What to do if sputum is not expectorated from the throat? What to do if snot in the throat is tortured: causes and proven methods of treatment. When to See a Doctor

Phlegm in the throat is the secret of the tracheobronchial tree, formed from saliva, water and sinus mucus. An unpleasant symptom occurs as a result of diseases of the respiratory tract, cardiovascular system, allergic reactions and other conditions. To get rid of sputum, drugs, folk remedies and physiotherapeutic methods are used.

Causes of phlegm in the throat

Phlegm in the throat is a symptom that accompanies many diseases and pathological conditions in the human body.

Phlegm in the throat is the result of a respiratory disease

It may result from:

• respiratory diseases of bacterial and viral origin;
• tuberculosis, oncological pathologies of the respiratory organs;
• diseases of the cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract;
• an allergic reaction to certain irritants;
• unhealthy lifestyle: constant smoking, drinking alcohol;
• eating food that is harmful to the throat: hot, cold, spicy dishes;
• unfavorable living environment or work in hazardous production.

Conventionally, these causes can be divided into 2 groups: diseases and other conditions.

Possible diseases

Diseases that cause sputum production include pathologies of the respiratory organs, cardiovascular and digestive systems.

Other factors

Normal factors that cause persistent phlegm include:

To get rid of these conditions, you do not need to consult a doctor: it is enough to change your lifestyle, eliminating products and conditions that are harmful to the respiratory system.

Which doctor should I contact?

If sputum appears, you should consult a general practitioner. The therapist will either conduct an examination, interview the patient, perform the necessary diagnostic measures and establish a preliminary diagnosis.

Seeing a General Practitioner is the First Step When Sputum Appears

If necessary, the general practitioner will refer you to other specialists:

• - in diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
• - with pathologies of the lungs and bronchi;
• - in diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• - with reflux and other problems of the gastrointestinal tract;
• - addiction to smoking, alcohol.

Diagnostics

To diagnose the cause of sputum, the attending physician will need to carry out the following manipulations:

ECG and ultrasound are used for suspected cardiac or digestive pathologies. If the cause is a disease of the respiratory tract, these studies should not be carried out.

How to get rid of phlegm at home?

Getting rid of sputum is possible with the help of drugs, effective folk recipes and auxiliary methods used during the treatment of children.

Drug treatment

Medicines used to treat the causes of sputum include mucolytics, expectorants, immunomodulators, antivirals, antifungals, and antibacterials.

ACC long is an effective drug for the treatment of sputum

How to remove phlegm folk remedies?

Proven folk recipes should be used in combination with drug treatment to increase efficiency.

herbal collection

Herbal collection will help to quickly remove phlegm from the throat: plantain, mint, marshmallow and coltsfoot. A drink from them is prepared as follows:

Use the collection should be 2-3 times a day, on an empty stomach.

Pine decoction

Pine bark and needles are an effective anti-inflammatory agent for many respiratory diseases. The decoction is prepared as follows:

The decoction is taken orally, 50-60 ml, 2-3 times a day, on an empty stomach.

pine buds

In addition to pine bark and needles, buds can also be used in combination with milk to get rid of phlegm. The mixture is made as follows:

1. 1 st. l. kidneys is mixed with 200 ml of warm milk.
2. The drink is put into the refrigerator and infused for 12-15 hours.
3. The mixture is carefully filtered and consumed inside.

For 1 dose, you need to drink 50 ml of the product.

Black radish and honey

Honey is excellent for any inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract. Black radish also has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect.

The mixture itself can be applied to the chest and throat as a compress.

onion broth

Onion is an excellent tool for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. To remove sputum, it is used internally in the form of a decoction.

1. Peel 2 large onions, place in a saucepan.
2. Pour boiling water, cook for 1-1.5 hours over low heat.
3. Add 200 g of sugar to the broth.

The decoction should be taken 3-4 times a day.

Aloe and honey

To remove phlegm from the respiratory tract, aloe leaves can be added to honey as an additional component.

You can use this mixture 2 times a day: in the morning and in the evening. For each reception, it is necessary to prepare a new mixture, otherwise it will lose its useful properties during storage.

Banana gruel

Banana combined with sugar is an excellent folk recipe for better expectoration of sputum and faster recovery.

1. Peel and grate 2-3 bananas.
2. Add 2 times less sugar to them.
3. Mix thoroughly and eat.

This recipe is harmless and very tasty, so it has no restrictions on consumption.

