Sickness comes in many forms and signs, but consistently coughing up phlegm is one of the more uncomfortable signs of being ill.
Phlegm is not always a bad thing. In fact, our bodies create this mucus to help keep us healthy by targeting particles and bacteria. However, excessive amounts of phlegm are typically due to an infection and can be uncomfortable.
Let’s get to know about phlegm and how to deal with it using effective home remedies.
What is Phlegm? How to Deal with it at Home?
According to the best chest specialist, phlegm is a mucus formed in the lower respiratory tract and lungs. It happens mostly when a person is ill or has a chronic health problem.
Some portions of the human body always produce mucus. It helps the body defend itself against invading pathogens like bacteria and viruses and prevents these areas from drying out.
A healthy body needs some mucus, but too much of it can result from illnesses like the flu or the common cold, allergies, gastroesophageal reflux disease, smoking, or lung conditions including pneumonia, COPD, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis.
There are several remedies to assist your body in returning to normal if you’re producing excessive amounts of phlegm. These remedies include:
1- Keeping the Air Moist
Due to irritation from dry air, more mucus forms as a lubricant in the nose and throat. A cold mist humidifier in the bedroom can improve sleep quality by reducing sore throats and keeping the nose pure.
2- Drinking Lots of Water
Gargling with salt water helps to thin mucus and clear the throat. Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of salt to a glass of warm water. Take a sip of salt water and gargle for a few seconds with your head leaned back while keeping the water in your throat. Then repeat the process of spitting out the water.
You can continue this process as much as necessary during the day, roughly every two to three hours. This at-home remedy may help avoid upper respiratory tract infections.
3- Gargling with Salt Water
You can make it simpler for extra phlegm to accumulate in your airways, by not drinking enough water. In fact, your mucus will be dehydrated as well, which will make it thicker and more challenging to evacuate.
Water helps to thin out any mucus in your throat, making it easier to cough up and expel from your airways. Hence, drink plenty of water. It is considerably healthier to drink warm water.
4- Taking Ginger with Honey
Ginger is frequently used to cure colds because it has potent healing effects. In addition to soothing your airways and easing coughs, ginger is a powerful mucus remover.
Honey has antibacterial and antifungal qualities that are excellent for sore throats, colds, and phlegm-clogged airways. Your throat develops a protective coating from the honey, which lessens discomfort and promotes mucous membrane healing.
Warm up two tablespoons of honey, but not above 40 degrees Celsius, as honey loses its healing properties at higher temperatures. Add a teaspoon of grated ginger. For three days, consume two tablespoons each day. See a medical expert if the symptoms don’t go away.
5- Using Turmeric
Turmeric is a real superfood. It lessens inflammation, and discomfort, and boosts the body’s resistance.
Add a scant spoonful of honey and half a teaspoon each of black pepper and turmeric to a glass of hot non-dairy milk. You can have this delectable combination every day until the mucous disappears.
Refrain from using cow’s milk in this recipe since it can thicken mucus, the exact opposite of what you want.
6- Cut out the Coffee
Caffeinated drinks increase urination and cause you to lose more water from your body.
You need more water in your body to keep phlegm thin. So try to reduce the amount of coffee you drink and drink alternative hydrating and hot fluids instead.
7- Blow Your Nose
Regularly blowing your nose gently might help keep phlegm from building up and moving.
To avoid causing any harm to the sinuses, make sure to blow gently.
8- Take Steam with Essential Oil
To loosen and thin the phlegm, breathe in steam from a basin of hot water. You can perform it once or twice every day to feel better. The respiratory tract can get cleared of mucus by inhaling steam, but adding a few drops of calming essential oils to the water may increase its potency. You could even take a warm shower or use a humidifier.
9- Take Herbal Teas
Peppermint tea works well for treating phlegm. It is expectorant, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory. These qualities increase your body’s resistance to sickness while clearing your respiratory airways of mucus or phlegm. Give it a try if you need relief right away.
Conclusion!
Phlegm can be very uncomfortable, especially when you are at your workplace, and you have to lead a meeting. It keeps popping up in your throat, no matter how much you try to pull it out. These home remedies can be a great help in clearing phlegm from your throat and airways at home.
Author Bio
I am Priya Varma, and I have been working as Content Writer at Rananjay Exports for past 2 years. My expertise lies in researching and writing both technical and fashion content. I have written multiple articles on Gemstone Jewelry like Moonstone Jewelry and other stones over the past years and would love to explore more on the same in future. I hope my work keeps mesmerizing you and helps you in the future.