What happens if you swallow the phlegm that you don't cough up?

Sputum is a secretion from the respiratory tract (bronchi, trachea, larynx, nose) or exudate from the alveoli. Under normal circumstances, the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract secretes a small amount of mucus, which can keep the respiratory tract moist, stick to the germs, dust, foreign bodies, etc. that invade the respiratory tract, and the mucus also contains a large amount of "lysozyme", which can kill germs.

Normally, only a small number of people wake up in the morning with a small amount of phlegm, which is clear and transparent.When viruses, bacteria, and other pathogenic microorganisms irritate the respiratory tract, they can cause local congestion, edema, and inflammatory secretions, forming sputum.

The most common sputum is caused by diseases such as bronchitis and bronchopneumonia, and these secretions will be excreted into the trachea and throat through the movement of cilia on the bronchial mucosa, which will cause local irritation and cause coughing, and the sputum will be excreted from the body.

If the sputum is relatively viscous and not easy to cough out of the body, it is necessary to dilute the sputum with medication to promote the discharge of sputum, and it is also necessary to actively carry out anti-inflammatory and antiviral treatment. Usually you should also pay attention to appropriate activities, which is also conducive to phlegm discharge, and you also need to drink more water and pay attention to a light diet.

According to the amount of sputum, generally 10-150ml/day is a medium amount of sputum, more than 150ml/day is a large amount of sputum, less than 10ml/day is a small amount of sputum, and the bacteria are mainly Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma, Klebharm pneumoniae, etc.

If you have a cough with a lot of purulent sputum, it is recommended to go to the hospital to see a respiratory department, check the blood routine, C-reactive protein, chest CT, etc., to confirm the diagnosis and possible pathogens, and at the same time actively treat.