US Medical Term · symptoms
Productive Cough
Tos productiva
Also: Tos con flema (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Productive Cough |
| Spanish (Español) | Tos productiva |
| Chinese (中文) | 有痰咳嗽 |
| Korean (한국어) | 가래가 나오는 기침 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Ho có đờm |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Ubo na may plema |
| Portuguese (Português) | Tosse produtiva |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ไอมีเสมหะ |
| Japanese (日本語) | 湿性咳嗽 |
What it means
A productive cough is one that brings up mucus or phlegm from the lungs or airways. The color and consistency of the mucus can give important clues to your doctor: clear or white mucus often signals allergies or a viral infection, yellow or green mucus may indicate a bacterial infection, and pink, red, or rust-colored mucus can signal more serious conditions like pneumonia or heart failure. A productive cough that lasts more than three weeks, produces blood, or is accompanied by fever, chest pain, or significant fatigue should be evaluated promptly.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My cough is bringing up thick yellow mucus.
Mi tos está sacando mucosidad amarilla y espesa.
I've been coughing up greenish phlegm for the past week.
Llevo una semana tosiendo flema verdosa.
I cough up mucus every morning but it's clear.
Todas las mañanas toso flema, pero es transparente.
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
R05 CoughRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026