When you’re ill and sometimes hock-up some phlegm, it can be a range of colours from yellowish all the way to brownish. What’s in it that makes it that colour?
In: Biology
Brighter red = fresher blood,
Darker red/brown = older blood, vomit from aspiration (inhaling food/vomit), smoke (cigarette, long-term),
Pink & frothy = blood and air (pulmonary oedema – i.e. water in the lungs) is the likely candidate),
Light brown = liquid feed that has been vomited up and the aspirated
Grey/Black = Smoke (fire, cigarette), London underground, other atmospheric pollutants
Yellow/green = Pus, dead microbials (generally bacteria),
Cream = pus
Very light green/clear = more normal sputum, asthma or COPD
Clear & frothy = water (aspiration or pulmonary oedema), normal sputum,
Bright blue = food dye used by the Speech and Language Therapist for swallow tests,
Bright green = my partner forgetting to wear their respirator while painting.
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