Unpleasant odor from the lungs. Bad breath as a symptom of a baby’s illness

Update: October 2018

By sputum, health workers understand the secretion that is secreted by the cells of the bronchi, which contains the contents of the nose and its sinuses, as well as saliva. Normally, it is transparent and mucous, there is little of it, and it is released only in the morning from people who smoke, work in dusty industries, or live in dry air conditions.

In these cases, it is called tracheobronchial secretion rather than sputum. With the development of pathologies, the following can enter the sputum: pus, when there is bacterial inflammation in the respiratory tract, blood, when damage to the vessel has occurred on the way from the nose to the end of the bronchi, mucus in cases of non-bacterial inflammation. This content may become more or less viscous.

Pathological processes as the cause of the accumulation of sputum in the throat without coughing usually occupy a localization from the nasopharynx, where the contents of the nose and its paranasal sinuses flow, to the trachea. If the disease has affected deeper structures: the trachea, bronchi or lung tissue, sputum production will be accompanied by a cough (in young children, an analogue of coughing can be vomiting with a large amount of mucus or other contents). and they can, of course, proceed without a cough, but then the sputum separation will not be a concern.

When is sputum production considered normal?

The mucous membrane of the bronchi consists of cells on the surface of which there are cilia - microtubules that can move (normally - in the upward direction, towards the trachea). Between the ciliated cells are small glands called goblet cells. There are 4 times fewer of them than ciliated cells, but they are not located in such a way that after every four ciliated cells there is 1 goblet cell: there are areas consisting of only one, or only of the second type of cells. Glandular cells are completely absent in the small bronchi and bronchioles. Goblet cells and ciliated cells are united by a common name - “mucociliary apparatus”, and the process of movement of mucus in the bronchi and trachea is called mucociliary clearance.

Mucus produced by goblet cells is the basis of sputum. It is needed to remove from the bronchi those particles of dust and microbes that, due to their microscopic size, were not noticed by the cells with cilia that are in the nose and throat.

The vessels are tightly adjacent to the mucous membrane of the bronchi. From them come immune cells that control the absence of foreign particles in the air entering the lungs. Some immune cells are also present in the mucous membrane itself. Their function is the same.

Therefore, sputum, or more precisely, tracheobronchial secretion, is normal; without it, the bronchi would be covered from the inside with soot and impurities, and would be constantly inflamed. Its amount is from 10 to 100 ml per day. It may contain a small number of white blood cells, but neither bacteria, nor atypical cells, nor fibers contained in lung tissue are detected. The secretion forms slowly, gradually, and when it reaches the oropharynx, a healthy person, without noticing, swallows this minimal amount of mucous content.

Why can you feel phlegm in your throat without coughing?

This occurs due to either increased secretion production or deterioration of its excretion. There are many reasons for these conditions. Here are the main ones:

Work in enterprises with high levels of air pollution from particles of silicates, coal or others.
Smoking.
Throat irritation from alcoholic drinks or cold, spicy or hot foods can cause a feeling of mucus without coughing. In this case, there is no malaise, no deterioration in breathing, or any other symptoms.
Pharyngo-laryngeal reflux. This is the name for the reflux of the contents of the throat, where the ingredients of the stomach, which do not have a pronounced acidic environment, have arrived, closer to the windpipe. Other symptoms of this condition are sore throat and cough.
Spicy . The main symptoms will be deterioration of the condition, fever, headache, and the release of copious amounts of snot. These symptoms come to the fore.
Chronic sinusitis. Most likely, this particular pathology will be described as “phlegm in the throat without cough.” It is manifested by difficulty in nasal breathing, deterioration of smell, and fatigue. Thick mucus secretes from the sinuses into the throat, and this happens constantly.
. Here the person is bothered by “phlegm”, bad breath, whitish masses may be visible on the tonsils, which can be released by themselves and with certain movements of the muscles of the mouth, their smell is unpleasant. The throat does not hurt, the temperature may be elevated, but within 37 – 37.3°C.
Chronic catarrhal rhinitis. Here, outside of an exacerbation, the nose only gets stuffy in the cold, and then only on one half; Sometimes a small amount of mucous discharge is released from the nose. During an exacerbation, thick, abundant snot appears, which creates a feeling of phlegm in the throat.
Chronic hypertrophic rhinitis. Here the main symptom is difficulty breathing through the nose, one half of it, which is why a person may have a headache in this half. The sense of smell and taste also deteriorates, and a slight nasal sound appears. Discharge accumulates in the throat or is discharged outward.
Vasomotor rhinitis. In this case, a person may periodically be “overtaken” by attacks of sneezing, which occurs after itching in the nose, mouth or throat. Nasal breathing is periodically difficult, and liquid mucus is released from the nose outward or into the pharyngeal cavity. These attacks are associated with sleep and can appear after a change in air temperature, overwork, eating spicy food, emotional stress or increased blood pressure.
Pharyngitis. Here, phlegm in the throat occurs against the background of soreness or pain in it. More often, the sum of these sensations causes a cough, which is either dry or produces a small amount of liquid sputum.
. At the same time, there is a decrease in saliva production, and due to dryness in the mouth, it seems as if phlegm has accumulated in the throat.

