Vomiting Up Mucus: What It Means & What to Do

Key takeaways:

• Vomiting mucus can happen for various reasons, such as a post-nasal drip, a digestive upset, or even an infection. Many of these causes are not serious and are self-limited.
• Sometimes, vomiting mucus can mean a more serious condition, like gastroesophageal reflux or a severe respiratory infection, so knowing when to see a doctor is important.
• Treatment will depend on the reason for the vomiting, but drinking plenty of fluids and getting medical advice if your symptoms worsen or continue are the best next steps.

While vomiting up mucus can be a bit concerning, it’s not always a sign of a serious health problem. Mucus is a natural body fluid produced by specialized cells in your mucus membranes. It protects and lubricates the tissues of your gastrointestinal system. These mucus-secreting membranes line your mouth, esophagus (food tube), stomach, and intestines. They are responsible for secreting over two gallons of mucus each day.

Mucus can sometimes build up in the stomach due to various conditions such as respiratory infections, a post-nasal drip from your sinuses caused by allergies or a sinus infection, or stomach and intestinal disorders. Let’s take a closer look at the causes of vomiting mucus, when you should see a doctor, and then review your treatment options.

Is it normal to vomit mucus?

Vomiting mucus can be a normal reaction to conditions that cause your body to produce a large amount of mucus. When the mucus builds up in your stomach or throat, it can cause you to vomit.

Vomiting mucus is not usually a reason for concern. Still, you should be aware of other symptoms that may go along with it, such as severe stomach pain, difficulty breathing, or blood in the vomit that could mean a more serious problem. You should also get the advice of a health care provider if you vomit mucus frequently.

Common causes of vomiting mucus

Several common conditions can lead to vomiting mucus, including respiratory and gastrointestinal problems:

Post-nasal drip

Post-nasal drip occurs when excess mucus is produced in your sinuses. This commonly happens if you have allergies, a cold, or a sinus infection.

The mucus then drips down the back of your throat, where it is usually swallowed. The accumulation of this mucus in your stomach can lead to nausea and vomiting.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)

GERD is a condition that causes stomach acid to flow back into your esophagus, irritating its sensitive lining.

As a response to this irritation, mucus-producing cells in your esophagus go into action, pouring out mucus to protect the lining of your esophagus. As more and more mucus is produced, it travels down into your stomach. When enough mucus accumulates, it can trigger vomiting.

Respiratory infections

Infections like bronchitis or pneumonia can cause excessive mucus production in your lungs, which is then coughed up as phlegm and often swallowed.

The swallowed mucus builds up and can cause you to vomit. With lung infections, you can have bouts of intense coughing, which can cause gagging and vomiting.

Stomach infections or gastroenteritis

Gastroenteritis (stomach flu), often caused by a viral or bacterial infection, can irritate your stomach lining.

As a result, your stomach lining produces mucus to protect itself. But as the mucus accumulates, it can lead to nausea and the mucus being vomited, along with the contents of your stomach. Watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, and sometimes fever usually accompany the stomach flu.

Smoking

The lungs of smokers not only produce more mucus than the lungs of non-smokers, but the mucus is also thicker.

Plus, the nicotine found in tobacco paralyzes the specialized cells called cilia in your lungs that help to move mucus out of the airways. As a result, many smokers have a dry, harsh cough that can trigger vomiting of mucus and stomach contents.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

COPD is an ongoing lung condition caused by damage to the lungs. Many people who suffer from COPD currently or previously smoked, but that is not always the cause. Because there is irritation and inflammation of the lungs in this disease, a lot of mucus is produced.

Although people with COPD don’t typically vomit up mucus, they do cough up a lot of it. However, COPD and GERD often occur together, and a person who has COPD has an increased risk of developing this condition. GERD causes acid to wash back into your esophagus, leading to irritation and the overproduction of mucus that can accumulate in the stomach. This can cause you to vomit mucus.

