How is phlegm formed in our body? Why and how does it come in different colours?
The lungs and the nasal cavities constantly produce small amounts of mucus, which in healthy people is clear in colour and is quickly and naturally cleared by coughing and swallowing. The mucus helps to keep the air passages moist and to trap small particles of dust.
Mucus production increases when the lining of the air passages is irritated or inflamed. When one is sick with a cold, or has some other lung disease (say, from chronic smoking), mucus production increases until an individual becomes aware of the mucus. At that point, the mucus may be felt to be irritating the throat, and will need to be coughed out as phlegm.
The colour of the mucus will change if there is a strong reaction involving white blood cells, which defend the body against infection and are present when body parts are inflamed. In this case, many white blood cells in the mucus will cause it to turn yellow, orange or green. The colour of mucus in infection also depends on the type of germs present, and whether the mucus is stuck inside the sinuses for some time, which causes the colour to deepen.
Occasionally small amounts of blood can get mixed with the mucus if the inflammation in the air passages is severe enough. This will also change the colour of the mucus.
The lungs and the nasal cavities constantly produce small amounts of mucus, which in healthy people is clear in colour and is quickly and naturally cleared by coughing and swallowing. The mucus helps to keep the air passages moist and to trap small particles of dust.
Mucus production increases when the lining of the air passages is irritated or inflamed. When one is sick with a cold, or has some other lung disease (say, from chronic smoking), mucus production increases until an individual becomes aware of the mucus. At that point, the mucus may be felt to be irritating the throat, and will need to be coughed out as phlegm.
The colour of the mucus will change if there is a strong reaction involving white blood cells, which defend the body against infection and are present when body parts are inflamed. In this case, many white blood cells in the mucus will cause it to turn yellow, orange or green. The colour of mucus in infection also depends on the type of germs present, and whether the mucus is stuck inside the sinuses for some time, which causes the colour to deepen.
Occasionally small amounts of blood can get mixed with the mucus if the inflammation in the air passages is severe enough. This will also change the colour of the mucus.
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