Color of sputum without cough

Based on this criterion, one can suspect:

mucous white sputum indicates fungal (usually candidiasis) tonsillitis;
clear sputum with white streaks may accompany chronic catarrhal pharyngitis;
green, thick sputum may indicate chronic hypertrophic pharyngitis;
and if yellow sputum comes out and there is no cough, this speaks in favor of a purulent process in the upper respiratory tract (rhinitis, pharyngitis,).

If phlegm is felt only in the morning

Sputum production in the morning may indicate:

reflux esophagitis - reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus and throat. In this case, there is weakness of the orbicularis muscle, which should not let what gets into the stomach back out. This pathology is usually accompanied by heartburn, which occurs when taking a horizontal position after eating, as well as periodic belching of air or sour contents. Occurring during pregnancy and accompanied by constant heartburn, it is a symptom associated with compression of the abdominal organs by the pregnant uterus;
chronic sinusitis. Symptoms: difficulty in nasal breathing, deterioration of the sense of smell up to its complete absence, mucus in the throat;
chronic bronchitis. In this case, the sputum has a mucopurulent (yellow or yellow-green) character, accompanied by weakness and low body temperature.
be the first sign of acute bronchitis. There is an increase in temperature, weakness, loss of appetite;
developing in the spring-autumn period, talk about bronchiectasis. Other symptoms include malaise and fever. In summer and winter, a person again feels relatively good;
appearing against the background of heart diseases, indicate their decompensation, that is, the appearance of congestion in the lungs;
developing in young children, talk about. In this case, nasal breathing is impaired, children breathe through their mouths, but there is no temperature or signs of acute respiratory infections.

Sputum when coughing

If a person notices the appearance of a cough, after which sputum is released, this indicates a disease of the trachea, bronchi or lungs. It can be acute and chronic, inflammatory, allergic, tumor, or stagnant. It is impossible to make a diagnosis based on the presence of sputum alone: an examination, listening to lung sounds, an X-ray (and sometimes a computed tomography) of the lungs, and sputum tests - general and bacteriological - are necessary.

To some extent, the color of the sputum, its consistency and smell will help you navigate the diagnosis.

Color of sputum when coughing

If you produce yellow sputum when you cough, this may indicate:

purulent process: acute bronchitis, pneumonia. It is possible to distinguish these conditions only according to instrumental studies (X-ray or computed tomogram of the lungs), since their symptoms are the same;
the presence of a large number of eosinophils in the lung or bronchial tissue, which also indicates eosinophilic pneumonia (then the color is yellow, like a canary);
sinusitis. Here there is poor breathing through the nose, separation of not only sputum, but also yellow mucopurulent snot, headache, malaise;
yellow liquid sputum with a small amount of mucus, which appears against the background of icteric discoloration of the skin (due to a tumor, or blockage of the bile ducts with a stone) indicates that damage to the lungs has occurred;
yellow ocher color speaks of siderosis, a disease that occurs in people who work with dust that contains iron oxides. With this pathology there are no special symptoms other than cough.

Sputum is yellow-green in color talking about:

purulent bronchitis;
bacterial pneumonia;
be a normal symptom after tuberculosis that has been cured with specific drugs.

If you cough up rust-colored discharge, this indicates that vascular injury occurred in the respiratory tract, but the blood, by the time it reached the oral cavity, was oxidized, and hemoglobin became hematin. This may happen when:

severe cough (then there will be streaks of rusty color that will disappear after 1-2 days);
pneumonia, when inflammation (purulent or viral), melting the lung tissue, leads to damage to blood vessels. There will be: fever, shortness of breath, weakness, vomiting, lack of appetite, and sometimes diarrhea;
PE pulmonary embolism.

