TX
A 15-year-old female asked:
what does dark green phylegm mean?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Taj Jiva answered
Internal Medicine 45 years experience
Dark green phlegm: It may mean chronic bronchitis from cigarettes smoking. It may represent acute bronchitis or pneumonia if associated with other symptoms like high fever, chills, rigors, shortness of breath, chest pain etc. Are you a cigarette smoker and do you have other symptoms. Need further evaluation by physician or lung specialist.
5548 viewsAnswered >2 years ago

Dr. Lea Danielsen answered
Family Medicine 32 years experience
Depends: The most common reason for this is a virus that causes acute bronchitis. 10% caused by bacteria. It is very worrisome if you have an underlying lung disease, copd, for example. Shortness or breath or fever (especially a late fever rather than the first few days of the illness) is also bad. Late fever is always a reason to go to the doctor right away. Any fever over 65 would also be worrisome.
5548 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Similar questions
A 20-year-old member asked:
What does green flem mean?
2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. James Ferguson answered
Pediatrics 46 years experience
Colored by germs: The inside surface of your nose, sinuses, tonsils & adenoids create a moist mucous that constitutes what most call phlem. The germs that are normal on these surfaces will eventually color that mucous based on the metabolic waste of the germs reproduction and growth. By itself, it is a simple curiosity & not a particular cause for alarm.
6084 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
How do you breakdown thick flem in an ALS patient?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Vasu Brown answered
Integrative Medicine 34 years experience
NAC: N-acetyl cysteine, salt nebs both breakdown mucous.
6042 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Singapore
A 39-year-old female asked:
Why is there tiny blackish strand in my phelgm?
1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Gurmukh Singh answered
Pathology 49 years experience
Soot or blood: It may be soot from the air you breathe or bleeding in your mucosa and the black strand reflects altered blood. Do you smoke? Have persistent cough? If yes to either, see your doctor for an evaluation.
5502 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Miami, FL
A 58-year-old male asked:
Why is that I am spitting white flem?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Majid Jamali answered
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 26 years experience
White flem: Smoking, alcohol, dehydration.
5406 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
United Kingdom
A 63-year-old female asked:
What causes phlegme to thicken and what can be done to thin it . It's a chonic problem?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Marvin Den answered
Internal Medicine 45 years experience
Do you smoke? : This can occur if you are a smoker or ill and taking in enough fluids. In either case would see your doctor, who has more of your history, for help.
5342 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Jan 12, 2016
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