black mucus

I'm a smoker and for many of years now I've been coughing up black mucus should I be worried?

[zodiacqueen]

Hi, how many years have you smoked?  I smoked for 20 yrs. and never coughed up black gunk-mine's always been clear or whitish grey.  I've had breathing issues for about 10 yrs now-last 2 have been really bad(shortness of breath).  I had an emphysema scare and quit-my x-rays looked like emph, but my pulmonary function test was above normal.  Go figure-that scared me enough to quit.  I quit in nov. 07'.  I strongly suggest that you quit.  The black gunk is not good at all.  You should get checked out ASAP, and you should get a PFT, and a possible chest x-ray.  The x-ray can show emphysema (but only if it's advanced), pneumonia, a mass, and scarring.  You need to know where you stand.

Are you having any other symptoms?  If I were you, the first time I saw the black mucus I would've quit right then and there.

Staci