Propolis tincture

Propolis tincture can be used as a gargle, compress or lubrication of the throat to get rid of phlegm.

Tea with herbs and berries

Adding anti-inflammatory herbs, berries and other components to regular tea will help you get rid of the inflammatory process faster and say goodbye to phlegm. As an additive to tea should be used:

Tea with anti-inflammatory effect should be drunk 5-6 times a day.

Calendula with honey

As an addition to honey, fresh or dried calendula is perfect: this herb does an excellent job with inflammatory processes in the body.

The product is used 2 times a day: in the morning and in the evening.

What to do with sputum in a child?

Due to anatomical and physiological features, in children of preschool and primary school age, sputum is not coughed up as easily and simply as it happens in adults and adolescents.

In order not to cause stagnation of mucus and not provoke complications, when getting rid of sputum in a child, the following recommendations should be followed:

1. For an expectorant effect, syrups and sprays of plant origin, with natural ingredients, should be used.
2. Mucolytics should be used by inhalation with a nebulizer or steam inhaler. There are special solutions for these purposes: Ambrobene, Lazolvan.
3. It is necessary to do special massage and gymnastics: this method stimulates the outflow of sputum from the lungs and larynx.
4. In addition to drug therapy, it is worth using folk methods: gargling, rinsing the nose, various compresses with a hypoallergenic composition.
5. Medical treatment should be supplemented with physiotherapy: UHF therapy, laser therapy and galvanization stimulate the immune system, improve microcirculation and help the body overcome the disease faster.

With sputum in a child, you can not self-medicate: excess mucus in the lower respiratory tract is fraught with pneumonia and other pathologies. You should contact your pediatrician or ENT to start treatment under the supervision of a specialist.

Possible Complications

If sputum constantly accumulates in the larynx, and the cause of its occurrence is not treated, the following complications may occur:

The occurrence of these consequences can be fatal.

Prevention of accumulation of mucus in the larynx

Preventive measures to prevent the appearance of viscous and thick mucus in the throat include the following:

1. Refusal of bad habits: smoking, alcohol.
2. Eating moderately spicy food at medium temperature.
3. Frequent walks in the fresh air, if possible - avoiding harmful industries and areas with polluted air.
4. Timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract.
5. Annual examinations by a cardiologist and gastroenterologist.
6. Taking vitamins in the autumn-spring period to reduce the likelihood of a cold.
7. Abundant consumption of clean drinking water.

The appearance of phlegm in the throat- a symptom that signals problems in the body. The separation of mucus never goes away on its own, so you should consult a doctor to avoid complications in the course of the disease.

How often does it happen that mucus accumulates in your throat, which you tend to swallow or spit out? Is there an admixture of blood in it? Are there other additional symptoms, such as a runny nose, itching, some pain when swallowing? Do not take comfort in the idea that these symptoms are completely harmless, since they do not supposedly indicate a serious illness.

If you have persistent mucus in your throat, this may indicate the development of certain diseases. Their list includes: asthma, nasopharyngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and others, including bronchitis. Or it could be a symptom of an allergy to a food or to certain conditions. Mucus builds up in your throat most often because the mucous membranes in your throat are inflamed.

By itself, the accumulated sputum may not accurately indicate any disease, since it is not the main symptom. Only in combination with other painful signs can the cause and disease be accurately determined. For example, if you are constantly burping, after which mucus accumulates in your throat, then this may be a syndrome of malfunctions in the gastrointestinal tract. It is unlikely that you, by correlating the symptoms, will accurately determine what kind of disease it is, unless you are an otolaryngologist. It is better to go to a doctor who will diagnose and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

However, if the persistent mucus in the throat is not accompanied by any other signs of the disease, then you can try to remove it. As already mentioned, one of the reasons may be irritation of the mucous membranes. Do you often eat bitter and spicy foods, do you like to season foods with pepper? If so, then know that such food, consumed often and in large quantities, can provoke inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat, which can be caused by constant mucus in the throat.

Use the good old folk remedies. For example, rinsing with a salt solution. Such a solution kills accumulated microbes, removes mucus. Rinse your throat with this solution at least three times a day. You can also rinse with infusion of medicinal herbs mixed with salt. Warm drinks can help clear mucus. Even such a simple remedy as tea with a spoonful of honey can, with gradual use, relieve inflammation by stopping the secretion of mucus in the throat. Some herbal decoctions or chicken broth will help.

