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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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r4d | @r4d | Jun 8, 2023

I have neoplasm and abnormal tissue growth after nasopharynx surgery. I dry heave constantly I feel like I'm dying. Can't talk or eat without extreme pain. Need help:(

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leelee70 | @leelee70 | Jun 10, 2023

Hello r4d. I don't have experience in this area but wanted to let you know that I and others have heard you and wish you the best and are thinking of you and wishing for the support you need soon, and we are here with prayers and positive thoughts (whichever you prefer).

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sponkoney | @sponkoney | Jul 17, 2023
In reply to @moreinfo "I do not constantly clear my throat. I have no discomfort until that scab and phlegm..." + (show)
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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.

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@moreinfo did you ever find a diagnosis or resolution? I have this exact problem as you and how you described it.

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sponkoney | @sponkoney | Jul 17, 2023
In reply to @jasonjbj "Every few weeks" + (show)
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Every few weeks

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@jasonjbj did you ever find a diagnosis or resolution? Your photos is exactly what I have going on.

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sponkoney | @sponkoney | Jul 17, 2023
In reply to @steelerfan "Hello, and thank you for your detailed post. This sounds exactly like what I get, and..." + (show)
Profile picture for steelerfan @steelerfan

Hello, and thank you for your detailed post. This sounds exactly like what I get, and your theory as to the cause is very much what I have been concluding. The most important thing that you said was that unless others get these scab things and cough them up, they won't get it. True! In my case, I think dry air has something to do with it, because I get them MUCH more often in the winter, and rarely in the humid summertime, or when I am at the beach - which is VERY humid. Moisture seems to keep them from forming into a hard scab; and since I have been having A LOT of them lately - just about every other day, for a couple of weeks - and a LOT of thick, tenacious stringy mucus as postnasal sludge rather than clear drip - I am going to try a humidifier in my room tonight. I don't have any throat pain, but more of a scratchy throat feeling. I do clear my throat a lot, and have a good bit of postnasal drip which in these past few weeks is NOT clear, but rather yellow. (General throat congestion and throat clearing runs in my family, for whatever that may be worth.) When the scab comes loose and I cough it out, it's a bit of a relief. It does not really come UP from anywhere, it seems more from where upper throat (not visible) meets lower nasal area. When I KNOW it is there, I clear my throat and cough and try too hard to hock it out that I wind up irritating the area even more. Bit of a vicious cycle at the moment. As of today, I am drinking lots of water, planning to sleep with the humidifier, and try my best not to irritate anything, but just let it run it's course. It's a CRAZY thing, isn't it? Some pocket or ledge that collects mucus and hardens and then has to come out! Ugh. Looking forward to HUMID SUMMER. 🙂

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@steelerfan did the humidifier resolve your issue?

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sponkoney | @sponkoney | Jul 17, 2023
In reply to @jackswife "Had this happen to me for the 1st time today at work. I've really have an..." + (show)
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Had this happen to me for the 1st time today at work. I've really have an issue with the Post Nasal Drip & constantly draining down the back of my throat. I started to research the symptoms when I came across this group. For the people that submitted their dry-like scab tainted with blood, it's almost identical to what I brought up. I managed to catch it when I felt it draining down & managed to get it out before I swallowd it. Thank you everyone for your posts & have a "blessed" day.

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@jackswife did you ever find a resolution? I have the exact same problem.

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jasonjbj | @jasonjbj | Jul 17, 2023
In reply to @sponkoney "@jasonjbj did you ever find a diagnosis or resolution? Your photos is exactly what I have..." + (show)
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@jasonjbj did you ever find a diagnosis or resolution? Your photos is exactly what I have going on.

