If your phlegm is discoloured with small brown flecks you should see a doctor to examine you.
Sometimes, depends on what we eat or drink , this can discolour coughed up phlegm. If you know that your are not eating or drinking anything to discolour the phlegm then it would be wise to make an appointment to get checked out to rule out any serious underlying problem.
Coughing is the body's way of getting rid of irritants, these can be anything from virus, bacterial, fumes, dusts allergies and so on.
If the weather is cold make sure that you cover your nose and mouth with a scarf so that you do not breathe in the cold air.
At home do steam inhalations. Pour a kettleful of boiling water into a bowl taking care not to get scalded. Put in some Vick or Olbas Oil. Bend your head over the bowl and cover your head and bowel with a towel and breathe in through your nose. Do this 4 times a day for a duration of 10 minutes each time. This will help to loosen up the phlegm and decongest any blocked passages.
Keep off milk products as this encourages the formation of mucus. Drink plenty of hot drinks.
Your doctor may send your phlegm to the lab for testing, or just look at your throat and listen to your chest. If he suspects you have a bacterial infection, he will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Try Mucinex. It is an expectorant that helps thin out the secretions, so that you can cough them up easier, which will clear up the wheezing. If you need to you can use a cough suppressant, anything with dextromethorphan as the primary ingredient, to give you a break from the coughing. If your cough & wheezing don't get better within 7 to 10 days, I think a call to your doctor would be a good idea.
A productive cough can persist up to 8 weeks post cold infection, unless the cough with phlegm gets worse, or become associated with other symptoms like high fever than you may have to think about superimposed infection
cough is a serious problem specially if its dry cough so get wel soon and contact a good doctor.