How to Cough Up Phlegm

When the mucus gets thick, it is very painful to cough it out. Thinned mucus is easier to expel. There are some home remedies that you can try to thin out the phlegm. Go through these suggestions and know how to get rid of phlegm at home :

• Boil water in a bowl. Add in eucalyptus, menthol or mint. Inhale the steam deeply into your nostrils.
• Drinking hot beverages like tea can work great. It is better if you drink teas containing mint or eucalyptus. It serves to make the mucus thin and also keep chest congestion at bay. You should also drink hot soup for the same purpose.
• Apply warmth to your chest. Wrap a piece of cloth around a hot vessel and unwrap it to apply on your chest. Do this for several times to get immediate relief. If you are already coughing up phlegm, wrapping a hot towel around your neck can provide some respite. You can also buy a heating pad for this purpose.
• Eating spicy foods can also help your mucus thin out naturally. Capsicum is a natural expectorant. Adding it into your diet can help you cough out phlegm more easily.
• Gargling with salt water and spit it out. The mucus will come out of your upper throat providing temporary relief.
• Taking a hot bath will also prove useful. You should breathe in steam deeply from the water.

Phlegm Treatment by Doctors

If you are suffering from persistent coughing that expels phlegm, you should consult your doctor. An expert medical practitioner will perform a thorough physical check-up. Normally, medical tests like blood and sputum examinations, ECG, CT scan and chest X-rays are conducted to diagnose the ailment behind the cough. This also helps the doctor to know if the patient is suffering from any serious disease like lung cancer or TB.

Curing phlegm accumulation is done by curing the disease causing it. Once the phlegm inducing disease is controlled, the mucus in the air passage is also reduced automatically.

Coughing up phlegm is common. But it can lead to serious complications if not treated in time. If the person suffers from severe ailments like a lung infection or cystic fibrosis, early treatment can help diagnose and cure the problem. Even phlegm accumulation due to common cold can cause chest congestion which can be harmful in very young children. So it is necessary to treat a patient coughing out phlegm as early as possible. You never know what may be causing the problem.