Jan 22, 2024 · Mucus in the airways, known as phlegm or sputum, helps remove dust and debris and keep the lungs clear. Sometimes, problems arise that can change the thickness, amount, or color of mucus.

Sep 20, 2024 · It’s also called phlegm, snot or sputum. Mucus is usually thin and clear. Certain colors might mean you have an infection, but it can’t diagnose specific illnesses. What is mucus? Mucus is a slippery fluid that lines your respiratory, digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts.

Aug 2, 2024 · Clear phlegm means your body has produced extra mucus to help protect itself from a virus or bacteria. Allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, can cause clear phlegm, as mucus in the nose drains down the throat. Asthma can also lead to clear phlegm if your airways become inflamed. This can be a sign that your asthma is worsening.

Aug 4, 2023 · A sputum culture, or sputum test, is a test that detects bacteria, fungi or other germs in your lungs or airways. Healthcare providers often use sputum cultures to diagnose respiratory infections and diseases such as pneumonia and tuberculosis.

Aug 1, 2023 · The quantity, texture, and color of sputum can help to diagnose lung cancer and other medical conditions that affect sputum production. This article explains what sputum is and what it looks like. It also discusses what different colors of sputum might indicate.

Jul 14, 2021 · Mucus in the lungs is known as phlegm or sputum. It is a common symptom in chronic lung diseases such as COPD (including chronic bronchitis and emphysema), cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, NTM lung disease or asthma.

Feb 14, 2025 · Sputum is a mixture of saliva and mucus coughed up from the respiratory tract, typically as a result of infection or chronic conditions like bronchitis, pneumonia, or tuberculosis. It can be clear, yellow, green, or tinged with blood, and its analysis helps diagnose various respiratory diseases.

Feb 20, 2023 · The sputum contains various cells and molecular compounds, such as soluble lipids and proteins, making its analysis critical in medicine. The sputum analysis involves an analytical approach to investigate the cellular and acellular components expelled from the patient's upper respiratory tract.

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.

Sputum is matter expectorated from the respiratory system (and especially the lungs). It is composed of mucus but may contain pus, blood, fibrin, or microorganisms (such as bacteria) in diseased states. Sputum is produced when a person’s lungs are diseased or damaged.