Phlegm is defined to be a liquid that is secreted by the mucous membranes and consists of lipids, immunoglobulins, glycoproteins, and other substance. These compositions may be different depending on the state of the immune system, genetics, and climate. Its color may be green, dark yellow, pale, or dark brown due to its constituents. Phlem is different from mucus. Mucus is a normal protective layer around the eye, nasal turbinate, and airway while phlegm is a secretion in the airway that is more related to disease and inflammation than mucus. Phlegm often has mucus with sloughed-off inflammatory cells, debris, and bacteria.
There are many factors that can lead to an excess of phlegm in your throat including vocal abuse, smoking, illness, hay fever, asthma, and air pollution. All the actions related to vocal abuse like clearing the throat, talking loudly, singing incorrectly, screaming or yelling can lead to inflammation and, therefore, cause more phlegm. Smoking can make the vocal folds swelled and inflamed since then create phlegm. Your illness like pneumonia, cold, flu, or even acute bronchitis also causes the excess of phlegm. Hay fever and asthma are also one of the main causes lead to an excess amount of phlegm that may contribute to clogging up air pathways. And the last reason is due to air pollution. According to some studies of children, air pollutants may make their parts of the throat dry and irritated, since then increase the phlegm production.
In some cases, phlegm can be a symptom of a serious disease like tuberculosis if you cough up any significant quantity of blood. In these cases, you should visit your doctor immediately. But phlegm is normally only the symptom of colds and other upper respiratory infections. And if you don’t have any treatment timely, your bronchial tubes can be clogged and irritated and may lead to a secondary upper respiratory infection.
In fact, there are many treatments for this condition including medicine and home remedies for phlegm. If you want to use medicine, you can ask your doctor. If you like home remedies more than medicine, you can see all the common home remedies for phlegm in the throat that are showed by AllRemedies.com. All these remedies are very safe for the health and body. However, dealing with phlegm always needs your patience. Now, let’s see what they are.
Inhaling steam is always the simplest and best way to deal with phlegm for both children and adults. This action can help keep phlegm in liquid form so that you can remove it from your throat more easily. Here are some home remedies for phlegm that you can apply with steam:
Firstly, you can take a steam shower twice a day. You need to remember that your bathroom needs closing for at least 10 minutes while you are taking a bath so the steam can go into your system to help break up the mucus. You also need to keep the moisture for your body after taking a bath.
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Another option is rather simple. You only need to pour hot boiling water in a large bowl and use a towel to over your head. Lean your head towards the bowl and inhale the steam for about 5 to 10 minutes. It can help to loosen the secretions in your lungs. This remedy should be applied for several times a day to get the best result.
Read more: 35 best natural home remedies for sinusitis relief
Salt water is also one of the effective home remedies for phlegm in the throat. Salt can help to eliminate the bacteria causing the infection since then reduce phlegm production quickly. Warm water is also good for soothing your irritated throat.
With this solution, you need to add ¼ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and stir well until the salt is dissolved thoroughly. Use this solution to gargle several times a day.
Another way to deal with phlegm is hot water. Drinking warm water regularly can help you dissolve the phlegm quickly. You should drink at least three to four glasses of warm water daily so as to improve your condition. If possible, you should drink more and more because this action can help speed up the process of relieving your throat.
Cider vinegar is used commonly for beauty care and health care. You simply need to swallow one teaspoon of cider vinegar and wait for about 5 to 10 seconds. In case you still feel the taste of vinegar in your mouth, you can drink some water.
Read more: 17 best natural home remedies for nasal congestion in adults
Lemon can be used in dealing with phlegm as it contains antibacterial property as well as rich in vitamin C that are very useful for improving the body’s resistance to infections.
You can do it by adding about 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and enough honey for your taste in a glass of hot water and stir well. You can take it at least 3 times a day so as to limit phlegm production and soothe your throat.
Or you can sprinkle a little salt and pepper on a slice of lemon and suck on it. Do it 2 or 3 times a day and the phlegm can be forced out of your throat.
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One of other home remedies for phlegm in the throat is grape juice. Using this juice can help you soothe the lungs as well as unclog the phlegm effectively.
In order to deal with the phlegm, you only need to take about 2 tablespoons of grape juice mixed with 2 tablespoons of honey. You can take it 3 times a day for about one week and your condition can be better.
“Ginger can work as a natural decongestant.”
