When you find mucus (phlegm) in your mouth after coughing and it feels like something is stuck in your throat or your chest you might suffer from phlegmy cough. A phlegmy cough or wet cough indicates that more mucus than normal is produced by your body. In this article you will learn more about the causes of this condition and when to call our 24 hour GP service for phlegmy cough in Fuengirola.
What is a phlegmy cough?
Irritations, such as fluid and phlegm, in your throat or lungs trigger the coughing reflex. It is your body’s way of eliminating these irritations. If your coughing is activated by fluid in your airways and you feel mucus in your mouth when coughing, then you experience a phlegmy or wet cough. You might also hear the term productive cough since during this condition your body overproduces phlegm.
While suffering from a phlegmy cough you may also notice other symptoms like:
- shortness of breath
- wheezing
- “crackles” (bubbling, popping, or rattling sounds)
- “rhonchi” (continuous, low pitched, snore-like sounds)
- pink tinged mucus
These symptoms can provide a clue to our 24 hour GP service for phlegmy cough in Fuengirola as to what is causing the wet cough.
Causes of phlegmy cough
Infections of microorganisms such as bacteria or viruses, which also cause a cold or flu, most likely result in phlegmy or wet coughs. By producing more mucus than normal your body captures and expels the infection causing organisms to fight the flu. Coughing allows you to get rid of all the extra phlegm in your airways that gets trapped.
However, if you are struggling with a wet cough for more than a few weeks it could be because of another reason than a simple flu. Within the following list you will find more information:
- Bronchitis: This is an infection of your bronchial tubes, through which air gets transported into your lungs.
- Pneumonia: This is an infection caused by microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, or fungi. It affects your lungs so you might have problems breathing properly. If the result of a bacteria or virus you may be contagious.
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A variety of conditions are included in the term COPD. Both the lungs and bronchial tubes are affected by this disease and smoking is the most common cause.
- Cystic fibrosis: This genetic disorder of the respiratory system triggers the production of thick and sticky mucus in your lungs and other tissues. This disease is usually identified within early life.
- Asthma: It is more likely that people with asthma experience a dry cough. However, a small segment of individuals suffer from a chronic wet cough, where excessive phlegm is produced continuously by their body.
When to call our 24 hour GP service for phlegmy cough in Fuengirola
Call our 24 hour GP service for phlegmy cough in Fuengirola if your cough has been going on for more than two weeks. Also when you have trouble breathing or coughing up blood or your mucus smells foul, you may need urgent medical attention. A bluish skin tone can be another indication of a more severe infection.
Call our 24 hour GP service for phlegmy cough in Fuengirola immediately if your child:
- is under 3 month old and has a fever of 38ºC degrees or higher
- is younger than 2 years and it’s temperature is over 38ºC for more than 1 day
- is older than 2 years and it’s temperature is over 38ºC for more than 3 days
- has a fever of 40ºC or higher
- has trouble breathing without a history of asthma
- is crying and can’t be comforted
- is difficult to wake
- has a convulsion
- develops a rash next to a fever