I was sick past weekend and feel like I have phlegm lodged in my throat, how to get rid of it ?
At one point in time, having an excess of phlegm was associated directly with depression. However, as medical sciences, advanced it was discovered that the phlegm in the body actually indicated an immune system that is healthy and trying to fight infections from forming in the body. But, sometimes the phlegm can get collected in the throat and chest causing congestions and should be removed. Before going into the methods on how to remove phlegm from your throat, lungs, and chest, it will be useful to know what phlegm or ‘flem’, as it is sometimes misspelt is.
What is phlegm?
Phlegm is a viscous liquid that is produced by the mucous membranes in mammals. It is a water based gel that consists of lipids, immunoglobulins, glycoproteins, and other substances. The composition of phlegm changes depending on the immunes systems’ state, genetics, and the climate. The color of phlegm can be clear or transparent, dark yellow, brown or green, depending on what the constituents are. It helps to trap foreign bodies, dust, virus, and bacteria. It also helps to prevent an infection of the lungs and damage that can be caused from organisms that are infectious. There are many effective methods on how to get rid of phlegm in the chest naturally.
One of the effective ways on how to loosen and remove the phlegm or mucous in the throat is to inhale eucalyptus oil that is mixed in a vessel of hot water. The vapors rising from the water that are inhaled help to loosen up the phlegm so that it can easily be removed. Other essential oils that are useful in loosening the phlegm buildup and bringing relief from cough are jasmine, cedar, thyme, pine, cypress, peppermint, and myrrh oils. While you are breathing in the steam, you should hold a towel over your head to prevent the vapors from escaping. Another effective home remedy is eating ginger, which is effective in treating phlegm discharges and sore throats. You could mix the extracts of carnation, cinnamon, and ginger with some honey or water. Drinking this concoction around five times a day is good remedy when it comes to how to get the phlegm out of the throat and chest. Another effective home remedy you could prepare is by mixing a teaspoon of honey and some fresh lemon juice to warm water. This remedy helps in controlling phlegm production.
Mixing raisins with some seeds of black pepper is another very effective method on how to get phlegm out of the throat. You could also try soaking some slices of orange in wine and leaving it overnight; you can then cook it the next day and eat it. This remedy helps to get rid of phlegm and ease the infections in the throat. Although this folk remedy has been considered very effective among many uses, medical experts usually do not mention it. Another effective home remedy you could prepare is to make a paste of white pepper, granulated sugar, powdered ginger, and the root of liquorice with some honey. You can eat this home remedy about four times a day; it will considerably help in controlling excessive phlegm. Since ancient times, the curative properties of garlic have been well known. Keeping the odor aside, eating some cloves of raw garlic before you go to bed can bring relief from excessive phlegm. Pears, which are believed to contain natural properties in the treatment of phlegm, are recommended by some herbalists. It is essential that new born infants breathe through the nose. But, if there is congestion in the nasal passages of infants, it can be an interference to nursing and in some cases lead to breathing problems that are serious. An effective method on how to remove phlegm from an infant is to use an aspirator or an infant nasal bulb.
To ensure an effective control of phlegm, it will help greatly to make it a habit of gargling on a daily basis. You should add some salt to a cup of warm water and gargle with it two times a day. You could also try pulling the warm water with your nose till the phlegm comes out, but not everyone prefers to use this method. If you do not feel you can do it, you can just deeply inhale the steam that will loosen the mucous in the chest and lungs and allow you to easily cough it out. Ointments and nasal drops are not very effective in getting rid of the phlegm. You could use an expectorant instead. An expectorant will enable the phlegm present in the respiratory tract to become loose. If you have some sinus or nasal infection you must make sure to consult a doctor and receive the proper treatment for it.
It is important that you avoid suppressing a cough when it develops. Coughing is a natural mechanism of the body to expel and eliminate the phlegm. If you take any cough suppressants you will be shutting down the process for the elimination of phlegm. Whenever you find phlegm present in your throat make sure that you avoid swallowing it. The phlegm contains blood cells and dead bacteria and should therefore be spat out immediately. You should also avoid smoking as it makes the problem of phlegm worse. Smokers have more problems than non-smokers with phlegm as the natural cleaning ability of the lungs is lost. Lungs that are normal have a lining of small hair cells that causes the layer of watery mucous to be swept up inside the bronchial tree. This is the method in which the germs, dust, pollution and dirt that you breathe in get cleaned out from the lungs. To help get rid of and loosen phlegm in the chest and throat it is essential that you drink enough of water. The phlegm will be more thick and harder to get out if you are dry. You should drink enough of water to keep the color of your urine clear and avoid drinking alcohol as it will dry you out.
A lot of times it happens that after you get sick, you start feeling the phlegm in your throat. This phlegm is nothing but mucus and is a sign of your body’s fight against any infection that might be attacking it. Phlegm basically consists of mucus, dead bacteria, and the dead white cell material.
What Is Phlegm And Mucus
There was a time when it was thought that an excess of phlegm in the body can be directly associated with depression. However, with the advancement in medical sciences, it was later found out that the presence of phlegm is an indication of a healthy immune system that’s trying to ward off any infections from growing inside the body.
For those who smoke regularly, having phlegm in the throat and chest can be a normal way of life. The tobacco particles can enter the body and irritate the mucus membrane, generating phlegm. Smoking also reduces the body’s immunity and interferes with the body’s ability to fight disease. Also if you fall sick and then recover, smoking tends to prolong the presence of phlegm.
Cure Phlegm Naturally
To remove phlegm, develop the habit of gargling. Everyday, take a glass of warm water and add some salt to it. Use this water to gargle, preferably twice a day. You can also try snorting the warm water up your nose until the phlegm comes out. However, this method is not suitable for everyone. If you feel you can’t do it, don’t. Instead, just fill in a tub of hot water, place a towel on your head and bend over the tub. Inhale the steam deeply. The steam will loosen up the phlegm and you will be able to cough it out easily.
Nasal drops and ointments don’t usually help in getting rid of the phlegm. Instead, try using an expectorant. The expectorant will help loosen up the phlegm in the respiratory tract. If you have nasal or sinus infections, see your doctor and get treatment for it.
You might have some cough. Don’t try to suppress it. The cough is a natural way of eliminating phlegm by expelling it. If you take suppressants for your cough, you will be inadvertently shutting off the elimination of phlegm. Make sure that your intake of warm fluids is increased as this too will help to loosen up any phlegm that may have accumulated in your airways.
When you get phlegm in your throat, do not swallow it. The phlegm contains dead bacteria and blood cells therefore it should be expelled. Spit it out immediately. Honey and ginger syrup can help relieve you of the phlegm and prevent it from congesting the chest.
