# What sputum colors are bad?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 17, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132 "2005-09-17T18:00:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/1 "2005-09-17T18:00:03Z")

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Generally speaking, when you hack up a chunky phlegm-gobber, what color & texture is considered healthy, what’s considered not so great (but no action necessary) and what color should tell you to get thyself to a hospital forthwith? Taking into account factors like heavy smoking, illness, etc.

Please Note: I’m not asking for specific medical advice. My sputum (currently) is nice and clear, and I know that’s good. 🆒

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**Author:** ![Caligulas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a5b964/32.png) [@Caligulas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caligulas)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/2 "2005-09-17T18:14:33Z")

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What my doctor has told me is that yellow means there’s an infection and white means the infection is gone and the body is just repairing the damage.

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/3 "2005-09-17T18:45:40Z")

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When I have bronchitis like now mine is yellow when I’m sick and white or clear when the sickness ends, so that seems to be in line with what Caligulas said.

[http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/16/207.cfm](http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/16/207.cfm)

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/4 "2005-09-17T18:55:27Z")

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Sputum colour is kind of unreliable. Thick white sputum may indicate asthma or inflammation; yellow or green may indicate an infection, but this could be viral or bacterial and does not necessarily require an antibiotic or hospital trip; smokers may cough up blacker sputum; rust coloured sputum may indicate Pseudomonas infection; blood tingeed sputum may be benign or a sign of bronchitis, tuberculosis or other conditions (google “hemoptysis” for a longer list).

Sputum is like temperature – it is probably worth relying on OTHER symptoms present at that time, rather than the colour (or temperature) itself.

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**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/5 "2005-09-17T21:11:43Z")

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Red is obviously a danger sign. Personally, I’d be concerned about stripes of any color, and paisly would worry me, too.

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**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/6 "2005-09-17T21:34:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Red is obviously a danger sign.

Unless, like me this morning, you had a nosebleed. 😉

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2005, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sputum-colors-are-bad/322132/7 "2005-09-17T23:04:02Z")

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> [@smiling bandit](#):
>
> Unless, like me this morning, you had a nosebleed. 😉

Which, on some occasions, is something to worry about in and of itself.