How do you cough up mucus if the mucus is in the lungs??

Question

There is not pathway directly from the lungs to the throat...Right???? It just seems weird, the only thing that goes everywhere in the body is blood vessels, but that cant carry mucus. I'm confused..

Answer 1

The answer is is that there is no mucus directly in the lungs. We have what is called the Mucucillary blanket. Basically this is that there is copious amounts of mucus produced in the throat, larynx, trachea and bronchi. The mucus is constantly being washed down the throat, or up from the trachea and bronchi to the esophagus and the stomach. When you cough, you are simply moving the mucus in the throat and airways into the mouth. If you smoke you can damage the little hairs on the cells called cilia that actually move the mucus and you will cough up one heck of a lot more.

Answer 2

Yes there is a direct passage from the throat to the lungs. Air enters either your nose or throat, goes down your trachea (windpipe) which splits in two slightly above the nipple area in the middle of the chest creating the airways which continue to branch deep into the lungs. Mucus is produced by goblet cells in the airways that branch off into the lungs. These airways are lined with very tiny hairlike structures called cilia which are in constant motion and move the cilia upwards until it reaches the larynx and stimulates a cough, or until you swallow it. Check out this picture to give you an idea of the direct pathway...
www.becomehealthynow.com/
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Answer 3

Inside your airways are a bunch of microscopic "brushes" called cilia. The cilia line the airways and when mucus begins to go down into the airways they actually detect this and begin to start "brushing" the mucus back upwards and toward the back of your throat, where you can then hack it back up. That is for most Healthy people. There are conditions such as CF (cystic fibrosis) when these cilia are not present and other methods must be used to get the mucus out of the persons airways.

THIS IS ALSO WHY SMOKERS SHOULD STOP SMOKING. When you smoke you actually destroy the cilia that line your airways. Without cilia your airways are very compromised and many different complications can arise. For example, Pneumonia.

Hope this has answered your question.

Answer 4

Yes there is a pathway from the lungs to the throat. It's called your windpipe. How do you think air gets to and from your lungs? It goes through your nasal passages and through your throat into your windpipe. If I remember correctly, the windpipe is directly behind the esophagus. And I'm pretty sure the windpipe is lined with mucus.

Answer 5

It is the same as having fluid around your heart/lungs. I think that is where mucus out near fluids.

Answer 6

Try mucinex and it's over the counter.

Answer 7

ummm... I don't even know what to say. Jessica is that you? Did you turn to Yahoo since you and Nick split up? Go ask Ashlee, she'll know.