What are the signs of mucus problems?

Mucus symptoms occur when the membranes lining the respiratory and digestive tracts produce excess mucus, often in response to an irritant or allergen, resulting in congestion, breathing difficulties, or diarrhea. It represents the body’s normal response to an uninvited irritant.

Mucus symptoms, such as runny nose and nasal congestion, are most commonly due to allergies or viral infections like the common cold. Bacterial, viral and fungal infections leading to sinusitis, bronchitis or pneumonia can also cause mucus symptoms of the respiratory system.

Many different gastrointestinal conditions and diseases cause mucus symptoms. Mucus symptoms may occur with inflammatory conditions, including Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disorder that can affect any part of the intestine. Food allergies, food poisoning, or infections affecting the digestive tract can also cause mucus symptoms of the gastrointestinal system. In these cases, mucus symptoms are often associated with diarrhea, abdominal pain, or cramping.

Mucus symptoms vary depending on the cause. Some disorders cause mild mucus symptoms that subside quickly, while others may cause severe congestion in the lungs or diarrhea that requires medical treatment.

In some cases, mucus symptoms may be a sign a serious or life-threatening condition. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if mucus symptoms are accompanied by serious symptoms, such as severe breathing problems, severe abdominal pain, and high fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit).

If your mucus symptoms are persistent or cause you concern, seek prompt medical care.

What other symptoms might occur with mucus symptoms?

Mucus symptoms may accompany other symptoms that vary depending on the underlying disease, disorder or condition. Symptoms that frequently affect the mucous membranes may also involve other body systems.

Respiratory symptoms that may occur along with mucus symptoms

Mucus symptoms may accompany other symptoms affecting the respiratory system including:

Cough
Cough that gets more severe over time
Coughing up clear, yellow, light brown, or green mucus
Rapid breathing (tachypnea) or shortness of breath
Runny nose (nasal congestion)
Shortness of breath
Sneezing
Sore throat
Wheezing (whistling sound made with breathing)

Gastrointestinal symptoms that may occur along with mucus symptoms

Mucus symptoms may accompany other symptoms affecting the gastrointestinal system including:

Abdominal bloating
Abdominal pain or cramping
Blood-streaked stools
Diarrhea
Enlarged lymph nodes
Mucus or undigested food in feces
Nausea with or without vomiting
Watery diarrhea, including multiple episodes

Other symptoms that may occur along with mucus symptoms

Mucus symptoms may accompany symptoms related to other body systems including:

Serious symptoms that might indicate a life-threatening condition

In some cases, mucus symptoms may be symptoms of a life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including:

High fever (higher than 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
Respiratory or breathing problems, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, labored breathing, wheezing, not breathing, choking
Severe abdominal pain

What causes mucus symptoms?

Mucus symptoms, such as runny nose and nasal congestion, are most commonly due to allergies or the common cold. Bacterial, viral and fungal infections leading to sinusitis, bronchitis or pneumonia can also cause mucus symptoms of the respiratory system.

Many different gastrointestinal conditions and diseases also cause mucus symptoms, such as inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis; food allergies; food poisoning; or infections affecting the digestive tract.

Respiratory system causes of mucus symptoms

Mucus symptoms may be caused by conditions affecting the respiratory system including:

Asthma and allergies
Bacterial infections
Bronchitis
Common cold (viral respiratory infection)
Cystic fibrosis
Hay fever or allergic reaction from animal dander, dust, cosmetics, or pollen
Influenza (flu)
Sinusitis (inflammation or infection of the sinuses)

Gastrointestinal causes of mucus symptoms

Mucus symptoms can also be caused by the gastrointestinal system including:

Bacterial gastrointestinal infection, such as Salmonella food poisoning, Campylobacter infection, or traveler’s diarrhea
Cystic fibrosis
Dysentery (infectious inflammation of the colon causing severe bloody diarrhea)
Food allergies (allergic reaction to certain foods)
Food intolerances (difficulty digesting certain foods without symptoms of a food allergy)
Food poisoning
Inflammatory bowel disease (includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis)
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS; digestive discomfort that does not cause intestinal damage or serious disease)
Parasitic infection of the gastrointestinal tract
Viral gastroenteritis (viral infection of the digestive tract, also called stomach flu or intestinal flu)

Serious or life-threatening causes of mucus symptoms

In some cases, mucus symptoms may be a symptom of a serious or life-threatening condition that should be immediately evaluated in an emergency setting. These include:

Cholera (infection of the small intestine causing watery diarrhea and vomiting)
Pneumonia

Questions for diagnosing the cause of mucus symptoms

To diagnose your condition, your doctor or licensed health care practitioner will ask you several questions related to your mucus symptoms including:

Do any other family members have the same problem?
Do you have any other symptoms?
How long have you had your mucus symptoms?
What medications are you taking?

What are the potential complications of mucus symptoms?

Because mucus symptoms can be due to serious diseases, failure to seek treatment can result in serious complications and permanent damage. Once the underlying cause is diagnosed, it is important for you to follow the treatment plan that you and your health care professional design specifically for you to reduce the risk of potential complications including: