How to Get Rid of Phlegm

Tap to Read ➤ Aastha Dogra

Looking for some effective remedies to get rid of phlegm or the sputum in your throat, and clear out your respiratory tract. We offer you the best methods to do away with that disgusting matter present in your respiratory tract, and relieve yourself.

Having phlegm in the throat, can give anybody a very yucky feeling. It is a sticky liquid, which is generated by our mucous membranes. It is accumulated mucus, which gets a jelly like consistency, and which can be coughed out from the throat.

A person who suffers from respiratory problems, such as, chest cold, bronchitis, and sinusitis, is the prime candidate for accumulation of phlegm in his body. If you too have buildup of phlegm in your body, and are looking for ways to get rid of it then here are some effective remedies.

Stop Smoking

Smoking is responsible for many bronchial and lung infections. Excessive sputum, especially if it is dark in color, is the body's way of telling the person that he should quit smoking.

Smoking too much, can also cause lung cancer. In case of lung cancer, the sputum coughed out by the person has blood in it.

Consume Fluids

Drink lots of fluids and water, as they help in loosening the mucus and phlegm that gets deposited in the throat.

Herbal teas such as chamomile tea, lemon tea, green tea, and spearmint tea are specifically known to be quite effective in treating respiratory problems.

Use a Decongestant

Decongestants help in narrowing the blood vessels of the lining of the nose, thus reducing the blood flow in that area. Reduced blood flow aids in lessening the inflammation of the tissues inside the nose and thus, air is able to pass through it more easily. Decongestants can be in the form of a pill, or can also be in the form of nasal sprays and drops.

They are quite effective in stopping the buildup of mucus and phlegm in the respiratory system. However, regular usage of decongestants can make the body dependent on them, so they should not be used for more than three days at a stretch.

Take Cough Syrup

If the sputum buildup is due to bronchitis or a chest infection, the person should go for an expectorant. Intake of this medicine overtime, helps in loosening the mucus that is deposited in the throat. So, when the person coughs, it is very easy to eliminate the phlegm out of the body.

When buying an expectorant, make sure that ingredients, such as bromhexine and guaifenesin are present in it, as they are very effective in getting rid of phlegm.

Take Steam

Steaming helps in loosening the mucus, and thus, prevents the formation of phlegm in the throat. To take steam, boil water, and add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to it. Now, cover your head with a towel, and take deep breaths inhaling the steam.

Regularly taking steam will help in opening up the air passages, and thus it will be easy to throw the sputum out of the body.

Cough it Out

It is very important that you do not swallow the phlegm, and cough it out regularly. It contains immunoglobulins and glycoproteins, which have to be thrown out of the body, to get rid of the infection.

Remember, not to take any kind of cough suppressants, as they aggravate the accumulation of mucus and phlegm in the respiratory system. If the phlegm that you get out of your system by coughing is white or clear, that means that your body is responding well to the measures that you are taking.

However, if the mucous color changes to brown, green, gray or rusty, it indicates that an infection has occurred. In such a case, a doctor should be contacted for further treatment.