If you cough up brown mucus, this also indicates the presence of “old”, oxidized blood in the respiratory tract:

if the lungs had such an almost always congenital pathology as bullae (cavities filled with air). If such a bulla lay close to the bronchus and then ruptured, brown sputum will be released. If at the same time air also enters the pleural cavity, shortness of breath and a feeling of lack of air will be noted, which may increase. The “sick” half of the chest does not breathe, and pain was noted during the rupture of the bulla;
. Here, a significant deterioration in the general condition comes to the fore: weakness, clouding of consciousness, vomiting, high temperature. The sputum is not only brown in color, but also has a putrid odor;
pneumoconiosis - a disease that occurs due to industrial (coal, silicon) dust. Characterized by chest pain, first a dry cough. Gradually, bronchitis becomes chronic, often leading to pneumonia;
. The disease does not make itself felt for a long time, and coughing attacks gradually appear. A person suddenly loses weight, begins to sweat at night, and it becomes increasingly difficult for him to breathe;
tuberculosis. There is weakness, sweating (especially at night), lack of appetite, weight loss, and a prolonged dry cough.

Sputum color ranging from light green to dark green indicates that there is a bacterial or fungal process in the lungs. This:

abscess or gangrene of the lung. The symptoms of the pathologies are very similar (if we are talking about acute rather than chronic abscess, the symptoms of which are more sparse). This is severe weakness, malaise, shortness of breath, chest pain, very high body temperature that practically does not respond to antipyretics;
bronchiectasis. This is a chronic pathology associated with dilation of the bronchi. It is characterized by a course of exacerbations and remissions. During an exacerbation, purulent sputum (green, yellow-green) comes out in the morning and after lying on the stomach. The person feels unwell and has a fever;
actinomycosis process. In this case, there is a prolonged elevated temperature, malaise, mucopurulent greenish sputum is coughed up;
Cystic fibrosis is a disease when almost all the secretions produced by the body’s glands become very viscous, are poorly evacuated and suppurate. It is characterized by frequent pneumonia and pancreatic inflammation, stunted growth and body weight. Without a special diet and enzyme supplementation, such people may die from complications of pneumonia;
sinusitis (its symptoms are described above).

White sputum typical for:

ARI: then the sputum is transparent white, thick or foamy, mucous;
lung cancer: it is not only white, but there are streaks of blood in it. Weight loss and fatigue are also noted;
bronchial asthma: it is thick, glassy, released after a coughing attack;
heart diseases. The color of such sputum is whitish, the consistency is liquid.

Transparent, glassy, difficult to separate sputum characteristic of bronchial asthma. The disease is characterized by exacerbations, when there is difficulty breathing (difficulty exhaling) and wheezing audible at a distance, and remissions, when the person feels satisfactory.

Diagnosis of sputum by consistency and smell

In order to evaluate this criterion, it is necessary to expectorate sputum into a transparent glass container, evaluate it immediately, and then remove it, cover it with a lid, and let it sit (in some cases, the sputum may separate, which will help in diagnosis).

Mucous sputum: it is released mainly during ARVI;
Liquid, colorless characteristic of chronic processes developing in the trachea and pharynx;
Foamy, white or pinkish sputum released during pulmonary edema, which can accompany both heart disease and inhalation gas poisoning, pneumonia, and inflammation of the pancreas;
Sputum of mucopurulent nature can be released during bacterial bronchitis, complicated cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis;
Vitreous: characteristic of bronchial asthma and COPD.

An unpleasant odor is characteristic of complicated bronchiectasis or lung abscess. A fetid, putrid odor is characteristic of lung gangrene.

If the sputum separates into two layers when standing, it is probably a lung abscess. If there are three layers (the top one is foamy, then liquid, then flaky), this may be gangrene of the lung.

What does sputum look like for major diseases?

Sputum in tuberculosis has the following characteristics:

slimy consistency;
not abundant (100-500 ml/day);
then streaks of greenish or yellowish pus and white spots appear;
if cavities appear in the lungs that violate the integrity of the tissue, streaks of blood appear in the sputum: rusty or scarlet, larger or smaller in size, up to pulmonary hemorrhage.

With bronchitis, the sputum is mucopurulent in nature and practically odorless. If a vessel is damaged, bright scarlet streaks of blood enter the sputum.

In pneumonia, if purulent fusion of the vessels has not occurred, the sputum is mucopurulent in nature and yellow-green or yellow in color. If pneumonia is caused by a virus, or the bacterial process has covered a large area, the discharge may have a rusty color or streaks of rusty or scarlet blood.

Sputum in asthma is mucous, viscous, whitish or transparent. Released after a coughing attack, it looks like molten glass and is called vitreous.

What to do if sputum appears

Contact your doctor. The first should be a general practitioner, then an otolaryngologist (ENT) or pulmonologist. The therapist will give you a referral. We also need to talk about the advisability of donating sputum.
Buy 2 sterile jars for sputum collection. Drink plenty of warm liquid throughout this day. In the morning, on an empty stomach, take 3 deep breaths and cough up (do not spit) any mucus. One jar requires more discharge (this should go to the clinical laboratory), the other requires less (to the bacteriological laboratory).
If the symptoms resemble tuberculosis, sputum must be submitted to a clinical laboratory, where Mycobacterium tuberculosis will be detected under a microscope, three times.
You don't need to do anything on your own. The maximum is to inhale with “ ” in an age-appropriate dosage (if sputum was separated after a cough) or dissolve an antiseptic such as “Strepsils”, “Septolete”, “Faryngosept” (if there was no cough). Without knowing some nuances, for example, that if you have hemoptysis, you cannot take mucolytics (carbocysteine), you can seriously harm your body.

