Mucus is a normal substance produced by lining tissues in the body. Excess mucus or mucus that is yellow, green, brown, or bloody may indicate a problem. Mucus production may increase when allergies, a cold, flu, cough, or sore throat are present. Antihistamines and cold and flu medications may help alleviate excess mucus. A neti pot may be used to decrease nasal congestion and clear mucus. Read more: What Is Mucus? Article
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
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Bacterial Infections 101: Types, Symptoms, and Treatments
Get more information on bacterial skin infections, which bacteria cause food poisoning, sexually transmitted bacteria, and more....
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What's a Virus? Viral Infection Types, Symptoms, Treatment
Is a virus alive? Learn the definition of a virus. Viral infections like COVID-19 can occur in your eyes, mouth, skin, or...
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Sinus Infection (Sinusitis) Symptoms & Treatment
Sinus infection (sinusitis) symptoms can include headaches, a sore throat, and toothaches. Antibiotics and home remedies can...
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Cold, Fever and Flu Symptoms in Children: Medications and Home Remedies
How long does a cold last? How long is a cold contagious? Colds and fevers are some of the most common ailments in children....
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Respiratory Illnesses: 13 Types of Lung Infections
Is your cough caused by a cold, flu, pneumonia or something else? Learn causes of respiratory infection like bronchitis,...
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How to Get Rid of a Cold: Natural Remedies
What home remedies work to get rid of a cold fast? Many claim cold symptoms and flu symptoms can be relieved with Echinacea,...
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Out-of-Control Allergy Symptoms: Treatment Relief in Pictures
Learn 10 signs your allergies are out of control. See these surprising allergy symptoms and find out how to get relief for...
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10 Worst Cities for Spring Allergies With Pictures
See pictures of the top 10 "spring allergy capitals", according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). From...
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Allergies Quiz: Symptoms & Home Remedies
What are the causes of allergies? This online quiz challenges your knowledge of common food and household allergens,...
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How to Prevent the Common Cold
What home remedies work for the common cold? The common cold is arguably the most common human illness. Learn how long the common...
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Common Cold Quiz: Test Your Medical IQ
Take this quiz to learn the truth behind the infectious, contagious, uncomfortable disease known as the common cold. Test your...
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Cold & Flu Quiz: Influenza vs. Common Cold
Aches? Pain? Fever? This Cold & Flu Quiz tests your knowledge on the difference between coming down with the common cold and...
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Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Symptoms, Vaccine Facts
Whooping cough (Bordetella pertussis) is a highly contagious bacterial infection. Vaccines and antibiotics could prevent whooping...
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Picture of Sinuses
The sinuses are an air-filled cavity in a dense portion of a skull bone. See a picture of the Sinuses and learn more about the...
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Picture of Lungs
The lungs are a pair of spongy, air-filled organs located on either side of the chest (thorax). See a picture of the Lungs and...
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Pictures of Allergy Relief Tips at Home: AC Filters, Electronic Air Cleaners, and More
Learn how a combination of medication, preventing allergens, and allergy relief products can reduce allergy symptoms and help you...
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Nasal Irrigation: Natural Relief for Cold & Allergy Symptoms
Clogged sinuses and congestion bothering you? Nasal irrigation can relieve sinus symptoms associated with colds and allergies....
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When Animal (Allergies) Attack: Pet Allergy Symptoms, Treatment
How do you control and relieve pet allergies? How do you prevent pet allergies? Learn dog and cat allergy symptoms, the cause of...
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Germs: Everyday Items with the Most Bacteria
Explore the germiest places you may encounter daily. Bacteria is everywhere. Learn tips to avoid germs and bacteria in public...
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A Cold or The Flu? How to Tell the Difference
Discover the difference between cold vs. flu symptoms. Learn the difference between cold and flu symptoms. Read about cold and...
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Nasal Allergy Attack: Causes, Triggers, Treatments
Nasal allergies are a common problem that affects millions of people. An allergist can recommend the best allergy nasal sprays...
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Home Remedies for Sick Children
Home remedies for sick babies, toddlers, and kids can help with things like colds, flu, cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, fever,...
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Flu Shots: 10 Facts About Flu Shots
What are the side effects of a flu shot? Who should get vaccinated? Learn the benefits and risks of vaccination for seasonal...