Many people used it to fight off throat as well as respiratory tract infections and it seems so effective. Owing to its expectorant, antibacterial, and antiviral properties, ginger can ease congestion in the throat and chest since then you can feel easier to breathe. There are some ways to use ginger for dealing with phlegm.
Firstly, you need to bring a cup of water to a boil and then add about 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger slices. Let it steep for about some minutes. You can add 2 teaspoons of honey before drinking to make your ginger water more delicious. This ginger tea can be taken a few times per day and your conditions can be improved.
Alternatively, you simply use some raw ginger slices to chew a few times a day or add it in your dish.
Or you can add ginger in your diet. This is also one of home remedies for phlegm more easily.
As we mentioned on the above, ginger is very useful for supporting reducing and preventing infection in the respiratory system. It seems more effective when it is combined with cinnamon to deal with phlegm in the throat.
Firstly, you need to steep them in hot water for about 10 minutes and enjoy. Or another option is to add to chamomile or carnation tea. This solution can help you reduce phlegm quickly and make your respiratory tract better.
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With its strong antiseptic properties, turmeric is also one of the good home remedies for phlegm in the throat. Thanks to its quality, the bacteria that can cause excessive mucus production may be eliminated effectively. Plus, turmeric also contains a lot of necessary nutrients for enhancing the immune system.
In order to get the best result, you can add about 1 teaspoon of turmeric in a glass of hot milk and take it twice a day, in the morning and before your bedtime.
In case you feel it is too difficult to drink the mixture of hot milk and turmeric, you can swallow a one-half teaspoon of this item with a glass of water. It can be repeated 2 to 3 times a day.
Alternatively, you can use the mixture of 1 tablespoon of turmeric and a pinch of salt and a glass of hot water to gargle several times a day. This is also a good way among home remedies for phlegm to get rid of the issue very well.
Cayenne pepper is often used in many home remedies for treating different diseases. Like other tips, cayenne pepper is able to help release the excessive mucus out of the throat and nasal passages. Warm and stimulating nature of pepper also contributes to reducing the pain in your chest and makes your irritated throat soothe.
The first way is that you can mix cayenne pepper with grated fresh ginger according a ratio of 1-4 and with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 tablespoons of water. Take this mixture 2 or 3 times a day. The phlegm can be reduced.
Or you can include it in cooking dishes.
Anise Seed is also known to be one of the good home remedies for phlegm in the throat. You only need to bring 1 ½ cups of water to bring a boil. Then you add some crushed anise seed into it and keep it to low heat for 30 minutes. After that, you need to strain it and continue to simmer the liquid until you get a cup of this liquid. Finally, you mix it with 2 cups of honey and wait until it gets cool. This mixture can be stored in the fridge for about 2 or 3 months.
Shallots are known to be useful for dealing with phlegm thanks to its ingredients, sulfur. This ingredient can help clear the infection of the airways as well as decrease the irritation of the mucous membrane very well.
This remedy is very simple. You only need to peel from 6 to 8 shallots and eat them with some sugar depending on your taste. When you take it, if you feel the burning sensation in the airways, it means this tip is working.
Chickpea powder is often used for treating phlegm and seems effective. With this remedy, you need to add 1 teaspoon of oil in a dish first. Then you continue to broil 2 tablespoons of chickpea powder until you see this mixture turns light tan. And then you add 1 teaspoon of powdered almonds and honey and 30 ounces of water. Mix them together and remove the heat. You should drink it twice a day for about 4 to 5 days.
Hot chicken soup can be used for dealing with phlegm as it can help moisturize the airways as well as thin the consistency of the phlegm in the throat. Besides that, this soup can help soothe your irritated throat as well as induce relaxation very well. This is also considered as a nutritious dish.
With this soup, you need to take it at least 2 or 3 times a day so as to get rid of phlegm effectively. Ginger and garlic is very good for the human health thanks to its ingredients as well as its properties. So you can combine your soup with them to increase the soup’s benefits. One more thing is that you should take homemade soup as it is better than canned soup.
Honey is known to contain antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties as well as a lot of vital nutrients. So it can become one of the common items for beauty and curing many conditions including phlegm. Honey can help eliminate phlegm and soothe an irritated throat. Besides that, it is believed to boost the immune system to treat infections faster.
You can deal with phlegm by adding a pinch of black or white pepper powder in 1 tablespoon of honey and take the mixture twice a day for about 1 week.
Or you can mix 1 tablespoon of honey with a glass of warm water and drink it several times a day. Water can help you make the mucus thin and medicinal properties in honey will be beneficial for your health.