The release of sputum from the respiratory tract becomes noticeable if its production increases, which happens with various diseases of the respiratory system. In a healthy state in the human body, production and evacuation occur completely unnoticed. Yellow and green purulent sputum when coughing is a rather alarming sign indicating a bacterial infection.

What to do if mucous purulent sputum is released when you cough and there are no other signs of the inflammatory process? It is necessary to see a general practitioner as soon as possible; if indicated (wheezing in the lungs, percussion data), a specialist will prescribe a fluorographic and radiographic examination of the lungs.

A viscous transparent secretion based on polysaccharides is produced by the glands of the bronchial mucosa and, thanks to the constant movement of the epithelial villi, is excreted towards the upper respiratory tract and enters the esophagus as a result of swallowing. This ensures constant cleansing of the bronchial mucosa from dust, microbes, foreign particles and impurities in the air that enter the respiratory tract along with the inhaled air. If this did not happen, we simply would not be able to breathe - over time, the bronchi would be covered from the inside with a layer of dust and impurities.

Thus, the genetic disease cystic fibrosis is known, in which the production of sputum in the respiratory tract is disrupted. It thickens, evacuation is impaired, which leads to a gradual deterioration in the functioning of the respiratory system, chronic lack of oxygen, infection and inflammation, and the release of mucopurulent sputum with coughing. Patients develop chronic bronchitis with painful attacks of coughing and suffocation, and sometimes pneumonia.

What kind of sputum is there and what causes its increased secretion?

First, you need to understand what kind of sputum happens when you cough and what causes its increased secretion in various diseases. Normally, a person can produce up to one hundred milliliters of sputum per day. At the same time, it is quite fluid, transparent, colorless and odorless. When a disease occurs in the bronchi or lungs, the volume and quality of sputum produced changes. As a rule, the volume of production increases, which is associated with irritation of the bronchial mucosa, and after coughing one can visually assess its nature.

Sputum happens:

mucous membrane for viral infections of the upper respiratory tract;
serous accompanies atrophic changes in the trachea and pharynx;
mucopurulent can with sore throat, tracheitis and acute bronchitis with a bacterial component;
with an admixture of fresh blood does not always indicate an open form of tuberculosis and an oncological neoplasm; streaks of blood may appear with a persistent dry cough;
rusty is often found with smoker's bronchitis;
vitreous may be present in bronchial asthma or chronic bronchitis.

To determine the composition of sputum, it is necessary to submit it for analysis. Examination under a microscope will reveal what cells or impurities it contains. And these can be: microorganisms, cells of the immune system, cell breakdown products, epithelial cells, blood cells, dust.

Therefore, depending on the composition, it can be white, gray, yellow, green, pink, rusty, brown.

If your cough produces green or yellow sputum

If green sputum comes out when you cough, you should be careful about your health and consult a doctor. Perhaps, if nothing bothers you, this is a manifestation of an allergy. In this case, the sputum contains a large number of eosinophil cells and becomes green-yellow. If a yellow color appears, it is necessary to immediately undergo fluorography.

But, if you are concerned about weakness, sweating, periodic or constant fever, loss of appetite, shortness of breath or chest pain, bad breath, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo an examination. Most often, this is inflammation in the bronchi or lungs - purulent bronchitis or pneumonia.

Sputum acquires a green color due to the content of a large number of cells of the immune system, leukocytes, which, according to a physiological mechanism, rush in large numbers to the site of inflammation, absorb a foreign agent, for example, microbes, neutralize it and destroy themselves. As a result, a secretion with a characteristic odor is produced in the mucous glands, containing a large number of destroyed lymphocytes, which must be evacuated from the respiratory tract.

In addition to purulent bronchitis and pneumonia, green sputum when coughing can be a symptom of the development of: lung abscess, bronchiectasis, post-tuberculosis changes in the lungs.

In addition to secretion by the bronchi, it should also be noted that changes in the upper respiratory tract can cause the discharge of purulent secretions with coughing - inflammation of the air sinuses (sinusitis), pharyngitis.

Yellow sputum is a secretion with a lower content of lymphocytes. It usually occurs in the initial stages of the inflammatory process and turns green over time.

Cough producing purulent sputum with a foul odor

A cough with the release of purulent sputum with a foul odor is an even more serious symptom of lung disease, requiring immediate examination and treatment.