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Preparing for Severe Allergies at School
Help your child manage and prepare for severe allergies at school. Protect your child from food allergies, insect stings, and...
SLIDESHOW
Nasal Irrigation: Natural Relief for Cold & Allergy Symptoms See SlideshowRelated Disease Conditions
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Cough: 19 Tips on How to Stop a Cough
Coughing is a reflex that helps a person clear their airways of irritants. There are many causes of an excessive or severe cough including irritants like cigarette and secondhand smoke, pollution, air fresheners, medications like beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, the common cold, GERD, lung cancer, and heart disease.Natural and home remedies to help cure and soothe a cough include staying hydrated, gargle salt water, use cough drops or lozenges, use herbs and supplements like ginger, mint, licorice, and slippery elm, and don't smoke. Over-the-counter products (OTC)to cure and soothe a cough include cough suppressants and expectorants, and anti-reflux drugs. Prescription drugs that help cure a cough include narcotic medications, antibiotics, inhaled steroids, and anti-reflux drugs like proton pump inhibitors or PPIs, for example, omeprazole (Prilosec), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and pantoprazole (Protonix).
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Tonsil Stones
Tonsil stones are small clusters of calcifications that form when food, dead cells, mucus, and bacteria get stuck in the nooks and crannies of the tonsils. Tonsil stones are hard, appear as white or yellowish formations on the tonsils, and usually smell bad due to bacteria. If symptoms occur, they may include persistent bad breath, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, ear pain, and cough.
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Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)
Sinus infection (sinusitis) is caused by allergies, infection, and chemicals or other irritants of sinuses. Signs and symptoms include headache, fever, and facial tenderness, pressure, or pain. Treatments of sinus infections are generally with antibiotics and at times, home remedies.
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Chronic Rhinitis and Post-Nasal Drip
Chronic rhinitis (non allergic rhinitis) causes runny nose, sneezing, nasal itching and congestion. Post-nasal drip is drainage of mucus from the sinuses into the throat. Treatment includes over-the-counter (OTC) medications.
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What Causes a Buildup of Mucus in the Lungs?
What causes mucus in the lungs? Learn the signs and symptoms of accumulation of mucus in your lungs and what to do if you have too much mucus in the lungs. Since not all cough medicines are the same, choosing the best treatment for you depends on your type of cough and symptoms.
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Sore Throat
Sore throat (throat pain) usually is described as pain or discomfort in the throat area. A sore throat may be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, toxins, irritants, trauma, or injury to the throat area. Common symptoms of a sore throat include a fever, cough, runny nose, hoarseness, earaches, sneezing, and body aches. Home remedies for a sore throat include warm soothing liquids and throat lozenges. OTC remedies for a sore throat include OTC pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen. Antibiotics may be necessary for some cases of sore throat.
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Allergy (Allergies)
An allergy refers to a misguided reaction by our immune system in response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When these allergens come in contact with the body, it causes the immune system to develop an allergic reaction in people who are allergic to it. It is estimated that 50 million North Americans are affected by allergic conditions. The parts of the body that are prone to react to allergies include the eyes, nose, lungs, skin, and stomach. Common allergic disorders include hay fever, asthma, allergic eyes, allergic eczema, hives, and allergic shock.
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Chronic Cough
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Chronic cough treatment is based on the cause, but may be soothed natural and home remedies.
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Common Cold
The common cold (viral upper respiratory tract infection) is a contagious illness that may be caused by various viruses. Symptoms include a stuffy nose, headache, cough, sore throat, and maybe a fever. Antibiotics have no effect upon the common cold, and there is no evidence that zinc and vitamin C are effective treatments.
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How Long Is a Cold or Flu Contagious?
Viruses cause the common cold and the flu. Early symptoms and signs for a cold and the flu are similar, however, flu symptoms are typically more severe than cold symptoms. Cold and flu viruses are transmitted typically via coughing or sneezing.
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Is a Sinus Infection Contagious?
Sinus infection (sinusitis) is infection (viral, bacterial, or fungal) or inflammation of the sinuses. Symptoms of sinus infection are cough, bad breath, coughing up greenish-yellow sputum, sinus headache, and other symptoms of the common cold. Treatments of sinus infection are home remedies to soothe symptoms and antibiotics if the infection is bacterial or fungal.
