Every day I cough up what looks like a scab with ugly mucous and blood

Check reviews, ask friends and get a second opinion. "Scab" does not sound right. Prilosec has only 20MG of omeprazole in lieu of doctors prescriptions which are generally 40mg. Do you constantly clear your throat? That is symptom of GERD, get second opinion from someone or a facility know for its expertise. Not all doctors are equal.

I do not constantly clear my throat. I have no discomfort until that scab and phlegm start to build up. But yes, I will go for more opinions. However, it seems all those in this discussion have gone to many and not found a solution/diagnosis. Hoping to get a good idea before I spend all my time and money.

As you know from my previous post, I have had this same problem. One time, the doctor pulled it out but, as you say, thought nothing of it. It may be partly attributable to GERD but I feel there is a spot somewhere in there where mucous collects and doesn’t drain properly. After the mucous gets stuck there for a while it forms a scab and becomes infected. If I don’t “hack it up” regularly, it really becomes infected and I have to take an antibiotic. I know this sounds gross, but hacking it up sometimes is really difficult. Wish I could find a doctor that could/would fix this. Had an MRI of my sinuses but they could not find anything - I think that is because it is just a little “dent” or “ledge” back there that collects mucous and doesn’t drain and they cannot see it in an MRI. Let us know how you are doing with this. Good luck!

@kgoodwin9, @needtoknow and @moreinfo (Welcome to the group!), When the ENT scopes you have any of them talked about preventative care for the troublesome spot in your throat?

I have been getting these sores for several years. For those that don't get them, they will not understand it. You cannot see where they attach, but they present as a painful and sometimes scratchy feelling in the nasopharynx. The "scab" becomes loose and I am able to cough it out. It generally looks exactly like a scab and bloody because it just detached from somewhere. It can be the size of a pencil eraser or a quarter. I have come to realize its onset is a result of some type of irritation like allergies or a common cold, and for some reason believe this mucosal area is always vulnerable to developing the sore and scab. I just had minor hand surgery and it flaired up from the use of an LMA.(I coughed up a scab the size of a quarter after two days of a sore, scratchy throat).It is like an ulcer. I have found the best treatment is to start using a NeliMed nasal irrigation with premade salt packets and distilled water. I do this twice a day for 7-10 days after the initial onset of sore throat symptoms. If the ulceration develops, it is usually a very small scab with treatment and there is significant temporary relief of the sore throat until the area is ultimately healed. I do wonder if laser treatment would work for something like this although any surgical treatment would be a last resort for me. I do worry though how this might affect me in my geriatric years. Would I be more vulnerable to pneumonia or other respiratory illness if the underlying condition is unknown to health care providers or that no treatment is done? I suppose antibiotics would work. I also wonder if there is any medication that can treat it like those that can treat ulcers of the stomach lining. On a side note, I also get the tonsil stones on a more regular basis, but those are not the same as what I have described here. I have had no ENT surgery to speak of. Would be nice to have more research available on this.

I have been getting the same thing for years and I finally found an ENT who correctly diagnosed me. It’s coming from your adenoids. He looked in my sinuses with a scope and showed me a picture of it. Adenoiditis is what it’s called and that dried up mucus thing is dried up pus because your adenoids are infected. He put me on antibiotics and a short term steroid. Hope this helps.

@I get the same stuff, but I have no adenoids. Mine comes from my lungs, filled with nodules, infections, etc. from Amyloidosis.

Hello @teemarable and @selfhelper . Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for sharing your experience-

@selfhelper, have you seen your ENT since your last post?

you might have pneumonia and or mycoplasma or lung infection need to get a sputum culture and bacterial test done through a microbiology lab usually see doctor or get 3 urine containers with yellow top and cough your lungs up into each container and maybe over 2 days at different points of the day early morning ,Avro and evening

I've had something similar.
For the past 6 days I've had either a v.heavy cold or the flu. Incredible amounts of green and bloody mucuous from my nose. Got through 3 rolls of toilet paper. My nostrils have been caked in dried snot/blood. On th e 5th night, I woke up choking on a crusty and bloodied flake of snot. Similar thing happened twice the next day and couldn't work out if it was from nose or throat but the Adenoids make sense. Mucous from chest was like a knot of wet cheese. Has now thinned out and moved to to the chest and become a cough.