The phlegm color chart can help you identify what the color of your phlegm means. Learn when to contact a doctor and what treatments may help. If you notice brown mucus when you cough, it could be caused by a variety of factors, including smoking, air pollution, infection, or chronic lung disease.
Phlegm is a type of mucus that you usually cough up from your lower respiratory tract. It's typically thicker than normal mucus because it's helping fight an infection. Your body makes phlegm, aka mucus, to sweep out harmful bacteria and allergens.
The color of the phlegm can depend on the causes. Here are possible reasons why it's brown. Normally mucus is clear to slightly opaque but there are various reasons why mucus may become discolored.
Colors of Mucus Phlegm may be clear (white), yellow/green, brown, grey, black, pink, orange, containing red streaks, or frothy. Coughing up phlegm is mucus (sputum) that originates from the airways or lungs. Phlegm, the ooey gooey gook living in your upper respiratory system, gives helpful clues about what's going on with your health.
Brian Lindsay, MD, UnityPoint Health decodes the different textures and colors of phlegm, explaining what might be happening in your body and when the look and feel of phlegm is concerning. Brown mucus is a symptom that has many causes, including infections, smoking, exposure to pollutants like coal, or chronic lung conditions like COPD. It may be from breathing in something brown as well, such as dirt or smoke.
However, if you are coughing up brown mucus, you may have bronchitis or pneumonia and should reach out to your doctor. 5,6 Rust. It may also indicate an infection.
It may indicate pneumonia. 1,5,7 Brown plugs. This may indicate allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
2. Brown phlegm can be a symptom of various medical conditions affecting the respiratory system, ranging from chronic inflammation to infections. Chronic bronchitis, an inflammation of the bronchial tubes often linked to long-term irritant exposure like smoking, can lead to persistent coughing with brown phlegm due to excess mucus and inflammation.
Discover the causes of coughing up brown phlegm or phlegm with brown spots and learn when to seek medical attention for potential health concerns.
