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

Posted by needtoknow @needtoknow, Feb 10, 2016

Every day I cough up what looks like a scab with ugly mucous and tiny amounts of blood. It seems to come from the back of my throat or nose. My doctor has seen the scab but does not see anything wrong. This, to me, seems really odd. Has anyone had this problem?

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omegaann | @omegaann | Jun 5, 2019

I have a bloody mucus scab that drops down into my mouth every other day. Also chronic infections making my throat sore . I have been on antibiotics many times but it never goes away completely. Tomorrow I am having a biopsy of my nasopharynx under general anesthesia. I will try to find this thread when I know the diagnosis. I have no fever. I do think I have a little hearing loss in one ear and swollen lymph nodes on both sides of neck. They are not tender or painful.

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2 replies
glassshark | @glassshark | Jun 20, 2019
In reply to @omegaann "I have a bloody mucus scab that drops down into my mouth every other day. Also..." + (show)
@omegaann

I have a bloody mucus scab that drops down into my mouth every other day. Also chronic infections making my throat sore . I have been on antibiotics many times but it never goes away completely. Tomorrow I am having a biopsy of my nasopharynx under general anesthesia. I will try to find this thread when I know the diagnosis. I have no fever. I do think I have a little hearing loss in one ear and swollen lymph nodes on both sides of neck. They are not tender or painful.

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Hope you’ve recovered well from the surgery!

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glassshark | @glassshark | Jun 20, 2019
In reply to @jfvero "@glassshark I saw my ENT in early March … Still producing scabs every 3-days like clockwork...." + (show)
@jfvero

@glassshark
I saw my ENT in early March … Still producing scabs every 3-days like clockwork.
He scoped me again and can see the scab right were the adenoids would be … but he says it’s not Adenoiditis. He considered that it may be a Tornwaldt cyst... stepped away to re-look at my MRI, but came back and said not that either.

He used the scope to dislodge the scab that was there, then swabbed me for a culture. He had me start taking Augmentin for 14-days, while we waited for the culture to come back.

The culture came back 5-days later. The PA called to say that it shows staph, but that staph is a naturally occurring thing and isn’t what my problem is since there is no elevated white blood cell count (i.e. Its not a staph infection).

Still no definitive diagnostic.

The Augmentin has changed the frequency of the scab. For the last 9 months, it has been a new scab every 3-days … I completed the Augmentin last Saturday, which I just had a scab today… first one in 10-days. 10 is better than 3, but I want none of this 😊

I’ll give it another two weeks to see if the frequency changes up now that I’m off the Augmentin, then will call the ENT to see what’s the next step.

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Any luck? My ENT suspects it might be caused from silent acid reflux that happens while I sleep at night... but we haven’t done anything to explore this possibility further yet... does anyone else on this thread get acid reflux or GERD?

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2 replies
jfvero | @jfvero | Jul 26, 2019
In reply to @beebuzz "I also have the same “scab” which I posted about on this site previously. I discussed..." + (show)
@beebuzz

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

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@klpdx @reebobbin

Halleluiah, I’ve been cured.

I was bringing up a scab every 3 days, it’s now been 2 months since my last scab.

In May I went back to my ENT. He scoped me and extracted the scab… sent it to the lab for pathology.

The report came back as Heavy Growth Staphylococcus Aureus. Moderate Gram Positive Cocci in pairs.
The pathology report included a Susceptibility Results report, which listed various antibiotics and if the specimen was resistant or susceptible.

From the list of susceptible antibiotics, my ENT prescribed Levofloxacin Tabs 500mg for 21 days.

So far, 2 months and no scabs. Hopefully this information can help you find an answer as well.

Also - I had been on a zPack the 2 weeks prior to the Levoflxacin. It did change the frequency of the scabs, but it came back as soon as I was finished with the zPack ... you need the right antibiotic for an extended period

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beebuzz | @beebuzz | Jul 27, 2019

Thanks so much for sharing your results about the “mucus scab” - mine has subsided greatly which I think is due to it being summer. I have only had two scabs in each months of May, June & July as opposed to everyday. I am tracking to determine the impact based on the weather and changes of seasons. Appreciate knowing your results.

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Vicki | @veeme | Jul 29, 2019

Hi I have COPD and have had for going on 8 years and lately I've had lot's of mucus that clogs my airway and I have to cough very hard to clear them the mucus varies in color from clear and foamy at times to light brown with dark brown pinpoint spots in it a few days ago it was also a scab no mucus just blood after the scab emergency room said to come in promptly please let me know if any new info.on this,thanks

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moreinfo | @moreinfo | Jul 30, 2019
In reply to @teemarable "I have been getting the same thing for years and I finally found an ENT who..." + (show)
@teemarable

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.

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I was excited to see someone use the word "diagnosis" since with all these people one seems to be lacking. However, I had my adenoids removed as a child. :/

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1 reply
glassshark | @glassshark | Sep 18, 2019
In reply to @jfvero "@klpdx @reebobbin Halleluiah, I’ve been cured. I was bringing up a scab every 3 days, it’s..." + (show)
@jfvero

@klpdx @reebobbin

Halleluiah, I’ve been cured.

I was bringing up a scab every 3 days, it’s now been 2 months since my last scab.

In May I went back to my ENT. He scoped me and extracted the scab… sent it to the lab for pathology.

The report came back as Heavy Growth Staphylococcus Aureus. Moderate Gram Positive Cocci in pairs.
The pathology report included a Susceptibility Results report, which listed various antibiotics and if the specimen was resistant or susceptible.

From the list of susceptible antibiotics, my ENT prescribed Levofloxacin Tabs 500mg for 21 days.

So far, 2 months and no scabs. Hopefully this information can help you find an answer as well.

Also - I had been on a zPack the 2 weeks prior to the Levoflxacin. It did change the frequency of the scabs, but it came back as soon as I was finished with the zPack ... you need the right antibiotic for an extended period

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I'm really glad to hear this. Are you still feeling well?

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1 reply
jfvero | @jfvero | Sep 19, 2019
In reply to @glassshark "I'm really glad to hear this. Are you still feeling well?" + (show)
@glassshark

I'm really glad to hear this. Are you still feeling well?

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Regrettably, no. After 4 months of not producing the scab, the nasopharynx scab began reoccurring about 4 weeks ago. The ENT that I’ve been working with for the last year+ sent me yesterday for another CT scan. He is going to review the results in the next week or so, then plans to refer me to a specialist in Philadelphia. Will post an update once I have a better diagnosis.

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reebobbin | @reebobbin | Nov 18, 2019

Anything new? I still have not figured this out. But it’s getting worse. I use a q tip to scrape the back of my throat multiple times a day. I also use the q tip To try and drag down the green scab from the back of my throat bc it gets hung. I’ve taken a dental mirror and shined a light in the back of my throat with the mirror facing upwards, and it reveals what you cannot see just looking directly at it. There’s tons of green globs in that area above my throat. I’m calling a new ENT tomorrow. From the beginning, I’ve always thought this was staph. I had a breast augmentation done January 2016. Before surgery they informed me I had MRSA? They had to administer antibiotics before my surgery. By chance, do any of you have breast implants? Heard of these side effects with breast implant illness. (BII)

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