Get Rid of Phlegm in Your Throat Without Medicine

You've woken up with terrible congestion in your throat, coughing a whole lot of phlegm. If you don't feel like stepping out to buy medication, this article will show you lots of ways to get rid of phlegm in your throat using items around you home.

10 Second Summary

  • Try lemon tea with honey, spicy foods, or some toast. More ↓
  • Gargle salt water. ↓
  • Avoid smoking. ↓
  • Avoid dairy, including ice cream and cheese. ↓
  • Try a hot shower, inhaling steam, or humming. ↓
  • Don't swallow the mucus. Spit it out. ↓

Steps

Foods That Help Relieve Phlegm

  1. Drink lemon tea with honey. You can either buy lemon tea, or make yourself some warm lemon water by mixing 2 teaspoons of lemon juice with a cup of warm water. The acidity of the lemon juice breaks up the mucus. Adding a tablespoon of honey to the mixture soothes your throat.
  2. Eat spicy foods. Ever tried a bit of wasabi, only to have your nose start running uncontrollably? Spicy foods, such as horseradish or pepper, act as a decongestant and should help loosen up some of that noxious phlegm.
  3. Drink warm liquids. Whether it's tea, chicken soup, or something in between, warm liquids will help nourish you while breaking up some of the mucus stuck in your throat.
  4. Gargle salt water. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with a cup of warm water and gargle the mixture with your head tilted back.
  5. Eat toast. Toast is a good food to break phlegm and carry it down to your stomach. Toast scrapes the throat softly, removing some of the phlegm as it is ingested.
  6. Drink plenty of water. If your body is producing a lot of phlegm, it may be because it is trying to ward off sickness, which means your immune system is working on overdrive. Give your body the water it needs to do its job.
  7. Drink a teaspoon of cider vinegar. It won't taste amazing but it will work. Swallow it as quickly as you can, then wait for 5-10 seconds. If the taste is still there, drink some water.

Avoiding Things That Produce Phlegm

  1. Stop smoking. While you have an excess amount of mucus, try not to smoke. Smoking dries out the vocal chords, and your body creates more phlegm in an attempt to the replenish the moisture that was lost.
    • In studies around the world, there has been a high correlation between smoking and phlegm production. [1] If you are a smoker, consider using nicotine patches for a bit while your phlegm dies down.
  2. Avoid dairy. Milk or other dairy may not cause the body to produce more mucus[2], but in some people the fat content of milk causes the mucus to become thicker.[3]
  3. Avoid exposure to fumes and hazardous chemicals. Paint fumes, cleaners, and other chemicals hurt the body's respiratory function.

Other Strategies for Relieving Phlegm

  1. Take a hot shower or inhale steam. The heat from the water causes the phlegm to loosen.
    • Use a vaporizer if you have one. Try to strike a good balance of moisture in your room. You want to soothe your throat, but you don't want your room turning into a tropical jungle.
  2. Hum to yourself when you can. It is hypothesized that the humming vibrations help break up the phlegm in your throat.
  3. Remember to 'spit, not swallow'. Always keep a tissue at hand in case you need to expel the phlegm discreetly; try not to swallow any coughed up phlegm.

Tips

  • Boil water until it's hot stir in some honey and squeeze a lemon in so it tastes like warm lemonade and drink it it gets rid of phlegm lightning fast
  • Drink lots of fluids.
  • Gargles are good for clearing up throat and soothing it.
  • Sleep with lots of pillows on top of each other as it helps you breathe better and cough less.
  • Have a cough drop with menthol to cool throat.
  • Do not cough hard as you will end up damaging your throat or worse. You could crack a rib or damage muscles under your rib.
  • Sleep might help, but sometimes getting on as normal has its up sides too.
  • Use an air purifier.
  • Keep neck area as warm as you can. If you have a fever, do not do this.
  • Tie a muffler or cloth around your face covering the ears and neck. It will reduce coughing while lying down.
  • Drink a lot of warm water.
    • If you drink lots of warm water then spew, it'll flush the phlegm out.
  • Try to stay away from sugars, syrups, or sweets.
  • Keep drinking fluids so you're fully hydrated. You will recover quicker this way.
  • Put Vicks vaporub on your feet at night with socks for a cough free sleep. Really works! And great for babies who shouldn't have vaporub on their chests as it is too strong.

Warnings

  • If you are coughing up blood or have shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical care or call your local Emergency Services.
  • If you are coughing up a yellow or green colored mucus, seek medical advice.

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Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC464910/
  2. ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2154152/
  3. ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/phlegm/AN01455

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