Typically, the foul odor is caused by the breakdown of lung tissue due to gangrene or lung abscess, a severe form of bronchiectasis with the addition of putrefactive flora. Expectoration of a large amount of purulent secretion may occur when an abscess is opened. In this case, up to one and a half liters of discharge can be released per day.

Red, brown and rusty sputum

The reddish and brownish color of sputum indicates that red blood cells - erythrocytes - have entered the secretion of the glands, due to a violation of the permeability of the vascular wall or its damage. Such a pathological process occurs with tuberculosis - sputum may contain a fresh admixture of blood, pulmonary edema, pulmonary embolism - reddish muco-hemorrhagic sputum, pneumococcal pneumonia - rusty brown-red sputum, lung cancer - red to dark brown in color.

The red color of bronchial secretions indicates the presence of bleeding, which is life-threatening. Brown and rusty discharge indicates the breakdown of red blood cells. In any case, this is a prognostically unfavorable symptom that accompanies many severe respiratory diseases.

Mucous or glassy sputum is a symptom accompanying bronchial asthma. Bronchial secretions in asthma leave at the end of the attack and do not raise any additional questions.

Examination for purulent green sputum during cough

Green sputum when coughing requires a visit to a general practitioner or pulmonologist. Examination for purulent green sputum during cough includes x-ray, smear culture, and bronchoscopy.

When examining a patient, the doctor is guided by the data of a visual examination. Collects complaints, medical history, determines the presence of occupational hazards and bad habits. Auscultation of bronchitis is accompanied by harsh breathing, sometimes with dry wheezing, the amount of which is directly related to the volume of fluid released. With pneumonia, during auscultation, breathing on one or both sides will be weakened, in some cases, moist rales will be heard.

If purulent sputum during coughing has not previously bothered you, the doctor will prescribe a chest x-ray, spirography, and sputum examination.

The secretion for analysis is collected from a special spittoon and closed with a lid. Like any other biological material, the collected liquid requires careful handling, mandatory disinfection and disposal.

In some cases of diagnostic search, as well as if it is necessary to cleanse the bronchial tree of mucus, bronchoscopy with bronchial lavage is performed, that is, cleansing the bronchi from clots and plugs. To make a differential diagnosis, bronchial lavage water can also be sent for analysis. In rare cases, especially if surgery is planned, a computed tomography scan is prescribed.

Treatment of cough with phlegm

Treatment for cough with phlegm should begin by eliminating the cause of the disease. If these are bacteria or viruses, antibacterial or antiviral drugs are prescribed, if allergies to plants and dust - a special gentle regime for the immune system, drugs from the group of antihistamines.

If there is difficulty in sputum discharge, use expectorant medications; if there is thick secretion, use mucolytics.

To improve the natural drainage of bronchial gland secretions, the technique of postural drainage and percussion massage is used.
If there is an obstructive component, adrenomimetics in aerosols, salbutamol preparations, and hormones are used.
In order for the sputum to become less thick, it is also recommended to drink more liquid, breast decoctions, anti-inflammatory herbs, and warm alkaline drinks.
In order to maintain immunity and stimulate recovery, multivitamins and immunomodulators are used.
If there is decay in the lungs (abscess, tuberculosis), surgical treatment is often performed - removal of the purulent focus.
Physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed as auxiliary therapy: heating, massage, quartz, distraction therapy, acupuncture.

Self-medication of respiratory diseases is unacceptable. Especially if this concerns diseases with the discharge of purulent sputum. The progression of infection can lead to generalization of the process and the development of a septic condition.

General practitioner Bavykina Ekaterina

Bad breath is called halitosis, or halitosis. Often, many people think that the reason for the appearance of this symptom is simply insufficiently thorough oral hygiene. However, this is a mistake, since bad breath appears not only due to the accumulation of plaque and bacteria in the oral cavity, but also due to a number of serious somatic diseases. In this case, halitosis is a symptom of pathology, which must be correlated with other signs and assess the situation comprehensively, based on a systematic approach.

