Coughing up thick dark brown sputum

Coughing is a common phenomenon in our lives. Many people cough after getting up in the morning, but many people do not pay attention to it, thinking that it is caused by lack of rest or inhalation of some dust. If dark brown phlegm appears when coughing, it is very likely caused by a lung infection. When this phenomenon occurs, the patient must go to the hospital for examination.

Why do I cough up thick dark brown phlegm?

The current symptoms suggest a high possibility of lung infection. It is recommended that you go to the hospital for relevant auxiliary examinations, focusing on blood routine, chest frontal and lateral films, and sputum bacterial culture, and choose a treatment plan based on the examination results.

Diagnosis of lung infection

1. Pay attention to whether there is inhalation injury

Tracheotomy or intubation, aspiration, pulmonary edema, atelectasis, shock, surgical anesthesia, invasive wound infection, suppurative thrombophlebitis, etc.

2. Pay attention to whether you have difficulty breathing

Changes in body temperature, cough, increased sputum volume and sputum characteristics. Clinical symptoms should be differentiated from burn toxemia or sepsis.

3. Physical examination.

Patients with severe burns often have burns on their chests, making it difficult to obtain accurate chest signs. Therefore, careful examination should be performed to check for any respiratory changes or rales.

4. To identify the infected bacteria

Airway secretion cultures should be performed regularly, preferably bronchopulmonary lavage fluid cultures, to prevent contamination.

5. Chest X-ray.

The diagnosis of most lung infections after burns depends on X-ray examination. Chest X-rays should be performed routinely after injury, and regular follow-up examinations should be performed thereafter. The X-ray manifestations of pneumonia can be divided into three types: small focal lesion, large focal lesion and lobar lesion, with small focal lesion pneumonia being the most common.

Types of lung infections

1. Bacterial pneumonia

?Such as Streptococcus pneumoniae (i.e. pneumococcus), Staphylococcus aureus, Type alpha hemolytic Streptococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc.

2. Pneumonia caused by atypical pathogens

Such as Legionella, Mycoplasma and Chlamydia.

3. Viral pneumonia

?Such as coronavirus, adenovirus, influenza virus, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, etc.

4. Fungal pneumonia

Such as Candida albicans, Aspergillus, Actinomycetes, etc.

5. Pneumonia caused by other pathogens

Such as Rickettsia, Toxoplasma, protozoa, parasites such as Echinocystis, Paragonimus, Schistosoma japonicum), etc. People with low immunity (such as AIDS patients) are prone to pulmonary infections such as Pneumococcus carinii, Legionella, Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Toxoplasma.