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Nope never did. Still an ongoing promlem 16 nearly 17 years. I have seen ents .immune dept .
All I was left with was treat with antibiotics.
Samples all came back with staph or different infections . I know when it’s there I use stemar nasal sprays and I manage to get it loose. Then few weeks later it returns .kinda of live with it now seems no way of stoping it. Get in touch if u need more info etc

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Avion | @benchi300 | Sep 24, 2023
In reply to @bfrank "I had my surgery in April this year. I continue to have daily headaches. Per my..." + (show)
Profile picture for bfrank @bfrank

I had my surgery in April this year. I continue to have daily headaches.

Per my report, “Straightshot microdebrider was used to submucosally resect the tissue of the inferior turbinate and was then outfractured with the Boise elevator”. Similar procedure was done on the other side.

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may i ask what are your symptoms , do your nose block alternate sides lying down? i did about the same thing but only found relief for one side. gives me chronic headaches also...thanks

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scientificapproach | @scientificapproach | Oct 9, 2023

Hi All. I have read this entire thread from start to finish and I am afraid I am also a sufferer of this condition.

Mine developed after having High Altitude Pulmonary Edema from a holiday in Bolivia in 2022. I am otherwise a very healthy non smoker, non drinker in my 30s. This condition is constant and awful - we must find a way of living with it at the very least.

Here’s where I am with it after reading every single post.

- Generally it seems that humidity may help - this doesn’t apply to all cases but seems to be a recurring theme.

- There does not seem to be a common cause - with many people citing different things that have led to the condition starting - for some it is surgery, for others they think it may have been mould, for others they may have had a bad cough, etc etc.

- There does not seem to be a clear diagnosis though many have raised the possibility of it being Nasopharyngeal Bursitis, and reading articles on this, it looks possible.

What has helped people so far?

- Some people have reported success in using oils like Ponaris and Coldastop dripped down the nose to the sinuses

- Some people have reported benefits from adopting a daily sinus rinse ritual of mixing baby shampoo with mupironcin, budesonide and the normal saline wash. Then dripping the aforementioned oil in the nose afterwards to make sure the nose doesn’t dry out. Please note some people use xylitol in the rinse instead of mupironcin and budesonide.

- People have reported benefits from both taking antibiotics and antifungals. Though the condition seems to return when the treatment is stopped.

- Some have reported benefits from using a humidifier.

- Staying hydrated in general is important.

What has not helped?

- Removal of the adenoids appears to have been futile in the comments people have made so far.

What are my thoughts on what’s going on here?

I am not a Doctor and I am yet to see my ENT yet for this. So these are my own thoughts from reading the masses of comments…

HYPOTHESIS 1

At the moment my key hypothesis is that somehow we have all damaged our cilia cells in our nasopharyngeal area.

The cilia cells are essential for sweeping the mucus away and perhaps we have each had different experiences that have damaged those cells? Mine was the Edema.

As the mucus is not being swept away properly, I believe this is the reason it’s getting really thick (as it dries) and forming the drip and the pooling. The staph that lives in the throat naturally is then forming a biofilm over the thick mucus pool and this is the scab.

HYPOTHESIS 2

We all have some sort of pocket that other people don’t have which is collecting mucus. Perhaps we have a strange anatomy in our nasopharyngeal area?

Something caused this pocket to be expressed in adulthood, perhaps.

Perhaps the only way forward is some sort of medical intervention like the electrocauterization described in the article about Nasopharyngeal Bursitis? I would love to hear from anyone who has had this.

Someone did mention autoimmune diseases - whether this may be a cause - ie perhaps we all have Sjogrens or something else. I already have 1 confirmed autoimmune condition - Hashimotos Hypothyroidism, so it is possible to develop another which perhaps then may attack another part of our anatomy creating these pockets or drying us out? No idea… but it’s something we can test for. You can do an autoimmune antibody blood test.

HYPOTHESIS 3

We all have some sort of bacterial or fungal infection which is in a hard to reach area and none of us have managed to take a long enough course of antibiotics / antifungals to nip it in the bud for good.

—

What am I going to do about my condition?

