I have a sinus infection and several times I have had little small foul smelling ball to drain and then the other night I cough up to about the size oa a bb . What are these things, infection, mucuos or what. thanks
Follow Ups:
Re: drainage
Posted by Walt Stoll on March 02, 1999 at 11:07:15:
In Reply to: drainage posted by Sherrie on March 01, 1999 at 11:10:27:
Hi, Sherrie.
How long have you had the "sinus infection"?
You know, of course, that the normal upper respiratory tract makes more than a quart & a half of secretion every 24 hours. It is this normal flooding of mucus over the upper tract that is our first line of defense against all the dust, viruses, pollen and bacteria that we breathe in every day.
Only if the outflow tracts of the sinuses are blocked can we get an infection. Almost always it is stuff like TMJ or allergy that blocks the sinus openings long enough for that kind of infection to occur.
Re-establishment of drainage is ALWAYS needed and, if accomplished, infection CANNOT continue rergardless of treatment or not.
What you are describing is some drainage that got into the lungs instead of going to the stomach as it normally does. Your breathing has dried it out & you have coughed it up. This normally happens in the northern climes, at this time of year, where the indoor (heated) air is much drier than the Sahara Desert. See the article about colds on the home page of this 'site or the chapter in my book about this.
OR, your tonsils or adenoids are doing their job and have produced a plug of dead white blood cells that you have then extruded & found before swallowing.
Walt