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

@fcleaner1 @beebuzz @needtoknow Hey guys, pardon the totally gross pictures, but I thought it might be helpful to make sure everyone has the same issue in mind. The photo is of the afore mention snot crusts. I’ve been definitively diagnosed with chronic adenoiditis, and will soon be having them removed. Currently, I have to clear one of these bad boys out more or less daily, and at times, it can be annoyingly difficult, painful, and embarrassing to try and “cough it up.” Basically, you sound like you’re trying to (pardon me) “hawk up” a stubborn loogie (sp?). I encourage anyone with similar symptoms to gather the evidence: save/document a series of crusts (to show your provider), study nasal anatomy/read about chronic adenoiditis, and perhaps most important: find an ENT who listens to you, and agrees to perform an internal laryngopharyngeal exam with a flexible fiber scope.

This is exactly what mine look like as well. This has been going on for at least 3 years. I have searched and searched and searched online for someone experiencing the same problem as me. I’ve gone to the ENT 4 times. I went last week and was prescribed Biaxin because the chunks that I am coughing up are green. So far it has done nothing. I have to get one of those children’s bulb syringes to extract the thick mucus from the back of my throat sometimes. Also, I purchased a dental mirror not too long ago along with a small pen size flashlight. Point the flashlight towards the back of your throat, while holding the dental mirror up at the top of your throat. What I saw was absolutely disgusting. It was like a giant cavity with a lot of green mucus. I even told my ENT this, and never bothered to scope me or look further in to my problem. I’m attaching some pictures of my “scabs” as well.

I’m so sorry—it looks like you definitely have the same thing I, and likely more than a few folks have on this forum. I completely understand—things have gotten so bad I’m waking in the night choking on this thing. It used to happen every few days, then I had nasal surgery—the airflow improved, which definitely made things worse. Now it’s every day. It’s worse on days I can’t cough it out...because I can feel it there. It’s kind of like how your ears, nose, and throat feel right at the beginning/end of a cold. My humble advice? New ENT, stat! You totally have chronic adenoiditis, and that means low-grade inflammation is happening above your hard palate ALL THE TIME. I had to do a month of antibiotics (did nothing) for insurance purposes, and finally, FINALLY, surgery is scheduled to have the dang things taken out. The last time I was scheduled to have them removed, my insurance changed and I couldn’t afford it. Then this summer, another ENT agreed they needed to come out...but the surgeon decided it wasn’t necessary during my nasal surgery, and DIDN’T DO IT. He was so sure fixing my nose would solve everything...nope. Worse. I went back to him and insisted earlier this month. He tried to blow me off, then the thing that finally seemed to get his attention was when I told him that because of this, my throat hurt every morning, and the base of my ears hurts every night. See that depression in the center of the scab? That’s where your adenoid is, the mucus is dripping back and hardening around it. Sometimes it hardens around the entire thing like in your 2nd picture, and sometimes just the top, like in the 1st and 3rd. Please don’t give up. Doctors work for YOU. It’s my actual job to help them, and all to often the attitude is: “I’m right because, duh, I’m the doctor here.” They aren’t all knowing and all powerful, they make mistakes and overlook things. You deserve to be heard. Good luck. Please keep us updated!

I’m so sorry—it looks like you definitely have the same thing I, and likely more than a few folks have on this forum. I completely understand—things have gotten so bad I’m waking in the night choking on this thing. It used to happen every few days, then I had nasal surgery—the airflow improved, which definitely made things worse. Now it’s every day. It’s worse on days I can’t cough it out...because I can feel it there. It’s kind of like how your ears, nose, and throat feel right at the beginning/end of a cold. My humble advice? New ENT, stat! You totally have chronic adenoiditis, and that means low-grade inflammation is happening above your hard palate ALL THE TIME. I had to do a month of antibiotics (did nothing) for insurance purposes, and finally, FINALLY, surgery is scheduled to have the dang things taken out. The last time I was scheduled to have them removed, my insurance changed and I couldn’t afford it. Then this summer, another ENT agreed they needed to come out...but the surgeon decided it wasn’t necessary during my nasal surgery, and DIDN’T DO IT. He was so sure fixing my nose would solve everything...nope. Worse. I went back to him and insisted earlier this month. He tried to blow me off, then the thing that finally seemed to get his attention was when I told him that because of this, my throat hurt every morning, and the base of my ears hurts every night. See that depression in the center of the scab? That’s where your adenoid is, the mucus is dripping back and hardening around it. Sometimes it hardens around the entire thing like in your 2nd picture, and sometimes just the top, like in the 1st and 3rd. Please don’t give up. Doctors work for YOU. It’s my actual job to help them, and all to often the attitude is: “I’m right because, duh, I’m the doctor here.” They aren’t all knowing and all powerful, they make mistakes and overlook things. You deserve to be heard. Good luck. Please keep us updated!

