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What Does Grey Colored Phlegm During Cough Indicate?

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Posted on Fri, 21 Aug 2015
Twitter Fri, 21 Aug 2015 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 10 Sep 2015 Last reviewed on
Question : Hi doc I'm 21 I started smoking at 18 and I have quit smoking now but when I try to cough greysh phlegm comes out Plz tell me what that means
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman (15 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
something that needs treatment.

Detailed Answer:
As the lungs heal up they get rid of accumulated gunk from cigarettes but that looks like the bottom of an ashtray (brown). Grey is a sign of infection and needs treatment fairly soon. The lungs do not fully heal that soon after stopping cigarettes and remain susceptible to infection. Infections often start without fever.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1985

Answered : 4209 Questions

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What Does Grey Colored Phlegm During Cough Indicate?

Brief Answer: something that needs treatment. Detailed Answer: As the lungs heal up they get rid of accumulated gunk from cigarettes but that looks like the bottom of an ashtray (brown). Grey is a sign of infection and needs treatment fairly soon. The lungs do not fully heal that soon after stopping cigarettes and remain susceptible to infection. Infections often start without fever.