Inhalation works well. Pour water into a saucepan, add medicinal herbs there, and bring it to a boil. Then tilt your head towards the pan, opening your mouth and breathing in the steam.

If you have thick mucus in your throat, then most likely you will want to cough it up during inhalation. By the way, it is important not to be exposed to temperature differences after you have inhaled the vapor. If you did inhalation in the cold season, then stay in a warm room for some time so as not to get sick - after all, in this case, the temperature difference can cause serious illness.

Thick mucus is usually green in color and consists of water and glycoproteins. The color of sputum can say something about the state of health. If you have thick mucus in your throat that is green or yellow when you expectorate, it is probably a symptom of bacterial pneumonia. That is, it can be a sign of inflammation of the upper respiratory tract.

If the thick mucus in your throat is clear and is accompanied by headaches, sore throat, and fever above normal, then this most likely indicates that you are sick with the flu. In addition to all of the above, sputum can be one of the indicators of more serious diseases - lung cancer, tuberculosis, asthma. If you have it with an admixture of blood, then this may even indicate tuberculosis, but not always.

So, if the constant mucus in the throat is combined with other symptoms, then together with other signs it will help determine the clinical picture of the disease. However, if it bothers you not so long ago, and, apart from it, nothing bothers you anymore (no temperature, etc.), then mucus may turn out to be, for example, a harmless symptom of an allergy to a product. However, if mucus accumulates in the throat, then you should still visit an ENT doctor to prevent possible complications.

Mucus in the throat is not a disease in itself. Rather, it is a symptom of some disease, possibly serious and requiring mandatory treatment. Mucus in the throat, or phlegm, results from a variety of causes. Both external factors and internal diseases can affect the accumulation of mucus in the throat.

The true causes of sputum formation are difficult to determine. Therefore, if there is a lump of mucus in the throat (“snot in the throat”), the very first action of the patient should be to visit the ENT doctor. However, the accumulation of mucus in the nasopharynx can also occur in a perfectly healthy person, since the causes of this phenomenon can be infectious and non-infectious. Only a specialist can correctly analyze all the symptoms and prescribe the right treatment.

What is sputum

According to Wikipedia, sputum is a pathological secret of the tracheobronchial tree discharged during expectoration with an admixture of saliva and the secret of the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. By itself, sputum is necessary for the body: it protects the mucous membrane from drying out, serves as a medium for the microflora of the respiratory tract, and contains some cells of the immune system.

However, when the body is attacked by any harmful factors (allergens, infections, foreign bodies), the volume of sputum increases dramatically. As a result, congestion occurs, such as a lump in the throat, which cannot be swallowed.

When a person is in a horizontal position, for example, during sleep, mucus flows down the back of the throat. In the morning, this mucus on the back of the throat (“snot in the throat”) causes a desire to cough up, white, viscous sputum leaves.

Non-infectious causes of mucus in the throat

Consider the causes, not related to the disease. First of all, our eating habits:

1. Excessively spicy and salty food is dangerous for the stomach, irritates the mucous membrane and can cause mucus to accumulate in the goal.
2. Too cold or too hot dishes, carbonated drinks can also cause mucus in the nasopharynx.
3. Some foods, such as milk. Thick mucus may be a reaction to dairy products.
4. Alcohol, burning the mucous membrane, causes mucus in the throat.

Of course, no treatment is required in such cases. Watch your diet, do not overload your stomach at night, give up bad habits - and you will get rid of discomfort.

In addition to the above factors, constant phlegm in the throat may be the result of external influences:

1. The first item on this list is smoking. The body's defense response to nicotine increases sputum production. Then the body gives up, the mucous membrane can not cope with the load and dries up. There is a cough, especially strong in the morning.
2. Polluted air, for example, in industrial premises, often contributes to the fact that there is a constant mucus in the throat.

All of these problems can be removed or prevented by changing lifestyle (proper nutrition, giving up bad habits) or protective measures (masks in a dusty room, possible change of job).

It is more difficult to cope with allergic reactions. Here, taking antihistamines prescribed (necessarily!) by a doctor will help.

In addition, the constantly present sensation of mucus in the nasopharynx may be due to dehydration or respiratory failure.

To alleviate the situation will help a large amount of liquid, rinsing the goal, washing the nose. If the cause of the breathing problem is a deviated nasal septum or polyps, the doctor determines the need for surgery.

