Why Are You Coughing Up Brown Mucus or Phlegm?

Key takeaways:

• Coughing up brown mucus can result from medical and environmental factors.
• Smoking is one of the most common causes of brown mucus.
• Immediate medical attention is warranted if you are also experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain.

Whether it's your surrounding environment, underlying health, or lifestyle choices to blame, coughing up brown mucus is often a clue that something in your life needs a second look. While brown mucus is not always a cause for immediate concern, it can indicate an underlying issue that may require attention. In this article, we will explore the potential causes of brown mucus, whether you can do anything to address it, and when you should seek medical attention.

Is coughing up brown mucus or phlegm normal?

Coughing up brown mucus might be expected in specific scenarios such as chronic smoking. However, it is not normal, especially if it persists for more than a week, and should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

Causes of coughing up brown mucus

Some causes of coughing up brown mucus can be addressed by changing habits and your environment. Other causes may be more serious respiratory conditions that require medical treatment.

Smoking or tobacco use

Cigarette smoking is one of the most common causes of chronic brown mucus production. Smoking damages the lungs, leading to respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is associated with coughing up brown or black mucus. This mucus may also become discolored due to the chemicals and particles in cigarette smoke.

Environmental pollutants

Exposure to air pollutants, such as dust, chemicals, or fumes, can irritate the respiratory system, causing brown mucus. In addition to inflammation, particles in the air can become trapped in the mucus, giving it a brownish color. Air pollutants can also lead to chronic lung conditions, such as chronic bronchitis, which is another cause of brown mucus.

Dried blood

Dried blood in the respiratory tract often manifests as brown-colored mucus. This may be the result of a lung infection. If you are coughing up brown mucus with no signs of an acute respiratory infection, this is a concerning scenario that should prompt urgent medical evaluation.

Infection

Respiratory infections such as pneumonia and acute bronchitis may cause discolored mucus. Depending on the type of bacteria causing the infection, mucus can be different colors, including brown. Infections can irritate the superficial vessels in the respiratory tract, which sometimes leads to minimal bleeding.

Other causes of coughing up brown mucus back based on the mucus’ appearance or other symptom or situation

Coughing up brown mucus can alert your healthcare provider that something serious may be occurring. To narrow down the potential cause, you must look beyond the color alone and examine other aspects of the mucus.

Coughing up thick brown mucus

Thick brown mucus is often a sign of your body’s response to irritation or infection. This thick mucus can trap dust, bacteria, or other particles, giving it a darker color. Smoking or exposure to air pollution can also lead to thick mucus production as your body works to clear irritants from your airways.

Coughing up dark brown or black and brown mucus

If the mucus is dark brown or has black streaks, it could suggest the presence of old blood from somewhere within the respiratory tract. Dark or black mucus may also be seen in heavy smokers, as inhaled smoke and chemicals can accumulate in the lungs over time.

Coughing up green and brown mucus

Green mucus is due to an enzyme that your body produces to repel irritants (both infectious and not) that enter the respiratory tract. Cigarette smoke, which can cause brown mucus, would be considered a pulmonary irritation that would trigger the enzyme to be produced.

Coughing up clear mucus with brown specks

Brown specks in the mucus can stem from a few different causes. Trapped pollutants or smoke particles from inhaled tobacco products can cause the appearance of specks in the mucus. In other cases, this may indicate a fungal lung infection.

Coughing up brown mucus in the morning only

Coughing up brown mucus in the morning is commonly associated with smoking and chronic respiratory infections. When you lie down at night, mucus can accumulate in your airways and trigger a coughing response to clear the mucus upon waking.

Coughing up brown mucus with a sore throat

If you are coughing up brown mucus and a sore throat accompanies it, you should consider a viral or bacterial upper respiratory infection as the cause.

Coughing up brown mucus with a fever

If you are coughing up brown mucus and have a fever, this could indicate an infection like pneumonia. Experiencing a fever with respiratory symptoms should be evaluated by a doctor. In some cases an antibiotic is indicated.