Diseases of various organs and systems that can lead to bad breath are shown in the table:

Organ system	A disease that causes bad breath	Characteristics of bad breath
Gastrointestinal tract	Gastritis	Rotten smell
	Peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum	Sour smell
	Enteritis	Fermenting or putrid odor
	Colitis	Putrid smell
	Esophageal diverticulum	Sour and putrid odor
	Pancreatitis	Sour, smell of acetone or rotten apples
	Bile duct dyskinesia	Rancid, bitter smell
	Hepatitis	Rancid, bitter smell
	Worms	Rotten, fermenting smell
ENT organs	Angina
	Chronic tonsillitis	Strong, unpleasant purulent odor
	Sinusitis	Strong, unpleasant purulent odor
	Sinusitis	Strong, unpleasant purulent odor
Respiratory system	Tuberculosis	Putrid, purulent smell
	Lung abscess	Putrid, purulent smell
	Pneumonia	Putrid, purulent smell
	Bronchiectasis	Putrid, purulent smell
	Allergic diseases (rhinitis, bronchitis, etc.)
Oral diseases	Caries	Putrid smell
	Periodontitis	Putrid smell
	Periodontal disease	Putrid smell
	Stomatitis	Putrid smell
	Presence of dentures	Putrid smell
	Pathology of the salivary glands	Putrid smell
	Gingivitis	Bloody smell
	Dysbacteriosis of the oral cavity	Putrid smell
	Tartar, dental plaque due to poor hygiene	Putrid, pungent, even rotten odor
Metabolic diseases	Diabetes	Smell of acetone or fruit
	Bulimia	Rotten, putrid odor
	Anorexia	Rotten, putrid odor
urinary system	Kidney failure	Smell of ammonia or rotten fish
Bad habits	Smoking	Putrid and specific tobacco smell
Bad habits	Alcohol abuse	Putrid and specific smell of partially processed alcohol

In diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, bad breath is caused by disturbances in the digestion process. The sour smell is caused by excessive formation of hydrochloric acid in the stomach during peptic ulcers and gastritis. Intestinal diseases are associated with poor digestion of proteins and fats, which begin to rot, causing bad breath. With pathology of the liver and pancreas, food digestion is also impaired, and, in addition, numerous toxic substances enter the bloodstream, which cause bad breath.

In pathologies of the ENT organs, bad breath is caused by the presence of a purulent process in the immediate vicinity of the oral cavity. In this case, the breath smells like a purulent wound on an open area of the body, for example, an arm, leg, etc. In addition, with sinusitis or sinusitis, a person breathes through the mouth, and in this situation the mucous membrane dries out. Drying of the oral mucosa, in turn, leads to a decrease in the disinfecting qualities of saliva, which promotes the growth of bacteria. And bacteria, having settled in various parts of the oral mucosa, release foul-smelling gases during their life processes. In addition, microorganisms have a relatively short lifespan, and after death they remain in the mouth, decomposing and emitting an unpleasant odor.

People suffering from sinusitis are forced to breathe through the mouth due to nasal congestion, which in turn leads to dry mouth and, as a result, an unpleasant odor.

Various pathologies of the respiratory system are associated with increased inflammation and breakdown of the tissues of the lungs and bronchi, which leads to the release of odors of rotting and decomposition through the oral cavity. Allergic diseases lead to dry mouth, which entails excessive growth of bacteria and the appearance of an unpleasant odor, the source of which is the waste products and decomposition of microorganisms.

Various diseases of the oral cavity, gums and teeth cause a specific and extremely unpleasant odor from the mouth. The reason for the appearance of the odor is the accumulation of bacteria, which during their vital activity emit smelly gases, such as skatole, indole, hydrogen sulfide, etc. In addition, with inflammatory diseases, tissues die, which, when decomposing, also emit a very unpleasant odor. Pathology of the salivary glands leads to dry mouth, which causes the appearance of this symptom.

Poor oral hygiene leads to the accumulation of bacteria and food particles, which cause bad odor. The microorganisms themselves emit foul-smelling gases, and rotting food debris increases the strength and unpleasantness of bad breath.

People who follow unbalanced diets, as well as those suffering from bulimia or anorexia, also have bad breath, which is associated with digestive disorders. The food consumed is not digested properly, rots and ferments in the intestines and stomach, leading to the appearance of a characteristic bad breath. Sometimes such people’s breath even smells like feces.

With kidney failure, there is an increased content of urea in the blood, which is an ammonia compound. As a result, the body begins to remove the toxic substance through the mucous membranes and skin, so the breath of such people smells like ammonia or rotten fish.

In diabetes mellitus, a large amount of acetone and ketone bodies are formed in the human body, which are released through the mucous membranes, including the oral cavity. This is what causes the smell of acetone from the mouth of people suffering from diabetes.

One of the common complaints when visiting a doctor is bad breath, which occurs mainly during coughing. It can be observed at the beginning of the pathology or after completion of the course of treatment. In some cases, there is no other clinical symptom other than this symptom. Let us immediately note that the presence of odor is always considered as a pathology that requires elimination. Therefore, if such a symptom occurs, you should visit a doctor and determine the cause of its appearance.

The cause of bad breath when coughing is usually associated with concomitant pathologies.

What causes the smell

There are a huge number of factors that provoke the appearance of cough. In some cases, there are several reasons at once. In such a situation, the doctor begins treatment, eliminating one of the factors, and observes the changes.

