Introduction
The production of mucus is something quite natural. The mucus is produced by the mucous membrane of the bronchi, as well as the nasal mucosa. The mucus is transported from the bronchial tubes into the throat via the so-called ciliated epithelium, small movable hairs.
This is then swallowed down so that it reaches the stomach. Foreign substances, such as inhaled dust particles, can be transported out of the bronchi via the mucus. The formation of mucus thus serves as a cleansing and protective mechanism.
Furthermore, the mucus keeps the mucous membrane moist. Under certain conditions, however, the production of mucus can be increased, so that the mucus formed is perceived as unpleasant by those affected because there is mucus in the mouth all the time. This can provoke a cough and in severe cases even respiratory distress.
Causes
Probably the most common cause of mucusy bronchial tubes is a cold, such as bronchitis. During a cold, the production of mucus in both the nasal and bronchial mucosa usually increases. This is supposed to cause the pathogen causing the cold to be transported out of the respiratory tract via the mucus.
In most cases the pathogens are viruses, but sometimes bacteria are also responsible for the disease. The mucus formation after an infection can continue for several days after the cold because the irritated/inflamed mucosa needs more time to regenerate. Causes for increased mucus production are pollutants such as cigarette smoke, exhaust fumes or chemicals.
The lungs want to transport the foreign bodies out of the lungs through increased mucus production. Fine hairs on the bronchial mucosa help to do this. Bacteria that have penetrated the lungs cause an inflammatory reaction in the mucous membrane.
Affected sections of the mucous membrane swell. Increased immune cells and mucus are formed. The swollen bronchial tubes make it difficult for the mucus to drain away and serve as a breeding ground for more bacteria.
Mucoviscidosis also involves mucus in the bronchi. Here the malfunction of a certain ion channel (chloride channel) is the cause. Changes in ion concentrations make the mucus more viscous and make it difficult to cough it up.
Those affected are particularly susceptible to infections. In addition to the lungs, the digestive tract is particularly affected. Smokers in particular can develop chronic bronchitis, i.e. a permanent inflammation of the bronchi.
Chronic bronchitis is the precursor to the colloquially called smoker’s lung. When we speak of the smoker’s lung, we mean the clinical picture of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). By definition, it is chronic bronchitis when coughing and sputum, i.e. mucus, are present for at least three months and for at least two consecutive years.
This is the case in about ten percent of the population. But it is not only smoking that can trigger chronic bronchitis. Some people are exposed to various fumes or dusts at their workplace, which also irritate the respiratory tract and can have an effect similar to smoking.
An asthma illness also makes itself felt through increased mucus production in the bronchial tubes. From the processes taking place, it is similar to COPD. However, the cause is different.
And asthma does not have such far-reaching consequences as COPD, which continues to progress. This is because after an asthma attack, the conditions in the bronchi completely disappear. Nevertheless, there is also a narrowing of the bronchial tubes, swelling of the mucous membrane and increased mucus production.
An asthma attack is often triggered by an allergy. An allergy can also cause excessive secretion (formation of fluids). A blocked nose and watery eyes are typical, but excessive production of mucus can also occur in the lungs.
Components of e.g. pollen can get into the bronchi by inhalation, where they trigger an excessive immune response. The bronchial mucosa produces more mucus to transport the foreign body outside. The longer the affected person is exposed to the stimulus, the more mucus is produced.
During sports, especially endurance sports, we change our breathing. We breathe faster and deeper, the air is not warmed and moistened with water as much as when we are resting. The lung mucosa can become irritated and swells.
In addition, the irritation stimulates the production of mucus. Particularly affected are asthmatics or people who suffer from exercise-induced asthma. Sport – in moderation – is also important for asthmatics.
Exercise loosens the mucus in the bronchi and makes it easier to cough up. Psychosomatic exercise can also lead to increased mucus production. In a psychosomatic illness, psychological strain/stress is expressed in a physical complaint.
This can also occur through increased mucus production. Affected persons often find it difficult to accept that there is no physical cause for their complaints and therefore no adequate treatment. Once the psyche is in balance again, the complaints often disappear again.
Besides all the other harmful effects of smoking, the lungs are the ones that are most damaged. Smoking regularly irritates the airways with harmful substances. This results in damage to the cleaning system of the lungs.
The ciliated epithelium is practically paralysed by smoking. This deprives you of part of your own physical defence. Likewise, the irritation in principle imitates the state of a cold.
Reactively, a swelling of the mucous membranes occurs, which then increasingly produce a tough mucus. The fact that the mucus cannot be removed properly results in the typical smoker’s cough. The cough serves as a reflex to transport the mucus from the bronchi.
It occurs mainly in the morning. Since you usually do not smoke at night, the ciliated epithelium can resume its work during the night because the harmful effect on the hairs is no longer directly present. In order to transport the last remnants of mucus from the respiratory tract, a strong cough sets in after waking up.
Eventually, the discomfort increases due to continuous smoking, so that from a certain degree on, chronic bronchitis develops. As the disease progresses, it can then lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is accompanied by severe symptoms. From a certain condition on, some patients even depend on oxygen ventilation.
This is usually the case if the affected persons continue their high nicotine consumption without restriction after diagnosis. Because the body’s own cleaning system of the respiratory tract no longer functions properly, infections can also develop more easily. Normally, pathogens such as bacteria and viruses are to be transported from the respiratory tract via the mucus.
In chronic smokers, however, mucus accumulates in the bronchi and can no longer be transported towards the throat. In addition, many pathogens like a moist and warm environment, which is given by the mucus in the bronchi. Consequently, pathogens are preferentially located in the mucus and lead to a cold, which is often longer and more pronounced than in a non-smoker. If you stop smoking, the ciliated epithelium can regenerate. Until the epithelium has recovered, the ciliated epithelium often has an increased coughing sensation after stopping smoking, which seems strange to many people.
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