Even if it is kind of gross when you're full of it and wrestling with it, phlegm actually serves a useful purpose: The thick, sludgy substance—made up of mostly water, salt, and antibodies—is designed ...

Confirming widespread beliefs by doctors and parents alike, the color of phlegm coughed up by people is indeed a good indicator of whether that person has a bacterial infection, an international group ...

Prescribing antibiotics for patients with discoloured phlegm caused by acute cough has little or no effect on alleviating symptoms and recovery, a Cardiff University study has found. Acute cough is ...

Medically reviewed by Jonathan B. Jassey, DO Green mucus can be a sign of a bacterial or viral infection, but not always.You ...

Managing mucus from COPD involves strategies that can help loosen mucus and clear it from your airway, such as staying ...

Medically reviewed by Sanja Jelic, MD To clear chest congestion fast, try drinking hot herbal tea, inhaling steam with eucalyptus oil, or gargling saltwater. Coughing is your body’s natural way of ...

Healthy phlegm is usually clear and runny, but many different health conditions can change the consistency or color. Phlegm, also called sputum, is mucus produced by your lungs that helps protect your ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Having a congested chest can be uncomfortable to say the least. And when you’re feeling under the weather ...

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Confirming widespread beliefs by doctors and parents alike, the color of phlegm coughed up by people is indeed a good indicator of whether that person has a bacterial ...