Infectious causes of mucus accumulation in the nasopharynx

Most often, such a problem can be the result of a cold and eventually goes away on its own. However, the constant accumulation of sputum can be a symptom of a disease of the bronchopulmonary system. These diseases include: pharyngitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, adenoiditis, rhinitis, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma. One listing of the names of diseases should convince you not to self-medicate. Washing the nose and gargling will slightly alleviate the situation, but these measures cannot replace a doctor's appointment.

Sometimes, to make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to examine the patient's sputum. Collect it in the morning in a sterile dish, after rinsing the mouth well.
Do not forget that the mouth and throat are parts of the digestive system, so various diseases of this system can also cause the formation of mucus in the throat. In this case, it is necessary to identify and treat diseases of the digestive tract.

Why does mucus accumulate in the throat in children? A separate topic is the accumulation of sputum in a child, especially in infants. As a first aid, you can use massage (if there is no temperature) or use folk remedies.

Not all folk remedies are suitable for infants. You can advise chamomile tea, a cabbage leaf compress with a drop of honey, a weak rosehip broth.

It is important to humidify the air in the room, you can just hang wet towels. This is especially true in the autumn-winter period, when heaters greatly dry the air in the house. In addition, plentiful warm drink is useful.

Folk remedies to facilitate the excretion of sputum

For adults and older children, a wider range of folk remedies is used. For example, honey in any combination: with black radish juice, with cranberry juice, with hot milk, with nuts, with onion juice. Warm milk at night is a classic recipe.

Preparing a mixture of black radish juice with honey is very simple. Take a large black radish, cut off the upper and lower edges so that even areas form. Then carefully cut out the core, leaving the bottom at the bottom. Make sure that the hole is not through, otherwise all the juice that the radish secretes will flow out. After the recess is ready, pour honey into it, but not to the very top. Place the root crop in a container - the juice can pour out through the top. The juice released from the radish, mixed with honey, will help with coughing and for expectoration. It is sweet in taste and children drink it with pleasure.

Another option is milk with oats. One glass of ordinary oats (not oatmeal!) is poured with one liter of milk and evaporated for at least an hour. It is good to do this in a thick-walled dish in the oven. Milk acquires a golden hue and becomes thicker. Give the child a drink in several doses.

Thinning drugs include a mixture of lingonberry syrup with honey, freshly squeezed carrot juice with the addition of milk. Thyme tea will help: two teaspoons per cup of boiling water, 15 minutes. insist, insist. This decoction can be drunk up to several glasses a day.

For adults (children will not drink it), decoctions and infusions from coltsfoot, oregano, marshmallow, St. John's wort, chamomile, sage, larch needles are suitable. As a rule, herbs are brewed with boiling water in a ratio of 1 tablespoon of herbs to 1 glass of water, insist, filter and take about a third of a glass three times a day.

For coniferous and bark decoction, take two tablespoons of the dry ingredient per half liter of boiling water. Unlike herbal infusions, the decoction is boiled for about 15 minutes and insisted for another 40 minutes, having thoroughly wrapped the dishes. The application is also different: no more than 2 tablespoons in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Let's summarize. Mucus in the throat is always present. This is one of the factors that protect our body. An increase in the amount of sputum in the nasopharynx, causing discomfort, may be the result of an unhealthy lifestyle or disease. In the first case, we change our lifestyle and in a couple of weeks we get the result. In the second case, we do not expect a miracle, but we turn to a doctor.

A viscous secret that covers the nasopharynx, protects the body from pathogenic microbes, and performs many other functions.

There are situations when too much mucus is released as a result of the disease. It interferes with swallowing, sometimes breathing.

The role of mucus in the body

Mucus is a gelatinous liquid found on the inner layers of hollow organs. From the inside, the surface of the pharynx and larynx is covered with a thin layer of mucus. This saves from drying out, injuries and pathological microorganisms.

The qualitative composition depends on local and general immunity. The body has its own system of self-cleansing from such mucus, but it does not cope with diseases when snot collects in large quantities in the nasopharynx.

Mucus is transparent initially. The attachment of pathology changes the color and consistency of the discharge. Increased secretion of sputum leads to discomfort.

The constant accumulation of mucus in the nasopharynx causes the adult to cough often, and in the child leads to bouts of vomiting.

Sputum is constantly present on the back wall of the nasopharynx. In a healthy state, a person does not feel it. With the accumulation of a large amount, there is a desire to remove mucus from the throat, to cough up.

The main factors that provoke the increased formation of mucus in the throat are pathogens.

They contribute to the onset of infectious diseases (tonsillitis, bronchitis, laryngitis). Thick mucus in the composition of a wet cough is well separated along with a runny nose.

Substances-allergens also become causes that cause the formation of sputum. The body, inhaling such substances, takes them for carriers of infections. Allergens often include:

• plant pollen;
• room dust;
• wool and animal feces.

External stimuli have a negative effect on the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx. With prolonged exposure to nicotine, a smoker develops snot in the throat that makes you want to spit it out.

The constant use of carbonated drinks, alcohol, hot spices provokes the formation of an additional layer of sputum to protect the nasopharynx.

Increased production of mucus in the throat occurs against the background of diseases of the digestive system. With diverticula of the esophagus, ulcers, reflux esophagitis and other diseases, the digestive juice is thrown into the esophagus.

It is created, other symptoms of a violation of the digestion of food (heartburn, belching, bouts of nausea) join.

A tumor of a benign or malignant nature can cause increased secretion of mucous secretions. This is not the main symptom of cancer, but often accompanies it.

The presence of a foreign object in the airways or pharynx can cause increased secretion, more often this occurs in childhood.

Not completely cured runny nose gives a feeling of a thick mass in the nasopharynx. Snot on the back of the throat accumulates, can exit through the nose or mouth.

In older people, the problem is exacerbated because the muscles weaken, the strength of swallowing is reduced, and there is no way to expectorate phlegm. It becomes especially difficult after a stroke.

Slime is different

The mucous secret that flows down the back of the pharynx varies in color, volume, and consistency. A smear specialist is able to tell the approximate cause of the ailment. By viscosity, you can determine the disease. Thick sputum occurs with bronchial asthma, liquid - during an allergic reaction.

The secretion of mucus from the throat occurs in different quantities. A large volume occurs with an abscess or pulmonary edema. A small amount of mucus indicates an inflammatory process of the throat, nasopharynx.

The green color of the allocated secret indicates the beginning of suppuration in the throat. This process needs to be urgently treated. A yellow tint of mucus is a sign of a disease in the bronchi. In the presence of a fungal infection or problems with digestion, white mucus appears.

Clear sputum does not contain pathological microorganisms. This is the mucous substance of a natural color, without the addition of pathogenic bacteria.

Symptoms of ailments

Persistent mucus in the throat is an ideal environment for pathogens. The basis of sputum is a protein that serves as food for microbes. That is why it is necessary to know how to get rid of mucus in the throat, and to apply the most decisive action.

Signs of sputum accumulation:

• frequent sneezing;
• lump in the throat;
• desire to cough;
• bad breath;
• feeling of itching;
• feeling of congestion in the nasopharynx;
• pain when swallowing;
• weakness;
• difficulty breathing.

The diagnosis can be different, it all depends on the accompanying symptoms. It is impossible to treat such manifestations lightly, to hope that they will pass on their own.

Clots of accumulated sputum lead to negative complications, such as insufficient nasal breathing, dizziness, fainting.

Methods of treatment

The main treatment will be aimed at getting rid of the main disease, its consequences, complications. If mucus has formed in the throat, then the causes and treatment will be closely related.

But the symptoms must also be addressed. It is especially difficult with a dry cough, when the accumulated sputum in the throat is not expectorated.

Rinsing with the use of ready-made solutions, which can be purchased at a pharmacy, helps well. This method has been used since the age of three. Until this age, it is difficult for a child to explain how to treat snot. Ingestion of the drug may occur, which is quite dangerous for a small organism.

If snot flows down the back of the throat, an ENT doctor will tell you how to cure them. Special medicines thin the sputum, accelerate its removal to facilitate swallowing and coughing. It will become easier to clear the throat, the pain when swallowing will pass, the irritated throat will calm down.

Inhalations help clear mucus from the back of the throat. It is allowed to perform the procedure using a special nebulizer device (dry inhalation) or inhale steam over a saucepan under a towel. This wet inhalation will warm the body with heat.

It helps well if the mucus flows down the back of the throat. Wet inhalation should not be used at elevated temperatures, with erosions and ulcers in the mouth.

Green snot requires the use of antibiotics. They are local or general action, the doctor will determine which ones to take, depending on the degree of damage.

Since it is not always easy for children to remove snot from the throat, you can use aerosols, sprays, absorbable lozenges - Septolete, Ingalipt.

