What is the composition of phlegm?

Sputum is the fluid secreted by respiratory tract stimulated, also called sputum, which contains mucus, foreign bodies, pathogenic microorganisms, various inflammatory cells, necrotic and exfoliated mucosal epithelial cells, etc.

The increase of sputum viscosity is mainly related to the increase of acidic glycoprotein content in sputum, because glycoprotein molecules are crosslinked by different bonds (such as disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds) to form gel networks.

Sputum contains electrolytes, among which Ca2+ content is high, which can increase the viscosity. During respiratory tract infection, the DNA produced by the nuclear destruction of a large number of inflammatory cells also significantly increases the viscosity of sputum, forming so-called purulent sputum.

Extended data:

Treatment of nasal phlegm

For people with rhinitis, more than 90% of people's phlegm belongs to rhinitis.

At this time, phlegm is the thick mucus secreted by the inflammatory reaction of nasal mucosa. These mucilages adhere to the nasopharynx when transported through nasal cilia, and cannot enter the stomach, and are finally digested. Sticky mucus always makes our pharynx uncomfortable, so we can only cough to remove foreign bodies from our pharynx.

The most fundamental treatment of this kind of phlegm is to eliminate nasal inflammation. Nasal washing is the simplest and most effective method to eliminate nasal inflammation. By washing away the mucus in the nasal cavity, the amount of sputum can be directly reduced. At the same time, this method can gradually eliminate nasal inflammation, eventually eliminate phlegm and treat rhinitis.

References:

Baidu encyclopedia-phlegm