I’m going to start with hypothesis 1, and try to repair my cilia cells. I will:

- Use a humidifier to maintain 50% humidity when sleeping

- Do the aforementioned rinse with xylitol, and oil routine

- Take a course of anti fungal medication. Please note I cannot get access to an antibiotic without seeing a doctor so this part would have to wait.

- Use a steroid nose spray prescribed by my GP

- Use the Weleda aloe Vera nasal spray to always keep the area moist

- Stay hydrated

I’ll keep you posted. Hope this helps somewhat 🙂

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tykissy | @tykissy | Oct 25, 2023
In reply to @momomouse "Hi all, I just created an account so I can come back later and read through..." + (show)
Profile picture for momomouse @momomouse

Hi all, I just created an account so I can come back later and read through everything. 3-4 years ago I started getting drainage every few days that was difficult to swallow. I never had allergies so I figured it was that. It progressed to last year where I was having issues daily. At some point I realized I could see the mucus at the back of my throat: thick, white, rope-like. I get it periodically through the day now, normally a bit I’m the morning, maybe around 10, then around 2, then always around 5-6, then a couple times in the evening. Now it dries out into large circular clumps, sometimes yellow, or green, or bloody and I can feel it drying out then have to hack and snort until it dislodges and I feel it drop from my adenoids. Sometimes it’s just thick mucus and sometimes it’s dried like a scab. My ENT didn’t believe me about the drainage at first and claimed allergies or acid reflux. Tried treatment and testing for both. He then tried an antibiotic followed immediately by a CT scan. It cleared for a week or two and this the CT was clear. He finally saw it on a scope and saw that it was coming from my adenoids. “Crusted and weeping”. He was very concerned at this point. Tried another antibiotic and a steroid nasal rinse. Very mild relief. He tried to declare me healed when he didn’t see an active drainage event the next time. I kept pushing and insisted on a biopsy (he first suggested it then tried to convince me otherwise the day of the appointment). It showed tissue necrosis due to chronic inflammation and nothing else. No fungal, no viral, no bacterial, no malignancy. I tried prescription strength mucinex and it may or may not help? His suggestion is now adenoidectomy. I am 30, female, very mild allergies (according to testing), wide air passage, normal anatomy, non-smoker, rarely drink, not very active but eat fairly well (have to reduce carbs due to GI enzyme deficiency). 125 pounds, otherwise pretty healthy but history of chronic bronchitis after every cold (probably due to poor sleep hygiene and stress). Rare issues with asthma. Recently diagnosed with sleep apnea. Still have my tonsils, never had issues with them. I have some thyroid cysts/nodules but haven’t grown under observation for a few years. My adenoids are not enlarged, just inflamed.

It keeps progressively getting worse. I often can’t dislodge the mucus plug and end up gagging, dry heaving, coming super close to vomiting. I had to pull of the highway the other day because I couldn’t move my throat muscles without violently gagging. The mucus is incredibly thick and sticky so it sticks to my gag flexes.

I get married at the end of the month and will be spending the day swishing mouth wash to get rid of the mucus smell on my breath. Post wedding, I will select 1 of 2 doctors he recommended for a second opinion.

I work in a very small print shop internal to a business office and live in an 103 yo house but I think these problems first started at my old job and in my old apartment but I don’t want to rule out environmental factors either.

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Hi @momomouse, I do understand what you must be going through. I have what seems the exact same thing but only for a couple of months now. Had a bad cough the first time and ended up coughing the plug up and couldn’t believe what I was looking at. Over the next month or 2 it became less and less so I wasn’t too concerned as I thought I was still recovering until last week I got a sore throat and felt so miserable then it came again after hacking and gagging I coughed up a plug. I haven’t been to the doctors yet but I’m so glad I found this forum and I have some back up.
I wonder how you are all going now as these posts are from over 10 years ago. I hope you all found answers and that you might read this and give an update.
Photos with green ruler are from this time and the other 2 photos o are from 2 months ago. 🌻🌻🌻
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