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Sputum is mucus that is coughed up from the lower airways (the trachea and bronchi).In medicine, sputum samples are usually used for a naked eye examination, microbiological investigation of respiratory infections and cytological investigations of respiratory systems.
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.
A phlegmon is a localized area of acute inflammation of the soft tissues. It is a descriptive term which may be used for inflammation related to a bacterial infection or non-infectious causes (e.g. pancreatitis).
Mucus often changes colors when dead cells, germs and other substances, like blood or tobacco smoke, gets mixed with it, according to Cleveland Clinic. These colors include:
The phlegm produced by catarrh may either discharge or cause a blockage that may become chronic. An 1896 ad for Elys Cream Balm, a catarrh remedy The word "catarrh" was widely used in medicine since before the era of medical science, which explains why it has various senses and in older texts may be synonymous with, or vaguely indistinguishable ...
The primary symptom is a cough with sputum that may be purulent.The illness may also cause shortness of breath or wheezing. Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) often precede acute bronchitis, with overlapping symptoms including headache, nasal congestion, and sore throat.
Purulent or suppurative exudate consists of plasma with both active and dead neutrophils, fibrinogen, and necrotic parenchymal cells. This kind of exudate is consistent with more severe infections, and is commonly referred to as pus. Fibrinous exudate is composed mainly of fibrinogen and fibrin.
Mucopurulent discharge is the emission or secretion of fluid containing mucus and pus (muco-pertaining to mucus and purulent pertaining to pus) from the eye, nose, cervix, vagina or other part of the body due to infection and inflammation.