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What Causes Yellow Phlegm Along With Difficulty Breathing And Pain In Arms?

Posted on Tue, 17 Feb 2015

Question: I have had a couple of issues not sure if related. One, I wake up every morning and spit up yellow phelgm and sometimes have sinus/breathing issues that carry on throughout the day and then subside. Last Friday, I started to feel a pain under my right arm. Today, it was worse and I had the breathing issues as well. I made a dr appt for tomorrow but am worried.

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Sinusitis can give such problems.

Detailed Answer:
Hi

Thank you for asking Health care magic forum.

I have gone through your query. Your problem is most likely sinusitis related. Sinusitis can give blocked nose and breathing problem. Yellow phlegm also can be from that.

Do you have one sided nasal blockade most of the time? Usually some people one side especially left side nose is blocked due to deviated nasal septum. Such people can get recurrent sinusitis.

If infection persist longer it can cause myalgia (muscle pain) and arthralgia (joint pain). Your arm pain can be from that also.

You don't need to worry about this. You should get a examination of naso pharynx by your GP or ENT specialist to rule out this.

For such condition in my patients i treat with nasal decongesant sprays like oxymetazoline, antibiotics like Co-amoxiclav and NSAIDs like Nimusulide. I also give Vitamin C in chewable form.

Are you having any wheezing or allergic issues?

Hope this may help you. Let me know if anything not clear.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Nishad BN (2 hours later)

Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX I have been having sinus pressure behind my eyes as well as both sides of my nasal passages. My left side is definitely worse than the right. I have also been sneezing a lot. I use a neti pot but not as regularly as I should. I also have Flonase but do not use this very often! I am not a person that likes to take medicine or inhale foreign substances.

At times it has felt like allergies but other times more severe especially when I have pain behind the eye.

I will provide this information to my doctor tomorrow.

Thanks!

Answered by Dr. Nishad BN (8 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You may need antibiotics

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your follow up query.

As you having yellow phlegm definitely antibiotic is required. Flonase is used for allergic rhinitis. Allergic rhinitis also can get complicated by infective sinusitis. In such case also antibiotic is needed. Nasal decongestant like oxymetazoline might give you relief from congestion also. These are prescribed medications.

But if there is no improvement after antibiotic therapy then X ray or CT scan of para nasal sinus should be taken and drainage of sinus might be required in some case.

Wishing you a speedy recovery. Let me know if anything not clear.
Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju