What the Colour of your Phlegm Means

Rhonda SG

This is not exactly a very inviting title, but I dedicate this thread to our poor fudgester, who is complaining of coughing up clear phlegm.

Did you know that the colour of your phlegm is an important indication of :

-the sort of infection you are having, or even if it is an infection at all;

- the type of treatment that is most effective for your condition; and

- the severity of your illness?

So, here's a quick summary of what your phlegm means :

White / Pale / Clear : May be a viral infection and antibiotics are not necessary.

Yellow / Green Phlegm : Bacterial infection and your body is currently fighting hard. Antibiotics may help.

Brown : Usually from smokers but may indicate the presence of blood, in which case, go to the doc!!

Red : Blood. See a doc stat!

Disclaimer : This information is not intended to be used as a conclusive diagnostic tool. Please see your doctor for comprehensive treatment!

elindra SG

Haha I have thick green phelgm for over a week

I didn't go to a doc because I didn't want antibiotics

I've been feeling very tired because I think my body is fighting against the infection

I'm much better now though and I did take this med I bought from USA for the phelgm and it purges it by making it run to the toliet

(I know I know too much info.....I got the Fatum's Too Much Info disease)

bluejuice SG

Erm.. my mum tells me.. clear phelgm means its a "cooling" cough. Cannot take too much "cold" food like oranges, herbal teas

Green Phelgm means your body is heaty, so must take more herbal teas, cooling stuff..

not sure whether its correct or not..

dumbdumb! SG

yeah i heard green phlegm means got infection. i hate phlegm la.. but its normal to keep producing it right?

laurence82 SG

most of the time whitish grey

only once yellow

i guess i am quite a healthy person

Rhonda SG

yeah i heard green phlegm means got infection. i hate phlegm la.. but its normal to keep producing it right?

Phlegm is actually made up of the dead cells of the foreign body that's launching an invasion in your body. The white blood cells attack these foreign cells, and they get expelled as blobs of green or yellow phlegm.

Yucks!

And to answer your question, it is not 'normal' to keep producing it all your life. But, if you're ill with, say, the flu, then yes, during the course of your illness, it is 'normal' to have that, but as you get well, it should slowly subside, and then disappear altogether.

Rhonda SG

most of the time whitish grey

only once yellow

i guess i am quite a healthy person

Izzit? No leh! It just means that you tend to catch possibly viral infections more than bacterial ones!

udontknowme SG

mi now sick so it's yellowishgreenish

i remember when i was about 7 i coughed up a lot of bloody phlegm. and my mom made me go see a chinese doctor who gave me those chinese bitter meds! :x
she wasted money on the meds =\ cos i vomitted it out after i took it. just SO DAMN BLOODY BITTER OK!!!!! and then when i went back to singapore, she finally brought me to see my family doctor cos i've been coughing for months. and i had to take this brightish pink med for years. hahaha....i

laurence82 SG

i always thought antibiotics are for viral infections, and for bacterial infections, use Dettol

JLennon SG

Yucks!

Thanks for the information! I never knew that the green phlegm is actually a product of the attack on the foreign cells. I've always had green phlegm whenever I fall ill and the doctors always prescribe a course (or even two) of antibiotics.

It is pretty sad that during my NS days medical officers simply refuse to prescribe antibiotics for infection (even after you have informed them that the phlegm is green). To them a dose of lozenge is the standard prescription for all ailments.

dumbdumb! SG

mi now sick so it's yellowishgreenish

could be TB. that's why you had to take antibiotics for years?

SevenEleven SG

what about dry cough?

some say body heaty?

udontknowme SG

could be TB. that's why you had to take antibiotics for years?

not sure if it err...was TB lah.....or maybe it was. hahaha. sometimes my mom says it's a mild case of TB. and some times she says it isnt. lol. but nowadays if i every do get sick, im bound to get a bad cough too.

Fatum SG

used to cough up grey phelgm .... back in my heavy smoking days ......