Mucus In Throat: Causes And Treatments For Excess Mucus In Throat
It can feel gross and frustrating to cough up sticky, thick goo when your body produces so much phlegm. Nevertheless, mucus is an essential part of a healthy body.
Your throat's mucus protects you from harmful organisms and particles that may contribute to illness through the presence of antibodies and enzymes. It is a sign that your body is healing when you cough up mucus, which isn't pleasant!
The good news is that there are effective treatment options if excessive mucus production hinders your health. Identifying the cause of excessive mucus production in your throat can help determine the proper treatment.
Over-the-counter and prescription medications may be necessary in cases of mucus in the throat caused by an underlying illness. Home remedies can be effective in some cases, but in more severe cases, home remedies may not work.
Discuss mucus in this article and why you might produce a lot of it.
Here are a few home remedies and medications you can try when you should see a medical professional.
What Is Mucus and Why Do We Produce It?
When coughing, sneezing, or spitting, mucus is often green, yellow, beige, clear, red, or black. A person's mucus may indicate what's wrong with them and how well their body fights illnesses. Nasal and sinus membranes produce mucus. The mucus protects the body from harmful bacteria, viruses, and allergens through antibodies and enzymes. Your body uses it to defend itself from harmful antigens.
The mouth, nose, throat, and lungs are lined with respiratory mucus. The mucus produced in your cervix, digestive system, gastrointestinal tract, and other body parts plays a role in giving you proper health.
Symptoms of Excess Mucus in the Throat
The following are some of the most common symptoms that accompany the production of mucus:
- Restlessness and trouble sleeping.
- Runny nose
- Sinus headache
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Wheezing
- Chest congestion
- Nasal congestion
Causes of Excess Mucus in the Throat
Bacterial and viral infections, allergies, lung diseases, and asthma can cause the overproduction of mucus.
Overview of Common Causes of Mucus in the Throat and Recommended Treatments
| Cause | Symptoms | Suggested Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Acid Reflux | Throat irritation, postnasal drip | Diet changes, antacids, PPIs |
| Allergies | Sneezing, itchy eyes, congestion | Antihistamines, avoiding allergens |
| Infections | Cough, coloured phlegm | Antivirals, antibiotics, rest |
| Asthma | Coughing, chest tightness | Inhalers, asthma medications |
| Dry Air | Dry throat, thick mucus | Humidifier, hydration |
| Smoking | Persistent mucus, coughing | Smoking cessation, expectorants |
Acid Reflux
A patient with acid reflux experiences a backward motion of acid from their stomach up and into their esophagus. During acid reflux, your throat is irritated, and extra mucus is produced in your nasal passages and throat, resulting in a postnasal drip as your esophagus tries to remove it.
Allergies Symptoms
Symptoms of allergies include itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, congestion, chest tightness, a runny nose, and coughing. Your immune system produces mucus when it reacts to environmental allergens like dust, pollen, or dander. The mucus helps expel the irritant from the body.
Asthma
Coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, and chest tightness are some of the asthma symptoms. Coughing can be dry or include phlegm.
It may be wet with a small amount of white or clear mucus; this is a sign that your airways have become inflamed and need immediate attention. A thick phlegm cough could indicate a bacterial infection, which requires medical treatment.
Infections
Bacterial and viral infections, such as influenza, pneumonia, and bronchitis, can cause excess mucus in your lungs. Several colours can be found in mucus, including green and yellow. Whenever you cough or blow out red mucus from your nose, you indicate that your blood has been mixed with the mucus.
If you have been wiping, rubbing, coughing, or blowing your nose or throat too much, you might have irritated the tissue lining of your nose or throat.
Lung Diseases
Various lung diseases can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), making breathing more difficult. Usually, chronic bronchitis and emphysema are generally classified as COPD, and they are most commonly caused by long-term exposure to substances that irritate the lungs, since cigarette smoke is one of the biggest culprits.
People with asthma can develop COPD in some cases.
Dehydration
You may experience difficulty coughing due to thick mucus lining many internal organs, caused by dehydration, which makes it hard for tiny hairs called cilia to push the mucus through your body.
Dry Environment
In an arid climate, air conditioning or central heating can cause dehydration. Cold or dry air can also aggravate the nasal passages, producing thick mucus.
Caffeine And Alcohol Consumption
Caffeine in coffee, black tea, and energy drinks can dehydrate people and thicken mucus in the nasal and respiratory passages.