One of the common home remedies for phlegm in the throat is onion. Thanks to its expectorant, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic properties, onion can help deal with phlegm and relax the throat. Plus, using onion can contribute to boosting the immune system and speeding up the healing process.
Firstly, you need to wash and chop finely a small onion. And then you toss them with 2 tablespoons of sugar and let it on for about half an hour until the mixture gets a liquid texture. After that, you can have 1 tablespoon of the tonic after every 2 or 3 hours or even when you need. After using, you can keep it in the fridge for about 1 or 2 days.
The benefits of onion and lemon for phlegm are mentioned on the above. However, they are showed separately. With this remedy, you can use this mixture to get the best result.
Now you only need to peel an onion first and then grind it into a juicer. With a lemon, you squeeze it to get a juice and mix it with onion juice. Continue to blend it in a cup of water that are boiling and wait for about 2 or 3 minutes. Then you need to remove the heat and let it cool. Finally, you can add a little honey and enjoy. Drink it thrice a day and until you get the good result.
Or you also can chop finely an onion first and add 2 teaspoons of sugar and leave it on for 30 minutes. When you see this mixture turn into liquid, you can take 1 spoon after every 2 hours.
Garlic is also one of the effective home remedies for phlegm in the throat that used popularly. It is found that sulfur in garlic can be helpful for breaking down the thick mucus. Besides that, it also has the natural expectorant properties that can help expel the excess phlegm effectively.
With this remedy, you simply chew 1 or 2 cloves of raw garlic when your stomach is empty. After some days, your condition will be better.
Lime is known to be good for removing the phlegm effectively thanks to its citric acid. Besides that, garlic with its anti-inflammatory properties is often used in dealing with phlegm. The combination of lime and garlic is known to be an effective among home remedies for phlegm for many people suffering this condition.
At first, you need to bring a cup of water to a boil and then remove the heat. You continue to squeeze about 3 lemons into it. After that, you add 2 crushed cloves of garlic, a pinch of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper powder and stir well. You can sip it daily until your condition is better.
Because of being rich in vitamin C, carrots are very helpful for boosting the immune system as well as building resistance to the infections very well. In addition, carrots are known to be high in essential nutrients and vitamins that are useful for reducing cough symptoms and phlegm. That is why this vegetable can be used for treating phlegm and other similar conditions.
In order to get the good result, you can need about 4 to 5 fresh carrots and extract its juice. After that, you can dilute this juice with some water and 2 or 3 teaspoons of honey depending on your taste. This solution can be taken throughout the day so as to clear phlegm from the throat more effectively.
Pineapple can become one of the good home remedies for phlegm in the throat thanks to its potent proteolytic enzyme – bromelain. This is a substance that can act as a digestive aid and a blood thinner. A recent study showed that this substance can contribute to thinning out mucus owing to its expectorant properties and natural decongestant. And pineapple is known to be a bromelain-rich food. That is why you can improve your condition when consuming pineapple. You can consume about 2 tall glasses of fresh pineapple juice per day within 2 or 3 weeks. It is not only good for your condition but also provides the vital nutrients to your healthy body.
Wild cherry bark is also known to be an effective traditional ingredient among home remedies for phlegm. However, it is not recommended for expecting and nursing women. The leaves and fruit pits of this fruit contain a type of poisonous acid called hydrocyanic acid that can affect directly the human healthy when consuming it. It is not also recommended for a long time.
With this bark, you can make a tea.
Or you can do it with its powder. If you want to be easier to consume, you can take 2 teaspoons of wild cherry syrup. This syrup is often found in the market.
With its depurative, diaphoretic and antiseptic properties, spikenard root can become one of the good home remedies for phlegm in the throat. But expecting women should not use it.
This home remedy is very simple. You only need to prepare some spikenard roots to make an herbal tea. This herbal tea can be taken 2 or 3 times a day.
Another option is to boil water with these roots to get spikenard decoction and use it to gargle daily. This action is also useful for removing phlegm.
Only with a handful of bay leaves, you can deal with phlegm. This is one of the traditional home remedies for phlegm in the throat using the common herbs. And here is the way to do:
You need some fresh bay leaves. Firstly, you must clean them with water and then put them in a cup of boiling water. Leave it on for several minutes. Then strain it. You can consume it to relieve it quickly.
