There are not many things worse than having phlegm in your cough. Sure, this is a minor problem, for the most part, but it can be very annoying. On top of this, you never really know what the cause is until you seek professional help.

Here are a few reasons why you may have phlegm in your cough:

1. Common cold. In most cases, this is caused by nothing more than a common cold. Some people experience more phlegm buildup than others when they get a cold.

2. Strep throat. As you can imagine, this can lead to a lot of excess phlegm. In most cases, until you treat your sore throat you are not going to be able to get rid of the phlegm that is building up and coming out when you cough.

3. Bronchitis. In terms of excess phlegm production, this is very similar to what you will experience with strep throat. Some people find that it is even worse with bronchitis due to the extreme coughing.

4. Tuberculosis. As you can imagine, this is much more serious than the three conditions listed above. If you think this is what you have, you should not waste any time getting to the doctor so that he can run the proper tests.

5. Smoking. If you smoke a lot you should expect to have a lot of phlegm when you cough. This is a common side effect of smoking – albeit not the most serious. If you want to curb this problem, all you have to do is put down the cigarettes.

You may find that diagnosing the cause of phlegm in your cough is next to impossible. This is why you need to see a doctor. Once you know what the cause is, you can then work with your doctor to determine which treatment method will work best.