Phlegm in throat remedies | Ear, Nose, Throat, and Dental problems articles | Body & Health Conditions center

What is Phlegm in Throat?

Phlegm in throat is usually a result of postnasal drip or may develop when mucus clogs up in the throat. Phlegm in the throat is produced by the nose and throat glands in amounts of 15 to 59 ml per day. Phlegm in the throat is often a symptom of a common cold or respiratory tract infection. It can be yellowish, greenish, brownish, or grayish color. Phlegm in the throat is expelled by coughing or can be swallowed.

What Causes Phlegm in Throat?

Phlegm in the throat develops when mucous membranes of the respiratory system ooze fluid. Cold and other respiratory infections, such as bronchitis, flu, and pneumonia are the most common causes of phlegm in the throat.

Tonsillitis, laryngitis, strep throat, catarrh, and mononucleosis can be accompanied by this symptom. Also, phlegm in the throat often occurs due to allergies caused by pollutants and irritants like pollen and dust. In such cases, tissue of the throat produces excess mucus in contact with allergens to remove the substances from the system.

Remedies for Phlegm in Throat

Phlegm in the throat can be treated with medications such as amoxicillin and erythromycin and home remedies that involve herbs, spices, steam inhalation, and hydration. The condition can be prevented with proper hygiene, avoiding direct contact with infected persons, and wearing a mask to thwart inhalation of allergens. It is also recommended to avoid smoking cigarettes since it inhibits the ability of the lungs to remove foreign particles causing the phlegm to build up.

Clinicians commonly teach patients alternative clearing behaviors to reduce coughing and hard throat clearing with the assumption that these behaviors clear mucus from the vocal folds. Yet there is limited evidence of the effectiveness of these alternative behaviors at clearing mucus. This study's purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of reducing laryngeal mucus aggregation using alternative approaches in comparison with hard coughing and hard throat clearing in people with and without voice disorders.

Mucus aggregation of 46 participants, 22 with and 24 without voice disorders, was evaluated from stroboscopy recordings taken before and after each of six clearing behaviors: hard coughing, hard throat clearing, silent coughing, soft throat clearing, dry swallowing, and swallowing with a fluid bolus. Each participant performed each clearing behavior twice.
Two trained raters evaluated mucus aggregation for type, thickness, and pooling.
Of the six clearing behaviors studied, only hard throat clearing changed vocal fold mucus aggregation. The features of mucus aggregation that were changed by hard throat clearing were the severity of mucus thickness and the presence of type 3 mucus.

✓ Fact confirmed: Efficacy of Six Tasks to Clear Laryngeal Mucus Aggregation Heather Shaw Bonilha, Terri Treman Gerlach, Lori Ellen Sutton, Amy Elizabeth Dawson, Katlyn McGrattan, Paul J. Nietert, Dimitar D. Deliyski; March 2017

Drink Plenty of Fluids

If you suffer from this problem, you should drink plenty of water and fruit juices. This is maybe the most effective remedy for phlegm in the throat. Water should be warm because it soothes the throat, and can be either plain or with some lemon juice. Honey can be also added since it provides cough relief.

Inhale Steam

Another effective home remedy for phlegm in the throat is inhaling steam. You just have to steam water, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil, and inhale the steam allowing it to enter into passageways in the lungs. Inhaling steam helps to relieve sore throat and soothe the airways.

Oranges

Oranges are rich sources of vitamin C which is beneficial to overall health. But, for treating sore throat and eliminating throat phlegm, orange slices should be soaked in wine overnight and cooked. By eating this mixture, you will feel significant relief.

Licorice Root

Licorice root prepared with ginger, black pepper, and sugar is an Eastern remedy for throat phlegm and sore throat. You have to take a teaspoon of the mixture three times a day.

Ginger

A paste prepared of ground ginger, cinnamon, carnation, honey, and hot water can help to clear the throat and reduce phlegm production. The paste has to be taken two times a day.