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Is Sore Throat (Pharyngitis) Contagious?
The medical term for a sore throat is pharyngitis. There are many causes of a sore throat such as medications, diseases (GERD, cancer, AIDS), infections (Streptococcus or strep, mononucleosis), allergies, and smoking. Symptoms are a red, swollen throat; fever, and swollen lymph nodes. Treatment for sore throat depends on the cause.
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Sinus Headache Pain, Symptoms, Treatments, Remedies, and Cures
Sinus headache is caused by a sinus infection or inflammation of the sinus cavities. Symptoms of a sinus headache include pain, runny or stuffy nose, and chronic cough. There are many causes of sinus headaches including sinusitis or sinus infection, allergies, smoke, infections, or colds. Treatment for sinus headache depends on the cause. Some home remedies may relieve sinus headache pain symptoms.
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Lung Anatomy
The lungs are primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air we breathe and the blood. Eliminating carbon dioxide from the blood is important, because as it builds up in the blood, headaches, drowsiness, coma, and eventually death may occur. The air we breathe in (inhalation) is warmed, humidified, and cleaned by the nose and the lungs.
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Is a Cough Contagious?
There are many types of coughs: for example, dry cough, wet cough, a barking cough, whooping cough, stress induced cough, acute cough, and chronic cough. Cough is a symptom of an underlying condition or disease. Treatment of cough as a symptom is generally with OTC lozenges and liquids. The cause of the cough will be necessary to treat.
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Cold, Flu, Allergy Treatments
Before treating a cold, the flu, or allergies with over-the-counter (OTC) medications, it's important to know what's causing the symptoms, which symptoms one wishes to relieve, and the active ingredients in the OTC product. Taking products that only contain the medications needed for relieving your symptoms prevents ingestion of unnecessary medications and reduces the chances of side effects.
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Children's Cough Causes and Treatments
Children's cough causes include infection, acid reflux, asthma, allergies or sinus infection, whooping cough, and exposure to irritants. Treatment for a child's cough include cough medicine for children over the age of four.
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Why Would I Have Mucus in My Stool?
Why do you have mucus in your stool? Learn what causes mucus in stool, when to see the doctor about it, and how to get treated.
Treatment & Diagnosis
- Sneezing
- Runny Nose
- Postnasal Drip
- Nasal Congestion
- Chronic Cough
- Sinus Infection (Sinusitis)
- Sore Throat (Pharyngitis)
- Chronic Sore Throat
- Common Cold
- Acute Sinusitis
- How to Choose a Doctor
- Doctor: Checklist to Take To Your Doctor's Appointment
- Doctor: Getting the Most from Your Doctor's Appointment
Medications & Supplements
- Drugs: Questions to Ask Your Doctor or Pharmacist about Your Drugs
- Antihistamine Shots (Injections)
- Antihistamines (Oral)
- Nasal Decongestants
- guaifenesin (Robitussin, Mucinex)
- guaifenesin and dextromethorphan hydrobromide (Robitussin and Mucinex)
- sodium chloride - intranasal spray (Ocean, Ayr Saline, Humist, NaSal, Little Noses, Ocean)
- decongestant spray - nasal
- guaifenesin and codeine (Cheratussin, Iophen)
- fluticasone (Flonase, Flonase Allergy Relief)
- decongestant drops - nasal
- loratadine and pseudoephedrine (Alavert Allergy & Sinus, Claritin-D, Claritin-D 24 hour)
- dextromethorphan/decongestant/antihistamine - oral
- Nasal Allergy Medications
- guaifenesin and phenylephrine, Sudafed PE Non-Drying Sinus Caplets, (Entex, discontinued)
- guaifenesin/theophylline/pseudoephedrine elixir - oral, Broncomar-1
- narcotic antitussive/antihistamine - oral
- propylene glycol/polyethylene glycol spray - nasal, Rhinaris
- guaifenesin/pseudoephedrine - oral, Duratuss, Maxifed
- guaifenesin/phenylephrine - oral, Endal, Numonyl, Sinupan
- decongestant/narcotic antitussive/acetaminoph/antihistamine - oral
- decongestant/narcotic antitussive/antihistamine - oral
Prevention & Wellness
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