Most often, a cough with an unpleasant odor occurs due to poor hygiene and inflammatory processes.

Insufficient oral care

When you don't brush your teeth regularly, plaque accumulates on their surface. It consists of exfoliated cells, bacteria and food debris. The plaque has a purulent odor and can cause discomfort when coughing or talking. The smell is also characteristic, reminiscent of rotten eggs. It is caused by the release of hydrogen sulfide during the life of bacteria.

Lack or insufficient care of teeth and oral cavity is often the cause of unpleasant odor

The taste is especially pronounced after sleep. This is explained by the fact that during rest, blood flow slows down significantly and the volume of saliva decreases. Accordingly, it can no longer wash the surface of the teeth and remove plaque from them. Therefore, after sleep, people are more likely to experience unpleasant sensations. To get rid of the smell, just brush your teeth regularly.

Pathologies of the oral cavity

Helitosis, which is the name given to the appearance of an unpleasant sensation, is especially common in cases of pathologies of the teeth and gums. Bad odor can be caused by caries, periodontal disease, gingivitis, plaque, stomatitis, and so on. The most pronounced symptom is in the presence of purulent inflammation, for example, a fistula. This is due to the activity of staphylococcus and streptococcus.

If there are pathologies of teeth and gums, you can get rid of the smell only with complete sanitation of the oral cavity.

Problems with gums and teeth cause bad breath

ENT pathology

Almost all diseases of the nasopharynx develop as a result of infection with coccal flora. During the life of bacteria, a purulent process is formed, which causes an unpleasant sensation. In addition, it is ENT pathologies that are accompanied by coughing. During periods of exacerbation, helitosis becomes more pronounced. The deviation can be eliminated only together with the doctor through the selection of drugs that are effective against the root cause of the complaints.

Bronchial diseases

Almost all pathologies of the lungs and bronchial tree cause coughing. Moreover, it is often accompanied by a pronounced smell of pus. This is explained by the fact that during the inflammatory process, an increased volume of sputum is produced. It contains desquamated cells of the bronchial mucosa, bacteria and toxins, which causes the smell.

In some diseases, the inflammatory process initially occurs with the release of sputum and pus. This is especially true for advanced bronchitis, abscesses, and bronchiectasis. Elimination of symptoms begins with treatment of the underlying disease. Without this effect it will not be possible to achieve.

Pathologies of the bronchi are accompanied by a cough and an unpleasant taste may appear in the mouth.

Gastrointestinal diseases

Pathologies of the stomach and esophagus also quite often cause the smell of pus that accompanies a cough. It “rises” up the esophagus from the stomach due to incomplete closure of the valve. The nature of the smell can determine the disease:

Sour indicates gastritis or ulcers; in some cases, inflammation of the pancreas is detected.
The smell of rotten protein indicates liver pathology.
Putrefactive is more often observed in diseases of the sphincter.

Important: pathologies of the digestive system often cause plaque accumulation on the tongue, which is also the cause of the odor that accompanies coughing.

The appearance of bad breath may be due to problems with the gastrointestinal tract

Baby smell

While communicating with the baby, the mother may notice that coughing or even talking is accompanied by the release of an unpleasant odor. The reason for this in children may be such abnormalities as a runny nose, sore throat, stomatitis, and digestive pathologies. But besides this, more serious deviations, in particular diabetes, should not be ruled out.

As already mentioned, the type of pathology can be determined by the nature of the symptom. This is especially true when the cough is accompanied by the smell of acetone. Most often this indicates a disruption in the absorption of carbohydrates. This situation occurs in diabetics with a lack of insulin.

People with diabetes may experience an acetone odor

Diabetes mellitus can be suspected based on the following complaints:

frequent urge to empty the bladder;
severe dry mouth;
weakness.

All this indicates an excess of sugar, which can lead to very sad consequences. It is important to emphasize that when the smell of acetone comes from the mouth, the same is observed from the skin and even from urine.

At the same time, it should be noted that if you have an unpleasant smell reminiscent of acetone when coughing, you do not need to immediately panic, suspecting diabetes. Perhaps the cause of this condition was diet or simple starvation.

Kidney pathologies may cause an ammonia smell.

Important: if a child smells of acetone, you should first rule out malnutrition.

Ammonia smell

The taste of ammonia and the same odor are most often noted in cases of impaired renal function. In addition, similar symptoms can occur with dehydration. In this case, the patient may suffer from cough due to dryness of the mucous membranes of the throat.

Eating disorder

Another cause of helitosis may be malnutrition. First of all, it is an excess of proteins. When eating food, fibers become trapped between the teeth, which subsequently causes odor. This is one of the explanations that vegetarians, provided there are no pathologies of internal organs, never have bad breath. In addition, coffee, alcohol, and soda can disrupt the acidity in the mouth.