When to see a doctor about vomiting up mucus

You should see a doctor if:

• Vomiting mucus continues for more than a few days
• There is blood in the vomit
• You experience difficulty breathing or chest pain
• You have abdominal discomfort or fever along with vomiting

You should go to the emergency room if:

• You cannot keep fluids down and are getting dehydrated
• Your vomiting is frequent
• You have severe abdominal pain
• You experience confusion, dizziness, a decrease in alertness, or you are having difficulty staying awake

Questions to ask your doctor about vomiting up mucus

Here are some important questions to ask if you're experiencing vomiting up mucus:

• What might be causing me to produce so much mucus and vomiting it up?
• Are there any tests I need to have done to diagnose what may be causing this?
• What treatments are available for my condition?
• Can any dietary or other changes help me manage my symptoms?

Treatments for vomiting up mucus

Treatment depends on the cause, and these can vary with the condition, but the following treatments are common:

Hydration

Getting plenty of fluids to stay hydrated is critical, especially when vomiting.

Oral rehydration solutions such as sports drinks, clear fluids like water, or beverages with electrolytes can help prevent dehydration. Anti-nausea medications may be necessary if you cannot keep enough fluids down. In severe cases of gastroenteritis, you may need to get hydration with IV fluids.

Medications

Antihistamines or decongestants can help reduce mucus production if you have a post-nasal drip or suffer from allergies. In cases of GERD, your doctor may prescribe medications to reduce stomach acid, such as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI).

Anti-nausea medication may also be prescribed for persistent nausea and vomiting caused by the stomach flu. If the cause of vomiting mucus is a respiratory or sinus infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics.

If you have COPD, your doctor will likely prescribe various medications such as bronchodilators to help ease your breathing, inhaled steroids to reduce inflammation and mucus production, and antibiotics to manage flare-ups.

Specialist referral

If the cause of your vomiting mucus is unclear and treatments don’t help, your health care provider may refer you to a gastroenterologist, a doctor who specializes in digestive diseases.

They can do further tests such as a barium swallow, which is an X-ray of your digestive tract after you have swallowed a contrast solution. They may also perform an endoscopy, which involves inserting a flexible tube down into your esophagus, stomach, and upper intestine to look for inflammation or other problems that could explain your symptoms.

Rest and recovery

In the case of a viral respiratory infection or gastroenteritis, rest, drinking plenty of fluids, and over-the-counter medications to manage your symptoms may be all you need to recover. If you have a chronic condition such as COPD, then adequate rest is an essential part of your treatment plan.

Frequently asked questions: vomiting up mucus

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about vomiting up mucus, including potential causes and when to seek medical attention.

What does it mean if you are only throwing up mucus after coughing?

If you are only throwing up mucus after coughing, it likely means the cough is due to a respiratory infection such as a cold or bronchitis.

This may also mean you have a post-nasal drip from allergies or a sinus infection. This is particularly true in smokers, who produce more mucus than non-smokers and tend to have a dry, hacking cough, which can trigger vomiting. All of these conditions can lead to a build-up of mucus in your stomach, which is then vomited.

What if you’re experiencing diarrhea and vomiting mucus at the same time?

Vomiting mucus and also experiencing diarrhea most likely means you have gastroenteritis.

Getting plenty of fluids and rest are both important. If you are experiencing severe stomach pain or fever, or your symptoms worsen or do not go away after a day or two, you should see a medical provider.

What if you’re throwing up mucus every morning?

Vomiting mucus in the morning strongly suggests that you may be suffering from GERD. With GERD, stomach acid and mucus have had the chance to accumulate overnight.

It’s common for the stomach acid to reflux into the esophagus when lying down. The acid irritates the esophagus and throat. Mucus cells in the throat and esophageal lining produce mucus to try to protect the tissues from damage. This extra mucus then accumulates in the stomach and may cause you to vomit first thing in the morning. If you are experiencing morning vomiting of mucus, you should consult a doctor to get a diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Sinus infections or allergies can also cause excessive mucus production at night, leading to post-nasal drainage of mucus down your throat and into the stomach. This can lead to coughing, gagging, and vomiting mucus in the morning.

Managing your symptoms

Vomiting mucus can result from a wide range of conditions, from common respiratory infections and allergies to more serious gastrointestinal problems such as GERD. Understanding the potential causes of vomiting mucus can help you better understand your condition and help you decide when you need medical advice and treatment.

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. Pallabi Sanyal-Dey, MD.

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