Irritation of the respiratory system causes both inflammation of the air passages and a notable increase in mucus secretion.
A person may become conscious of swallowing the mucus or the inflammation may trigger a coughing reflex so that they expectorate these secretions as sputum. It seems that the inflammation of the mucosa is responsible for sputum production rather than any of the other changes that occur in diseased lung tissue Jeffrey Maestrelli et al, Expectorated sputum contains lower respiratory tract secretions, as well as secretions from the nose, mouth and pharynx, and cellular debris and micro-organisms Rubin, In some disease processes, the sputum changes in nature and colour.
Sputum production is associated with many lung disease processes and sputum may become infected, stained with blood or contain abnormal cells. Smoking - Smoking has many effects on the airways. Inhaled smoke destroys the cilia that are important for moving mucus to the throat for swallowing. As a result, mucus accumulates in the bronchioles and irritates the sensitive tissues there, causing a cough.
Coughing is vital as it is the only way smokers can remove mucus from their lungs and keep the airways clean Rubin, Constant coughing to clear the sputum has an effect on the smooth muscle of the bronchioles which becomes hypertrophied enlarged or overgrown.
This in turn causes more mucus glands to develop. Smoking also causes hyperplasia excessive cell division and growth of the mucus-producing goblet cells Maestrelli et al, Because of the constant irritation, more mucus is produced and collects in the alveoli, which can become overburdened and collapse.
Another effect of smoking is the development of emphysema when the alveoli expand, the capillary blood supply deteriorates and gaseous exchange is reduced. Smoking makes other lung diseases worse and is a major cause of lung, and many other, cancers.
Smoking cessation improves lung health - bronchial tubes relax and the work of breathing becomes easier, and cilia begin to regrow within a few months, so mucus and debris can be cleared without the need for constant coughing. Also, the risk of cancers reduces over time. Bronchitis - Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial lining. It is commonly related to cigarette smoking but is also triggered by environmental irritants such as chemical vapours, exhaust fumes or pesticides.
In response to the inflammation, excess mucus is produced. This can block the small airways and reduce respiratory efficiency, for example, in chronic airways obstruction. Over-production of mucus leads to frequent coughing, which further irritates the tissues and causes even more mucus production.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - A pattern of persistent respiratory symptoms chronic bronchitis, chronic airway obstruction and emphysema is termed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease COPD.
Most patients with COPD show the characteristics of mucus hypersecretion in the airways in the following ways:. The mucus hypersecretion leads to impaired gas exchange and reduced mucociliary clearance, encouraging bacterial colonisation and exacerbations of the disease Rogers, Mucus hypersecretion may contribute to morbidity in these patients.
In response, the mucosa of the airways becomes swollen and oedematous, and mucus production increases in an attempt to rid the body of the allergen. Smooth muscle constricts, particularly around the terminal bronchioles, and breathing becomes difficult. Mucus transport slows and fluids accumulate in the air passages. This hypersecretion of mucus is an important cause of illness and death in patients with asthma.
They did the job.. We are so lucky to be graced with an intelligence that can steward and manage our own life processes and other lives and species, for that matter! Selectively focusing on symptoms of complaint without supporting our long evolved pathways of cure has detoured clinicians and pharmacologists into gurus of wealth not health.
Man chronically misinterprets. Be careful what you wish for!!! Thanks for a proper look at this busy monster within us.. All it ever wanted was a little help and understanding. The Nosebleed Poem … by Henry Gibson. My nose is bone dry. All my organs are starting to shut down It started with supposed sinus infections but turns out my sinuses were dry. So can may cavities in mouth and a distal cracked tooth be the cause of no mucus production?
I had a life threatening seziure last Friday and then something was eating my body I could feel I was dying. No one could fine anything through blood, ecg and x ray. No mucus, cough or sneezes. Now Im well but nooo mucus whatsoever and high blood sugar that spikes instantly as I eat. Cant find any info and a bit worried if I had autoimmune disease. You posted in almost a year ago now, did you find out anything? Did you get your vaccine before these issues? I had mine at start of June.
Try drinking about 8oz of pomegranate or cransberry juice best to make the juice yourself daily for about weeks. But just check out Dr. This article is filled with partial truths and selective thinking The vast majority of people need mucus only because they eat foods that cause inflammation and the body is constantly trying to fight it.
Mucus and biofilm is something we want to minimize and get rid of as it is breeding ground for pathogens Eating a diet high in fruit and high water content veggies, ideally raw, is THE best way to ensure health. Hi, Great article. This sounds like very interesting research.
Could the fact that we have an air conditioning system in the house be drying out my body too much and therefore my body creating too much mucous to protect me from bacteria. With this thinking, is it worth getting a humidifier to reintroduce healthy moisture back into the home environment in an attempt to holt my body into producing the extra bacteria. Thank you for your research. I know how time consuming it is. I can get high off morning glorys or licking a toads ass.
Why does some people or some animals like taking their mucus. Does it have any nutritional value? Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page.
Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. So, what is mucus? Figure 1 : Protective mucus is found all over the body. Cleveland Clinic. January 25, Food and Drug Administration. January 24, Public Drinking Water Systems. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
September 28, Airway Mucus Function and Dysfunction. New England Journal of Medicine. December February October 2, Cystic Fibrosis. Mayo Clinic. March 14, Sources Nasal Congestion. February 16, Marvels of Mucus and Phlegm.
Lung Health Institute. June 7, Torberg L. Mayo Clinic News Network. January 26, By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Health Topics. Health Tools. By Brian P. Reviewed: October 27, Medically Reviewed. Prognosis of Abnormal Mucus While most mucus problems are short-term, too much mucus can be a sign of a serious condition, most notably cystic fibrosis. Excess mucus can be treated with medications or with home remedies. Medication Options Decongestants You can use an over-the-counter OTC nasal or oral decongestant to reduce the amount of mucus in your lungs or nasal passages.
Alternative and Complementary Therapies for Excess Mucus Nasal irrigation is a natural method for getting rid of excess mucus. To reduce mucus and congestion, the Cleveland Clinic recommends doing the following: 3 Drink more water enough so that your urine is pale and go easy on beverages loaded with caffeine, which can be dehydrating. Try a humidifier to keep your throat and nasal passages moist this counteracts excessive mucus and phlegm production. Make sure filters on your heating and cooling system are clean; this can help reduce airborne irritants.
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