Malnutrition is the simplest cause of helitosis. To get rid of it, it is enough to brush your teeth after eating and follow the rules of a balanced diet, including avoiding overeating.

Often, an unpleasant odor appears due to poor nutrition.

How to get rid of odor

To eliminate the taste in the mouth during coughing, treatment should be carried out after a complete examination. It will be aimed at eliminating the symptoms and causes of the disease. Thus, so that the patient is not bothered by the presence of an unpleasant taste in the mouth, a diagnosis should be determined and treatment prescribed:

For diseases of the ENT organs, antibacterial therapy and complete elimination of the source of inflammation are used.
In case of pathologies of the teeth and gums, a consultation with a dentist and sanitation with filling of the teeth and treatment of the mucous membrane are prescribed.
Diseases of the digestive system require a special course of treatment.
The presence of acetone odor requires determination of glucose levels and selection of effective therapy. As a rule, in this case the patient is admitted to a hospital.
The smell of ammonia requires a full diagnosis of the kidney condition, after which treatment will be prescribed.

To eliminate an unpleasant odor, you need to visit a doctor and determine the root cause.

In each case, the set of drugs will be different. It is important to consult a doctor as soon as possible if you suspect diabetes, if you have purulent sputum, or if there is a significant deterioration in your general condition.

How to reduce odor

The patient may have chronic pathologies that are not always treatable. To avoid suffering from unpleasant odor, you should use tips to eliminate it. The simplest are chewing gums, sprays and other flavorings.

The following recipes do a good job of eliminating cough odor:

Silver water - you can prepare it yourself or purchase it at the pharmacy.
Herbal infusion. Sage and pine needles help a lot, and if there is purulent sputum, it is recommended to use chamomile or marigold.

You can reduce the severity of unpleasant odor using activated carbon

Propolis, both in the form of chewing gum and by preparing an infusion.
Manganese - used to prepare the solution.
Activated carbon – used under the tongue. Helps eliminate unpleasant odor.

At the same time, such advice will only help if helitosis is a residual phenomenon or caused by a malnutrition. In other cases, the effect will be short-term. Only complete treatment will help eliminate the smell completely.

What can cause bad breath - see this video:

Sputum with cough is a kind of cleansing of the body, which tries to get rid of secretions that accumulate in the lungs as quickly as possible. Moreover, during such an unpleasant phenomenon, it is undesirable to restrain yourself or the patient, as this can lead to disruption of the respiratory organs and significantly increase the risk of developing an infection.

Unfortunately, most people who are faced with such a pathology as sputum with cough do not attach much importance to it. However, this can lead to quite serious complications for your own health. So, the patient soon develops shortness of breath, chest pain, significant weight loss and frequent respiratory viral diseases.

Main reasons for deviation

If you produce sputum with a cough, experts recommend immediately paying attention to its consistency, color and smell. After all, these are extremely important indicators of this deviation. It is from them that the doctor is able to determine the true cause of a person’s pathological condition.

Consistency and color of sputum

So, let's look at what this or that consistency means, as well as the color of sputum:

Watery, liquid and clear sputum is a sign of colds or other abnormalities of the upper respiratory tract (asthma, allergic reactions, etc.).
Coughed sputum that is brown or reddish in color and contains blood indicates some kind of trauma caused by the cough, as well as tuberculosis, pneumonia, a serious allergic reaction to an irritant, or lung cancer.
Thick yellow or greenish sputum is a symptom of sinusitis, bronchitis or pneumonia.
You should immediately consult a doctor if a person who has not previously observed this phenomenon suddenly develops a persistent cough. A lot of sputum with pus, blood (greenish or rust-colored) may indicate life-threatening abnormalities.

The sound of coughing and the smell of phlegm

Just like the color and consistency of sputum, the sound of a cough can also tell a lot about the cause of the disease. If a person coughs loudly with hoarseness, this indicates that the patient’s vocal cords are hurt or damaged. This phenomenon is often accompanied by a slight recovery after inhalation measures. As for the smell or taste of sputum, a metallic tint may indicate quite serious damage to the main respiratory tract. If the discharge smells extremely unpleasant with notes of putrefaction, then this is a symptom of bronchitis or tuberculosis.

When else should you see a doctor?

Urgent medical care is also required for the patient when he is suffering from phlegm, accompanied by such signs as anxiety, clouding of consciousness, uneven, slow or, conversely, rapid breathing. These symptoms indicate that the person has an acute respiratory disorder. In order to avoid infecting others, the patient is recommended to:

cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing;
regularly spit out mucus;
wash your hands more often.