
which make coughs more productive and help eliminate phlegm from the airways and clear the infection. In some cases, a doctor may prescribe antibiotics for acute bronchitis, but they do not always work. Since the illness can be viral in nature, antibiotics are not always effective and generally...
cell count. Patients who have viral orfungal pneumoniahave more of a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes, and people who have bacterial infections have more neutrophils. The doctor might also use sputum samples to determine whether the infection is caused by a bacteria, fungus or virus....
That said, you should monitor your symptoms for changes in cough frequency or mucous consistency or color. “Change from clear to yellow or green is often suggestive of infection,” saysAlbert Rizzo, MD, chief medical officer at the American Lung Association. If your cough has worsened or your...
Frothy sputum indicates that the mucus that naturally occurs in the lungs has been combined with air or fluid. This is a symptom of respiratory distress. The second problem is the pink color. This is usually the result of blood that is mixed with the sputum and it is an indication that ...