Coughing up brown mucus after smoking tobacco

Smoking tobacco can cause brown mucus in one of two ways. The first is from the smoke and chemicals being trapped in the mucus, causing discoloration. The other is when chronic smokers develop chronic bronchitis, which is associated with brown mucus formation.

Coughing up brown mucus after smoking marijuana

Just like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains particles and chemicals that can irritate your airways and damage your lungs.

Diagnosing coughing up brown mucus

If you are a smoker or live or work in a high-pollution environment, the cause of your brown mucus may be obvious without the need for a diagnostic study. In other cases, imaging studies such as chest X-rays and chest CT scans may be ordered. Sputum analysis and bronchoscopy (looking directly into the lungs for any abnormalities) may also be ordered.

Treatment options for coughing up brown mucus

Treatment options for brown mucus will vary based on the underlying cause. Sometimes, simple lifestyle changes are all that’s needed, while other times, intervention from a healthcare provider is necessary.

At-home remedies

Some at-home remedies may be helpful if your symptoms result from an acute viral infection. Rest, hydration, and using a humidifier to soothe dry airways and prevent inflammation and bleeding of pulmonary vessels can help.

Medication

If you are diagnosed with a bacterial infection, your healthcare provider will prescribe antibiotics. Other medications such as inhalers, steroids, and nasal sprays may be prescribed for chronic respiratory conditions and post-nasal drip.

Lifestyle changes

If you are a smoker, your healthcare provider can discuss different smoking cessation techniques with you to help resolve your symptoms and prevent further lung damage. If you live or work in an area of high pollution, the best option would be to remove yourself from the environment. If this is not an option, wearing a mask may help.

When you should see a doctor about coughing up brown mucus

Coughing up brown mucus does not always mean you need to see your doctor. However, some cases require medical intervention.

You should see a doctor if:

• The brown mucus persists for more than a week.
• You have a history of smoking and are experiencing brown mucus.
• You have a fever, chills, or other signs of an infection with brown mucus.

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You are coughing up large amounts of brown mucus mixed with blood.
• You have difficulty breathing or experience chest pain.

Questions to ask your doctor about coughing up brown mucus

• What could be causing my symptoms?
• Is my brown mucus a sign of lung cancer?
• What diagnostic tests are available to identify the cause of my symptoms?
• Are there any lifestyle changes I can make to help with the symptoms?

Frequently asked questions: coughing up brown mucus

It is common to have questions regarding this symptom. Here are some more frequently asked questions about coughing up brown mucus.

Is coughing up brown mucus a sign of lung cancer?

In some situations, coughing up brown mucus can be a sign of lung cancer. Certain lung cancers produce tumors that ulcerate into lung tissue and vessels, causing bleeding. While it is more common to see bright red blood in your mucus when this happens, dried blood in the lungs can cause brown mucus.

What if you’ve been coughing up brown mucus for a week or longer?

If brown mucus persists for over a week, it is important to see a doctor to rule out infections or chronic conditions that may require treatment.

Is brown mucus a sign of a chest infection?

Certain types of infections, such as pneumonia, fungal lung infections, bacterial bronchitis, and tuberculosis, have all been linked to coughs productive of brown mucus. However, brown mucus does not indicate a chest infection 100% of the time.

Managing brown mucus

In conclusion, coughing up brown mucus can be a sign of an underlying health condition or may be your body’s way of telling you it doesn’t like the environmental factors it’s exposed to. While it may not always be serious, it’s important to monitor your symptoms and seek medical attention if they persist or are associated with other symptoms.

General Medicine follows a strict editorial process, including using real experts to write our articles, vetted primary sources, fact-checking, a secondary medical review, and updates as necessary. This article was medically reviewed and fact checked by Dr. Jennifer Nadel, MD.

Sources

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