How to get rid of snot in the throat with allergies? Take antihistamines (Claritin, Suprastin, Telfast), reduce contact with allergens.

If the cause is rhinitis, then vasoconstrictor drugs are prescribed to relieve congestion (Nazivin, Vibrocil). When using them, it is necessary to moisturize the nasal cavities. Aqua Maris, Aqualor are suitable for this.

When secretions are actively flowing along the back of the throat, quartzing is effective. Ultraviolet rays act on the surface, suppressing pathogenic microflora.

Excessive production of sputum stops, its remnants begin to be better expectorated, tickling stops. All medicines must be taken as directed by a physician.

The use of folk recipes

If snot appeared in the throat, traditional medicine will tell you how to get rid of it. Rinses with medicinal decoctions, saline solutions are successfully used for these purposes.

How to remove mucus in the throat? It removes accumulated clots well and cleanses the larynx by regularly rinsing with decoctions of calendula, chamomile, and sage.

It is important to remember that saliva washes away the medicine, so you need to rinse often - every 10 minutes. Do this 3 to 6 times. These sessions should be done approximately 5 times a day.

A mixture of honey and aloe helps to expectorate mucus in the throat in the morning. It is necessary to grind a large leaf of the plant, mix with 1 tbsp. l. liquid honey and consume 1 tsp. before meals twice a day. It takes at least a week to heal. The recipe is suitable for the treatment of sputum accumulation in an adult.

If mucus runs down the back of the throat, it is difficult to cough it up. Successfully helps an aqueous solution of soda and salt. These two components are taken in equal amounts, dissolved in water. In the morning, after each meal, gargle with a solution.

Salt (it is better to take sea salt) reduces the formation of mucus, destroys pathogenic microflora. Soda does not allow sputum to accumulate, it dilutes it.

Compresses help a lot. Cottage cheese must be squeezed out, put on foil, warmed up so that it is pleasant to put on the body. Attach to the neck, wrap with a film, cloth. It is better to carry out the treatment lying down, as whey flows from the curd.

Keep the compress as long as possible, you can do it at night. You do not need to cover your neck with a warm scarf. The effect is not in the heat, but in the properties of the serum. She, seeping to the throat, helps to cough up sputum, which does not go away, is not swallowed.

Warm mineral water sweetened with natural honey will be an excellent drink to strengthen a weakened immune system.

She also treats if mucus accumulates in the throat, suitable for adults and children (in the absence of an allergic reaction to bee products). Drink throughout the day in any volume.

Urgently see a doctor

If mucus collects in the throat, and the treatment does not have positive results, then you need to seek medical help. You can correct a simple situation on your own, a serious illness requires medical knowledge.

There are symptoms that require immediate medical attention:

• sputum constantly accumulates, despite treatment;
• streaks of blood in the mucus;
• there was pain behind the sternum;
• sour taste in the mouth;
• thick mucus accumulated in the nasopharynx, making it difficult to breathe.

The infancy of the patient is a prerequisite for contacting a doctor, only a specialist knows how to treat such babies.

To accurately answer the question of why mucus accumulates in the throat, diagnostics and laboratory tests help. Based on her findings, drug treatment is prescribed, which allows you to cough up mucus.

An increased accumulation of mucus in the throat is not a separate pathology, but only a symptom, so preventive measures will be associated with the underlying disease.

To prevent such secretions in the oral cavity, it is necessary to complete the treatment of inflammatory diseases in the nasopharynx.

The larynx and pharynx are lined from the inside with a mucous membrane, and normally they are covered with the thinnest layer of mucus that protects the walls from drying out and injury. But sometimes, as a result of the action of an external stimulus or the development of an inflammatory process in the body, the secretion of mucus increases. It can be produced not only in the throat itself, but also in other internal organs. Mucous secret - sputum - accumulates in the throat and causes discomfort. Since the accumulation of mucus in the throat is often a symptom of the disease, it is necessary to understand the causes of this phenomenon and know how to deal with it.

Why, for what reasons does mucus appear in the throat?

Possible Causes of Mucus in the Throat

Mucus production is a protective reaction of the body to mechanical injury, infection, irritation with allergens and other aggressive substances, so there are many reasons why mucus collects in the throat.