It has been shown that heavy alcohol consumption damages the mucociliary transport system, which is responsible for clearing mucus from the respiratory tract. Mucus production will be harrowing to regulate if it is damaged.
Smoking
Smoking tobacco can irritate the lungs and cause many symptoms, such as chest pain, coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties. Exposure to these chemicals for a prolonged period increases the risk of serious health problems such as COPD, heart attacks, strokes, and death.
Home Remedies to Clear Mucus in the Throat
When the mucus is produced in large amounts, several effective home remedies can help ease symptoms. The home remedies listed below can be added to your healthcare regimen alongside over-the-counter and prescription medications to address the underlying cause of your problem.
Eat Chicken Soup: A 2000 study concluded that chicken soup's anti-inflammatory properties could reduce inflammation associated with sinus congestion and colds. The anti-inflammatory response triggered by chicken soup can decrease mucus production because it prevents the migration of neutrophils, leading to a reduction in inflammation.
Drink Plenty Of Fluids: Water, diluted juices, decaffeinated teas, soups, and lemon water can help loosen congestion.
Gargle Warm Salt Water: A sore throat may be soothed, and phlegm may be broken up by gargling warm salt water.
Avoid Excess Dairy. A high dairy intake may result in thicker mucus and increased mucus production when battling phlegm.
Consume Lemon, Ginger, and Garlic: Researchers found that foods and drinks containing lemon, ginger, and garlic can ease coughs, colds, and excess mucus.
Stay Warm: Keep your body warm to prevent illness. You can consume warm liquids, take hot showers, wrap blankets around yourself, or lie out clothing.
Use a Humidifier. Steam, which adds moisture to the air, can clear phlegm and congestion. Humidifiers with air purifiers can reduce mucus production by removing irritants in the air.
Medications for Mucus Buildup in the Throat
Depending on what causes excess mucus production, some over-the-counter (OTC) options can relieve symptoms such as stuffy noses, coughs, and chest congestion.
Medications may be necessary for chronic illnesses such as cystic fibrosis or COPD that cause excessive mucus production.
OTC Medicines
- Antihistamines: A variety of OTC antihistamines, both sedating and non-sedating, are available to treat runny noses, tickly throats, and chest congestion caused by the immune system's response to an irritant in the environment. In addition to drying your nose, they can also help clear your airways. Drowsiness is a side effect of sedating antihistamines. When taking these drugs, you should avoid operating heavy machinery and drinking alcohol simultaneously.
- Oral and Nasal Decongestants: An oral decongestant (like Sudafed) or nasal spray (like Flonase or Afrin) may be appropriate for treating stuffy noses. When used for longer than a few days, nasal sprays such as Afrin or oxymetazoline can cause rebound or chronic congestion. Flonase, a nasal corticosteroid spray, can reduce inflammation in the nasal passages. You can breathe more clearly by constricting your airways with oral decongestants. If you have high blood pressure, avoid oral decongestants containing pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine.
- Expectorants: Mucus is easier to cough up with expectorants like guaifenesin (Mucinex).
- Suppressants: Suppressants reduce the number of coughs and throat clearings that occur. The coating soothes irritation and coats the throat.
Prescription Medications
Some health conditions, including chronic lung disease and cystic fibrosis, are associated with increased mucus production. You can eliminate mucus from your body with more potent medications prescribed by your healthcare provider.
These medications include
-
Dornase-Alfa (Pulmozyme): This mucus-thinning medication is used for the treatment and management of cystic fibrosis. It can be inhaled through a nebuliser and is suitable for people aged six and older. When used, Dornase-Alfa clears sputum and lungs.
- Hypertonic Saline: When nebulised, it thins out the mucus and stimulates coughing due to its high sodium concentration. It is available only by prescription, unlike some saline solutions that can be bought over the counter.
When to See a Doctor for Mucus in the Throat
Consult your doctor when home remedies and OTC medications have failed to relieve your symptoms. An underlying health condition can cause excessive mucus production in some cases.
If you experience any of these symptoms, see a healthcare professional right away:
- Coughing that lasts more than two weeks
- The coughing up of blood
- Mucus with a foul smell or blood in it
- The presence of a persistent fever above 101°F (38°C)
- Breathing difficulties or shortness of breath
- You feel like you're ill all over.
A throat infection can sometimes lead to excess mucus in your throat as your body fights against it. Prescription medicine and a physical examination may be required.
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