Phlegm in Throat Remedies

Most of us have had that one embarrassing situation, where in a busy room you have had that hacking cough and felt the phlegm moving up to the mouth. As much as we may curse it, phlegm in throat is actually good for you. Well, I am not really hallucinating.

This yellowish, greenish mucous is our body's way of fighting off an allergy or an infection. Dust, pollen or pollutant allergies, a common cold, or a throat infection are some of the common causes of phlegm in a throat.

In fact, the phlegm color may indicate the type of infection or allergy that a person may have. It contains mucous, dead bacteria, virus, dead white blood cells, and various tissues and cells. While the mucous comes from the nasal passages, the phlegm builds up in the lungs. Here are some simple remedies to help you reduce the formation of phlegm.

One of the best remedy is to drink plenty of liquids. This will loosen up the phlegm that congests the lungs and wash away the mucus, thus, lessening the chances of a phlegm buildup. Drinking hot water with honey and lemon or certain herbal teas are known to soothe the throat as well as fight off the infection.

The best way to remove phlegm from your throat is to inhale steam. This cure works best when you add a few drops of eucalyptus oil as well. For clearing congested respiratory passages, hold a towel over your head and inhale the steam produced.

A great cure for phlegm is the orange and wine mix. For making this, you need to soak slices of orange in wine overnight. Cook the orange pieces until they become very soft. Eat this to soothe the throat and get rid of the phlegm. The orange also provides the essential Vitamin C for boosting the immune system.

For stopping the phlegm discharge, you can try out this simple home remedy using liquorice root. Mix liquorice with black pepper, sugar crystals, and dry ginger, and have it at least three times a day to reduce the phlegm and beat the infection.

Ginger is believed to be a natural cold barrier. It also helps prevent the formation of mucous and phlegm in the throat. Add ginger to cinnamon and carnation, and make a paste by grinding them all together with some water. Add honey to this mixture. Swallowing this paste three times a day will relieve the symptoms of common cold as well as reduce the mucous formation.

Coughing up the unwanted phlegm containing the dead immunoglobulins and glycoproteins is a good way of reducing a hacking cough. More than being gross and unsanitary, swallowing rather than coughing up the phlegm may lead to it getting reintroduced in the pulmonary system, thus worsening your situation.

To cure phlegm faster, avoid smoking or having any of the mucus causing food products, such as oily and fried food. Applying hot packs and drinking peppermint and thyme herbal teas can also help your cause.

Sometimes, eating spicy food can help in the decongestion and unblock the phlegm. For persistent problems, try certain expectorants such as guaifenesin and bromhexine to loosen the mucus and phlegm. Make sure you consult a physician before trying out any over-the-counter medication.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice.