Hi, Godmadeusperfect,
Reading your descriptions, I keep thinking about my own 'events' where very odd things have passed from unexpected places.
I have called them 'deposits'...and felt they had built over long periods of time.
When you say 'hard balls of phlegm' I think about dehydration, drying of mucus, either from natural evaporation, lack of moisture in the air or body, or from some kind of heat, perhaps a little inflamation in one area, or the house a bit warmer than your body would like.
Wind, even cold wind in winter, can be drying.
I know that, when I have had a cold (in days long past), in the mornings I have had a patch of firm mucus come from high in the nasal area at the back of my throat.
It was always oddly ridged, and streaked with a bit of blood...also accompanied by some loose mucus. ...All of which is likely much more than readers want to know.
I learned that this obstruction probably formed in the night, with incomplete breathing from a 'cold in the nose'.
Who turns up the furnace heat in your house...and down?
We have a furnace that burns natural gas, and have had for many years. It runs too hot for my liking, in winter. I have been concerned about 'fumes', too.
Twice, in times of pneumonia-like symptoms, I have 'thrown up' mucus from my lungs...but NOT 'hard balls'.
It is my suspicion that the body creates quantities of mucus to protect delicate tissues from damage by foreign irritants...whatever those may be.
As for 'twitchings', they could have many 'causes'. My own 'prickles' and 'stabs' and so on, occur infrequently but often in the same spots.
In my imagination I have 'pictures' of 'what's in there', usually a different 'thing' in each place.
I looked up the word 'dissemination', as it seems to be used by scientific people, in relation to parasites.
All the definition seems to mean is 'outside the digestive tract'...which obviously must be be 'normal', given the preferences of environment of many 'crawlies' at different stages of their life cycles.
Some parasite eggs apparently make their way to the lungs, somehow, to 'hatch' into tiny larvae. Then, in phlegm, they try to get themselves coughed up, and swallowed back into the stomach, in order to return to the intestines where they will become adults and live out their lives.
It's all very complicated, of course, and the only part-remedy I can think of is to spit every bit of mucus that comes into my mouth, from anywhere...in order to foil their tactics. I call it 'cutting them off at the pass'.
:D
I also suspect that the dreaded 'scattering' as some folks like to call it, is a far greater 'event' than most folks have experienced.
I believe it would be a body-shaking occurance, unmistakable in it's significance. I think the whole immune system would react, perhaps with fevers, shaking, etc., and force the person to take to their bed.
We usually don't realize that the immune system is powerful, and still working in even the sickest person...otherwise they would NOT still be breathing!
I once fell heavily on one cheek of my bum when running down a slippery incline. My spine was bent slightly to my right, the way I landed.
Instantly, giant hands tightened around my ribcage, to protect against injury to the spine and interior organs. I lost my breath.
In the first part of a flash, I thought 'death', quickly followed by 'paralysis', and then 'get a breath', which my frozen muscles would not allow.
A passerby asked if I was okay.
I gasped out would he stay with me while I caught my breath.
Eventually I did...wondering all the while at the body's ability to do first things first.
It's my belief that we would react VERY strongly, and instantly, to any real 'scattering' of parasites of any consequence...that we would definitely 'know' it.
...And, that we would have to have had something poisonous, or terribly crushing, to cause parasites to 'run' for cover like that.
That's the problem with 'scientific' language...we just don't know what the words really mean. Maybe that's why 'scientists' use them.
In one way, the fact that we DON'T know all the things that 'could' happen, protects us from worry and all kinds of bother...as long as our imaginations don't cook us up too many 'pictures'.
One night, decades ago, at 2 a.m., my husband leapt out of one side of the bed, and I leapt out of the other...both heading for the bathroom at a run.
We alternated using the sink and the toilet for violent evacuation of 'toxic' substances.
When we had recovered some clarity of mind, I phoned the doctor.
You know what his comment was? "If you can call me, you aren't going to die."
I could have given him such a smack! Cheeky beggar!
So, it's all a matter of the *degree* of the ailment, whether we are in deep trouble, or not.
Be not afraid, my friend.
You have resources beyond counting, all working and ready to help.
This is just a passing phase on the path to well-being. And, we become very, very well, by degrees, in steps...in between 'events' we have not experienced before.
We can tell by the relief we feel, that all is progressing as it should.
That's how I see it, anyway.
My best,
Fledgling