Conditions that can contribute to excess mucus include allergies, asthma, and bronchitis. Smoking and conditions like COPD and cystic fibrosis can also cause this symptom. Your doctor may order a sputum test to find the cause of your excess mucus.
Avoid irritants
Chemicals, fragrances, and pollution can irritate the nose, throat, and lower airways, which causes the body to produce more mucus. Find out what are the common irritants and how to avoid them here.
Herbal teas are a lovely way to stay hydrated and help to expel mucus – I especially love ginger, turmeric, chamomile and peppermint.
An infection can make mucus thicker and stickier. Infections also lead to inflammation in the mucous membranes that line the nose and the rest of your airway. This can cause certain airway glands to make more mucus. That mucus can get thick with bacteria and cells that arrive to fight the infection.
Reasons for coughing up phlegm without feeling ill. It is not unusual to cough up phlegm with a common cold. However, it can also be a sign of a different, sometimes serious, underlying condition such as stomach acid reflux, lung disease, or heart disease.
Your body naturally makes mucus every day, and its presence isn't necessarily a sign of anything unhealthy. Mucus, also known as phlegm when it's produced by your respiratory system, lines the tissues of your body (such as your nose, mouth, throat, and lungs), and it helps protect you from infection.
“Yes, it might sound shocking, but bananas increase the congestion by impacting the production of phlegm.
Possible causes of excess mucus can be food allergies, an acid reflux from the stomach, or an infection. The consistency of mucus in the throat also varies depending on what is going on in your body. Common causes of too much mucus in the throat include a cold or flu, acute bronchitis, sinusitis or pneumonia.
Do Eggs Cause Mucus? Yes, eggs contain properties that can trigger the release of histamine, which can result in increased mucus production. Eggs also contain ovalbumin, which is a protein that causes inflammation, resulting in more mucus being produced.
When mucus starts to build up or trickle down the back of the throat, this is known as postnasal drip. Causes of postnasal drip include infections, allergies, and acid reflux. As well as feeling the need to clear the throat frequently, a person with postnasal drip may also experience: a sore throat.
Despite what you might have heard, milk, yogurt, and the like don't actually cause your body to produce more nasty mucus.
In addition to true allergic reactions, chocolate can cause other symptoms unrelated to allergy. For instance, chocolate will mix with mucus in the back of the throat to cause thickening of the secretions and increased throat clearing.
When you do cough up phlegm (another word for mucus) from your chest, Dr. Boucher says it really doesn't matter if you spit it out or swallow it.
A good hot cup of herbal tea will help dilute stubborn phlegm. If you'd like to get rid of your phlegm, a nice cup of mint, thyme, chamomile or echinacea tea is a good option.
Milk consumption and phlegm production among people with the common cold in a clinical study showed no increased phlegm associated with drinking milk. Self-reported problems with mucus were the same between two study groups — one drinking milk and another drinking soy milk.
Acid reflux from the stomach also may contribute to phlegm. Acidic contents from the stomach may reflux, or travel backwards into the esophagus and throat. Acid from the stomach may be very irritating to individuals, causing problems of difficulty swallowing, cough, and even burning sensations in the throat.
Green vegetables: Loaded with vitamins A, C, E, B vitamins and potassium, they cleanse the body of mucus and toxins naturally.
Mucus and phlegm are similar, yet different: Mucus is a thinner secretion from your nose and sinuses. Phlegm is thicker and is made by your throat and lungs.