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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Causes Persistent Coughing With Yellow And Green Colored Sputum?

Hello. I am a 60 year old woman with life time of asthma. I have had a cough for the last 20 months. I have undergone lots of tests and they found I had bronchiectasis (possibly from whooping cough as a child) other than that no other diagnosis. I take various asthma drugs/inhalers. When I cough I produce coloured sputum (yellowy green). I have been given antibiotics and steroids several times but within days of finishing them the sputum returns to the same colour. I often feel weary and wondered if this continued production of coloured sputum would cause that?
posted on Thu, 13 Mar 2014
Twitter Thu, 16 Jun 2016 Answered on
Twitter Thu, 16 Jun 2016 Last reviewed on
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Pulmonologist,  's  Response
Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic.
I can understand your concern.
Your continued cough, yellowish sputum are due to bronchiectesis.
Bronchiectesis is permanent dilatation of airways.
It is common in asthma patients after lung infection. In Dilated airways, secretions tend to collect. So these collected secretions catch up infection easily and produce recurrent cough with yellowish expectoration.
Best treatment for this is identification of causative organism and starting antibiotic which are effective for those organisms.
So get done sputum culture and sensitivity report.
Culture will isolate the causative organism and sensitivity report will guide you about effective antibiotic treatment.
Also enroll in pulmonary rehabilitation center where chest physiotherapy and deep breathing exercises are done. These are also useful in bronchiectesis and asthma.
Also take anti oxidants for better outcomes.
So consult pulmonologist and discuss all these.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.
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What Causes Persistent Coughing With Yellow And Green Colored Sputum?

Thanks for your question on Healthcare Magic. I can understand your concern. Your continued cough, yellowish sputum are due to bronchiectesis. Bronchiectesis is permanent dilatation of airways. It is common in asthma patients after lung infection. In Dilated airways, secretions tend to collect. So these collected secretions catch up infection easily and produce recurrent cough with yellowish expectoration. Best treatment for this is identification of causative organism and starting antibiotic which are effective for those organisms. So get done sputum culture and sensitivity report. Culture will isolate the causative organism and sensitivity report will guide you about effective antibiotic treatment. Also enroll in pulmonary rehabilitation center where chest physiotherapy and deep breathing exercises are done. These are also useful in bronchiectesis and asthma. Also take anti oxidants for better outcomes. So consult pulmonologist and discuss all these. Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further. Wish you good health. Thanks.