• Exposure to tobacco smoke, dusty or fumes-laden air, alcohol and carbonated drinks, spicy foods, excessively hot or cold food and drink.
• Inhalation or ingestion allergens.
• Diseases or injuries of the ENT organs, in which sputum is produced either by the mucous membrane of the pharynx, larynx, or flows into the throat from the nasopharynx, nasal sinuses (postnasal drip syndrome). These are pharyngitis, rhinitis and various sinusitis, influenza, SARS, tonsillitis of a viral, bacterial or fungal nature, adenoiditis. Nasal injuries, polyps, and a deviated septum can also cause this symptom. Read more about.
• Diseases of the tracheobronchial tree, lung, acute and chronic. In this case, the mucous secretion produced in the lower respiratory tract is excreted into the upper ones.
• Pathologies of the digestive system, for example, reflux, in which the acidic secret of the stomach, bile is thrown through the esophagus into the pharynx and larynx and irritate their mucous membranes.

How to get rid of annoying mucus in the throat?

What to do if an unpleasant symptom appears

Phlegm can accumulate in small amounts in the throat throughout the day and be immediately coughed up, spit out or swallowed. Sometimes a copious accumulation of sputum is perceived as a lump that cannot be coughed up or swallowed; it interferes with breathing, swallowing, eating, and can provoke vomiting. Most often, this condition is observed in the morning, after the mucus accumulated all night and did not leave, since the cough reflex does not work in the sleeper and the ciliary epithelium is practically motionless.

If you feel a lump of mucus

After you manage to cough up a lump of mucus blocking your throat, it becomes much easier. Steam inhalations with medicinal herbs, with the addition of soda, contribute well to coughing. The liquefaction of sputum and the facilitation of its discharge is facilitated by the addition of soda to any rinsing compositions at the rate of a teaspoon per glass. Alkaline drink, slightly warmed sodium carbonate mineral water without gas will also help to quickly get rid of the painful sensation of a lump in the throat. You can take drugs based on licorice and other mucus thinners.

Abundant and viscous mucus, creating a feeling of coma, is most typical for colds, SARS, therefore, appropriate treatment is required after consulting a doctor

If the accumulation is observed constantly

If the mucus in the throat accumulates constantly, you need to get rid of it as soon as possible, as it forms. And you have to try do not swallow mucus, and coughing up and spitting into a washbasin or into a handkerchief, it is better to use disposable paper.

Pharmacy and folk expectorants, warm vitamin teas and alkaline mineral waters, rinses and inhalations will help in this case too. Read about the popular inhalation solution. You can also lubricate the throat with various compounds to disinfect and reduce irritation.

With the constant formation of sputum, it is necessary to analyze the reasons for its appearance. If there are other symptoms of any disease, you need to clarify the diagnosis by contacting a doctor and focus on treating the underlying disease.

If, in general, you feel normal, sputum is not associated with a cold, inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract, digestive disorders, it is worth analyze your diet, habits, harmful professional factors. Quitting smoking, irritating mucous foods and drinks, limiting contact with polluted air will help get rid of mucus in the throat in a couple of weeks if its formation is caused by external factors.

If the regular accumulation of mucus in the throat has allergic nature, it is likely to be accompanied by other symptoms - tearing, nasal discharge, itching, possibly skin reactions. In this case, you should try to identify the allergen and limit or eliminate contact with it, as well as take desensitizing and antihistamines.

Let's talk about the treatment of diseases in which mucus in the throat accumulates and constantly interferes.

The most effective treatments

In addition to the general symptomatic treatment for all cases, which facilitates the discharge of mucus, therapy of the underlying disease is necessary in accordance with its nature. If excessive mucus formation is associated with a common cold, at the initial stage of this disease, one can limit oneself to folk methods of treatment.

But if the disease does not go away for 2-3 days, or there are signs of the development of a more serious disease - sinusitis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, exacerbation of a chronic process - one cannot do without drug treatment. It can be supplemented with physiotherapy procedures.

Traditional medicine methods

First of all, treatment should be aimed at fighting infection and suppressing the inflammatory process. Depending on the nature of the disease, may be prescribed:

• antiviral drugs with SARS, influenza
• antibiotics, predominantly cephalosporins, for bacterial infections;
• anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs of complex action- in the presence of an inflammatory process, pain, fever;
• corticosteroids with anti-inflammatory effect are indicated in serious cases, such as pneumonia.

For each disease, accompanied by the accumulation of mucus in the throat, its own treatment regimen is applied.