@fcleaner1 @beebuzz @needtoknow Hey guys, pardon the totally gross pictures, but I thought it might be helpful to make sure everyone has the same issue in mind. The photo is of the afore mention snot crusts. I’ve been definitively diagnosed with chronic adenoiditis, and will soon be having them removed. Currently, I have to clear one of these bad boys out more or less daily, and at times, it can be annoyingly difficult, painful, and embarrassing to try and “cough it up.” Basically, you sound like you’re trying to (pardon me) “hawk up” a stubborn loogie (sp?). I encourage anyone with similar symptoms to gather the evidence: save/document a series of crusts (to show your provider), study nasal anatomy/read about chronic adenoiditis, and perhaps most important: find an ENT who listens to you, and agrees to perform an internal laryngopharyngeal exam with a flexible fiber scope.

@fcleaner1 @beebuzz @needtoknow Hey guys, pardon the totally gross pictures, but I thought it might be helpful to make sure everyone has the same issue in mind. The photo is of the afore mention snot crusts. I’ve been definitively diagnosed with chronic adenoiditis, and will soon be having them removed. Currently, I have to clear one of these bad boys out more or less daily, and at times, it can be annoyingly difficult, painful, and embarrassing to try and “cough it up.” Basically, you sound like you’re trying to (pardon me) “hawk up” a stubborn loogie (sp?). I encourage anyone with similar symptoms to gather the evidence: save/document a series of crusts (to show your provider), study nasal anatomy/read about chronic adenoiditis, and perhaps most important: find an ENT who listens to you, and agrees to perform an internal laryngopharyngeal exam with a flexible fiber scope.

@klpdx, @reebobbin I have the exact same picture. Thumbnail sized “Scab”, slightly cupped form, with mucus.

I was coughing one up about every 3 weeks. Since having surgery last June to correct a deviated septum, I have great air flow, but am now consistently coughing up one of these scabs every 3 days.

Post surgery I brought this condition to my ENT/Surgeon, which he scoped me and can see the “Crusting”; He reviewed the MRI that I had prior to surgery – No evidence of any abnormality. November he ordered a CT Scan – No evidence of an abnormality/cancer. January he biopsied the nasopharynx where the scab grows – No evidence of cancer… but no conclusion either. I suggested a problem with the adenoids, but he doesn’t think so.

He suggested coming back in 3 months and see if the condition still exists. I’ll be going back late in March … looking forward to hearing if you have any further updates. I plan to share this information with him when I see him next month.

@klpdx, @reebobbin I have the exact same picture. Thumbnail sized “Scab”, slightly cupped form, with mucus.

I was coughing one up about every 3 weeks. Since having surgery last June to correct a deviated septum, I have great air flow, but am now consistently coughing up one of these scabs every 3 days.

Post surgery I brought this condition to my ENT/Surgeon, which he scoped me and can see the “Crusting”; He reviewed the MRI that I had prior to surgery – No evidence of any abnormality. November he ordered a CT Scan – No evidence of an abnormality/cancer. January he biopsied the nasopharynx where the scab grows – No evidence of cancer… but no conclusion either. I suggested a problem with the adenoids, but he doesn’t think so.

He suggested coming back in 3 months and see if the condition still exists. I’ll be going back late in March … looking forward to hearing if you have any further updates. I plan to share this information with him when I see him next month.

I also have the same “scab” which I posted about on this site previously. I discussed with my regular Dr and she gave me an antibiotic, amoxicillin to see I would notice any change. I also started to take Mucinex to thin mucus; I was having a lot of sinus issues and did sinus rinse and then also started Sudafed. Then sore throat and still a lot of mucus/phlegm. Have had all this going on since Jan 11. Back to Dr and they ordered blood work. Now have determined I have mono. Unfortunately I still have coughed up the “scab” but it is not crusty but I can still see the little ‘dent-like hole’ in the middle of it but it is soft. The Dr indicated I would need to see ENT if none the things I have done thus far work. Thanks for all of your info. It is difficult to believe that this “crusty scab” is such a mystery to medical professionals. @beebuzz