I'm experiencing brown phlegm for the last four days, especially in the morning right after I wake up. It's really concerning, as I need to spit it out and it hurts when I drink water or swallow saliva. Initially, I wasn't able to get it out properly, so I tried gargling with hot salt water, which seemed to help. By the way, I smoke. Do you think this could be related? Should I be worried about this?

Answered by 1 Apollo Doctors

Dr Chandra P

General Practitioner

MBBS
5+ Yrs

Consult Now

It sounds like you may have bronchitis, which can be aggravated by smoking. I recommend you to take an expectorant like Mucinex (guaifenesin) 600mg every 12 hours to help loosen the phlegm. Additionally, you can use an over-the-counter cough syrup like Robitussin (dextromethorphan) 10ml every 4-6 hours as needed for cough. It is important to stay hydrated, so drink plenty of water throughout the day. If the symptoms persist or worsen, please consult a healthcare professional for further evaluation and management.

Dr. Chandra Suggests...

Consult a Pulmonology Respiratory Medicine Specialist

Find a Pulmonology Respiratory Medicine Specialist

Answered 13 days ago

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Disclaimer: Answers on Apollo 247 are not intended to replace your doctor advice. Always seek help of a professional doctor in case of an medical emergency or ailment.