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Along with a runny nose and sore throat, green phlegm is another cold-like symptom of COVID-19. Interestingly, the color of the mucus is an important indicator when it comes to infection.
If you experience difficulty breathing, develop a severe cough, notice thick green or yellow mucus, run a fever, and/or feel extremely fatigued. If your symptoms worsen instead of improve over time.
The mucus starts off as clear, so this is often an early sign you have a cold. Over the next several days, the mucus color may change to white, yellow or green.
Having green, yellow, or thickened phlegm (sputum) does not always indicate the presence of an infection. Also, if an infection is present, the color of the phlegm (sputum) does not determine whether a virus, a bacterium or another pathogen has caused it. Simple allergies can also cause changes in the color of the mucus. [1]
In general, nasal mucus is clear and thin, serving to filter air during inhalation. During times of infection, mucus can change color to yellow or green either as a result of trapped bacteria [24] or due to the body's reaction to viral infection. For example, Staphylococcus aureus infection may turn the mucus yellow. [25]
Phlegm is more related to disease than mucus, and can be troublesome for the individual to excrete from the body. Phlegm is a thick secretion in the airway during disease and inflammation. Phlegm usually contains mucus with virus, bacteria, other debris, and sloughed-off inflammatory cells.
"You can have bright yellow, dark green mucus, even with viruses." Pink or red. This typically means there's blood in your mucus, Elliott says, "usually because the nasal passages are too dry and ...
Excess mucus can narrow the airways, thereby limiting airflow and accelerating the decline in lung function, and result in COPD. [35] [40] Excess mucus shows itself as a chronic productive cough and its severity and volume of sputum can fluctuate in periods of acute exacerbations. [35]