• Pharyngitis:
  • injection into the nasal passages of the aerosol IRS-19;
  • irrigation of the pharynx with Yoks, Ingalipt, Oracept sprays;
  • lubrication with Lugol's solution;
  • resorption of tablets, lozenges Septolete, Strepsils;
  • rinsing with antiseptic solutions, alkaline, saline;
  • inhalation;
  • in the hypertrophic form - cauterization of the affected areas with silver nitrate (5-10%), trichloroacetic acid, in some cases - cryotherapy.
• Sinusitis, rhinitis:
  • vasoconstrictor drops or sprays - Xilen, Sanorin, Naphthyzinum (not intended for long-term use);
  • decongestants of local action;
  • antihistamines for severe tissue swelling, including allergic rhinitis;
  • rinsing the nose with saline or antiseptic solutions. Read, ;
  • UV irradiation of the maxillary sinuses, nasal cavity;
  • with sinusitis, a puncture may be indicated if conservative treatment does not help.
• Bronchitis, pneumonia
  • mucolytic and expectorant drugs that thin sputum and stimulate its excretion;
    bronchodilators that relieve spasm;
  • physiotherapy procedures - ozokerite or paraffin on the area between the shoulder blades, inductothermy, UVI;
  • breathing exercises, chest massage, physiotherapy exercises.
• If you suspect pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, allergic nature disease requires a comprehensive examination to prescribe the most effective therapy. A mandatory component of treatment in both cases will be a diet.
• At the infectious nature of the disease the decision on the advisability of taking antibiotics, the choice of a particular drug and the treatment regimen should be taken only by a doctor.

Proven folk recipes

In infectious diseases, drinking plenty of water (warm, not hot) is recommended by both official and traditional medicine, as it helps to wash off excess mucus, soothe an irritated throat, and remove toxins from the body. Gargling, inhalation, nasal lavage, throat lubrication, expectorants are also used in both cases, just in official medicine ready-made pharmaceutical preparations are used, and in folk medicine - medicinal plants, improvised means.

• rinses:
  • infusion or decoction of a mixture of sage, chamomile and eucalyptus leaf, a tablespoon of each plant in half a liter of water. Boil over low heat for a quarter of an hour or insist in a thermos for 2-3 hours. Strain, add honey and lemon juice, rinse 3-4 times a day, you can drink a couple of sips;
    sea ​​salt solution - a tablespoon in a glass of water.
• Inhalations:
  • concentrated decoction of thyme (a handful in a small saucepan);
  • boiled "in uniform" and mashed potatoes, you can add soda;
  • infusions of any antiseptics: chamomile, sage, calendula, wild rosemary, pine buds.
• inside, to reduce the formation of sputum, improve its discharge, relieve inflammation:
  • a mixture of crushed aloe leaf with honey (a tablespoon per 1 fleshy bottom leaf), eat 2 times a day, in the morning and evening after meals;
  • powder from freshly dried calendula petals mixed with honey, taken between meals;
  • infusion of licorice roots, plantain leaves (per liter of boiling water 2 tablespoons of crushed raw materials), drink three times a day in a glass;
  • a mixture of grated onion or horseradish with honey, take a spoon three times a day.
• Throat smearing- alcohol tincture of propolis crushed into powder and previously aged in water to remove impurities from propolis (30 g of raw materials per 100 g of alcohol, leave for a week).
• Rubbing(if the temperature is not elevated) - goat fat, honey with alcohol.

And what to do if the mucus in the throat is collected in a child?

Treatment of children with safe means

Any medications, especially antibiotics, can be given to a child only as directed by a doctor. Here are some recipes for gentle therapy.

• expectorant syrups plant-based, alcohol-free, drugstore and homemade:
  • licorice syrup;
  • Alteyka;
  • radish juice with honey;
  • jam from green pine cones;
  • banana puree diluted with boiling water.
• Compresses:
  • mashed potatoes in their skins with the addition of vegetable oil and iodine, wrapped in foil, in which several holes have been made. Apply over the diaper, fix;
  • cabbage leaf smeared with honey.
• It is also good to introduce warm vitamin drinks, fruit drinks, rosehip broth, warm liquid potato pores in milk. With phlegm, children need to breathe more fresh air, but avoid physical activity.

For advice from an otolaryngologist to patients who feel the accumulation of mucus in the throat, see the video below.

The accumulation of mucus in the throat can be caused by both exposure to external stimuli and diseases of the internal organs. Depending on the causes of the problem, either lifestyle correction or complex therapy of the underlying disease is required. In any case, it is advisable to take measures to relieve symptoms - drinking plenty of water, gargling, steam inhalation.