With this home remedy, you need to boil a half pint of water in a pot. And then you remove the heat. Put about one ounce of its dried leaves in the pot and cover it with a lid. Let it be for 10 minutes. Finally, you need to strain it and mix the decoction with some honey and drink. This decoction can be kept in the fridge for two to three months.
This herb is very rich in mucilage and has a lot of protein, vitamins, and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin B, selenium, calcium, fiber, magnesium, and iron that are very necessary for the human health. Plus, it is also helpful for soothing the sore throat as well as supporting the removal of the phlegm out of your throat thanks to its anti-bacterial.
With this kind of home remedies for phlegm, you simply boil 2 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of its dried roots for about 5 minutes. Then, you strain this mixture and enjoy it two or three times a day to get the good result.
Oregano oil has the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that are useful for treating different infections in the respiratory system. It is also considered as a natural expectorant that help reduce phlegm effectively.
Using this oil to deal with phlegm is very simple. You can consume some drops of oregano oil or add this oil in your food if it is easier for you to consume.
Another option is to consume oregano capsules. These capsules may be found in health stores.
You can deal with phlegm by bring a cup of water with licorice to a boil. Then you strain this decoction and consume it three times a day. This decoction can help reduce phlegm in the throat effectively as well as relieve your throat quickly.
Slippery Elm is also one of the common traditional home remedies for phlegm in the throat. It contains the soluble fiber in water that can form a gel-like substance. This substance can help reduce the inflammatory in the throat.
In order to use slippery elm, you simply take two tablespoons of this bark powder and about 2 cups of water to bring a boil. Drink this solution twice daily to improve the excessive phlegm in your throat easily.
Another way is to prepare a poultice from elm so as to apply over the chest. This action can contribute to decreasing the production of phlegm in your throat.
Using eucalyptus oil is also a good way to reduce phlegm. You simply mix this oil with some drops of coconut oil and use this mixture to apply over your chest area and massage gently. However, it is not recommended for applying directly on the skin and for swallowing.
Drinking herbal tea can contribute to slackening the stubborn mucus effectively. There are many kinds of herbal teas that are good for this condition like Echinacea tea, green tea, lavender tea, and mint tea. These herbal teas can be enjoyed with one teaspoon of honey to increase their flavor. Some herbal teas from hyssop or calamus root also bring the same effect.
Combining mint and eucalyptus leaves for dealing with phlegm also bring the same effect. With these leaves, you can put a handful of eucalyptus and mint leaves in a pot filled up water and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. And then, remove the heat and put it on the table. You can lean your face towards the pot and inhale the vapors from the decoction. It can help expel out the phlegm.
One of the effective home remedies for phlegm in the throat is blowing your nose. This solution can be good for fighting off the infection as well as flu or cold, one of the causes lead to excessive phlegm in your throat.
Diet is always very an important factor for any condition including phlegm. The things you eat and drink can make your condition better or even worse. So when you have phlegm in the throat, you should notice your daily diet. A healthy diet for phlegm should be included the foods rich in vitamins and water. The vitamins in the foods can help strengthen the immune system, since then decrease the risk of the infection or excessive phlegm in the throat. The water can help your body hydrated. You should drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, at the same time add more the foods contain water and vitamin C so as to help remove the phlegm more easily.
Besides that, spicy foods are also very good for the dealing with phlegm. These foods can work as a decongestant that helps loosen up noxious phlegm more effectively and easily.
Smoking is also one of the main factors that can worsen your condition. There are many studies showed the high correlation between smoking and phlegm production. It can make your vocal chords dry and create more phlegm. So if you are a smoker, you need to pay attention to your nicotine intake in order to control your nicotine more effectively.
There are some other triggers that can make your condition worse. They can be dairy products, fumes, and hazardous chemicals. Dairy products like butter, milk, and cheese can contain the fat content that makes the mucus thicker. Fumes and hazardous chemicals like cleaners can have the bad influence on the respiratory function. That is why you need to avoid these triggers if you are suffering this condition.
Plus, when you are suffering phlegm in the throat, you also need to limit the use of cold foods and drinks so as to worse this condition, at the same time, use a humidifier to ease your nose. When you sleep, you should use a pillow to help breathe better and cough less. Especially, you have to keep your neck area always warm. Drinking a lot of warm water is also very good for this condition.
With all of the above home remedies for phlegm in the throat, you can completely deal with this condition. And you don’t need to worry about their safety to your health because all of them use the natural ingredients and solutions. In case you have any idea or question related to this topic, you can leave your comment in the following. We will reply for you as soon as possible.
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