It can be very irritating to have your throat covered with mucus. Fortunately, there are a lot of home remedies that are quite effective. If you have mucus in your throat, you can try home treatments like gargling with salt water or inhaling steam to make the mucus more watery. In addition, you can drink hot drinks and lemon tea or eat hot or spicy foods to relieve yourself. Lastly, you can prevent mucus buildup by avoiding the things that trigger its production.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Use homemade treatments
Step 1. Gargle with lukewarm salt water
Mix half a teaspoon of salt in 250 ml of lukewarm water. Take a sip, but don't swallow it. Instead, tilt your head back and gargle for several seconds. Then spit it out in the sink and rinse your mouth.
You can repeat this treatment every two or three hours during the day, if necessary
Step 2. Use a humidifier to moisten your airways
Pour water into your humidifier up to the maximum level line. Then turn it on and let it run while you heal. The vapor it produces will moisten your airways and make your mucus more liquid. This should relieve the congestion in your throat.
If you wish, you can add eucalyptus essential oil, an active ingredient found in Vaporub-type products. Use a dropper to pour two or three drops into the water before turning on the humidifier
Step 3. Take a hot shower and inhale the steam
Since the steam helps make the mucus more liquid, a hot shower might help. Set the water to a warm temperature, but not hot. Then relax in the shower and take a deep breath.
You can also use eucalyptus essential oil in the shower. Use a dropper to add a few drops to the bottom of the shower or bath before you get wet
Step 4. Inhale hot water vapor into a bowl
Fill a large bowl with boiling water. Then lean over it and pass a towel over your head that also covers the bowl. Slowly inhale the steam without causing discomfort. Then drink a glass of water to refresh yourself and stay hydrated.
- You can start again once or twice a day if necessary.
- To make this solution work even better, you can add essential oils to the water, such as two to three drops of eucalyptus, rosemary, or peppermint to help loosen mucus and soothe your throat.
Step 5. Hum if your throat doesn't hurt
This activity will make your throat vibrate, which can make the mucus more watery. Pick your favorite song and hum it for one to two minutes. Finish by taking a few sips of water. This will help you decongest your throat.
It works best if your throat isn't sore. If this makes you uncomfortable, try another method
Step 6. Rinse your sinuses with a neti pot
Fill a neti pot with drugstore saline solution or purified water. Then lean over the sink and tilt your head to one side. Place the tip of the pot against the nostril at the top, then slowly pour the water into your nose. It should enter through the upper nostril before exiting through the lower nostril.
- Rinse both nostrils over the sink. Be careful not to aspirate the saline solution.
- Do not use tap water in your neti pot. Although this rarely happens, tap water can contain amoeba which attacks the brain.
Method 2 of 3: Relieve congestion with fluids and food
Step 1. Stay well hydrated by drinking at least two liters of water per day
Drinks will help make the mucus more runny so that it doesn't build up in your throat. Make sure you drink enough water and other drinks every day to stay well hydrated. In addition, you should eat foods that contain water such as soup and fruit. Women need two liters of water per day while men need 2.5 liters.
Try flavoring the water or tea with lemon which also helps clear the throat. Add lemon slices in the water or squeeze the juice of one lemon into your glass
Warning:
you must be careful not to drink too much fluids. If you drink too much, you may suffer from excess water that your body will retain while you are sick. Symptoms of excess fluid include feeling confused, lethargy, increased irritability, coma, and seizures.
Step 2. Drink warm liquids to clear your throat
Choose hot liquids like hot water, tea, or apple cider to help clear the mucus. The heat will soften and liquefy the mucus so that it can pass it more easily. This will help you clear your throat.
Hot liquids are also very soothing, which is why they will also help you feel better
Advice:
Ginger tea is a popular drink for relieving throat irritation, cough, and mucus. Soak a tea bag in hot water for two to three minutes, then drink it while it is still hot, but not burning yourself.
Step 3. Drink lemon honey tea to relieve sore throat
Use a lemon tea bag or add 2 teaspoons of lemon to a cup of hot water. Then add 1 tablespoon of honey to the water and stir. Drink the tea while it is still hot.
- The acid in the lemon juice will make the mucus more liquid and pass it on, while the honey will soothe your throat.
- You can enjoy your lemon tea as often as you like.
Step 4. Drink hot soup
The soup will heat up the mucus, which will make it more runny to make it come off more easily. Broth can also help you achieve the same result. In addition, a soup made from chicken broth, such as vermicelli soup, may also have anti-inflammatory effects.
Choose a soup made from chicken broth if possible. However, any type of soup will help warm you up and improve your hydration
Step 5. Eat spicy foods
Choose dishes that contain spices like cayenne, red pepper, wasabi, horseradish, and other types of peppers. These spices are natural decongestants, which is why they will make the mucus more runny and make your nose run. This should help clear your throat.
The spices could burn your throat, so you should avoid this solution if your throat is sore
Method 3 of 3: Avoid mucus buildup
Step 1. Keep your head up to avoid mucus in your throat
Mucus naturally tends to flow from the sinuses to the back of your throat. If you are lying down, it will accumulate there. This will lead to a buildup of mucus in your throat. To prevent it, you can raise your head with pillows to prevent it from running down your throat.
While sleeping, also use pillows or sleep on a chair if the mucus is very thick
Step 2. Don't eat foods that cause acid reflux
They can cause mucus to build up in the throat. If you regularly suffer from acid reflux or burns in your throat, you should watch what foods you eat that cause these symptoms. Then, avoid consuming it.
- Among the foods that cause acid reflux are garlic, onion, spicy foods, caffeine, soft drinks, citrus fruits, alcohol, mint, tomato products, chocolate and fatty and fried foods.
- Talk to your doctor if you have gastric reflux more than twice a week.
Step 3. Stop smoking and avoid passive smoking
The smoke can dry out your vocal cords, causing your body to produce mucus to compensate for the loss of moisture. It could make it worse. It would be best if you quit smoking if possible. In addition, you should ask others not to smoke near you or walk away if they do.
If you smoke, you could use chewing gum or nicotine patches to help manage the withdrawal
Step 4. Avoid dairy products
You may have heard that dairy products increase the amount of mucus and it is not. However, they can make it thicker, especially if you eat foods high in fat. Although they might not have an effect on you, they are best avoided if you want to get rid of the mucus.
If you don't want to stop consuming dairy products, choose skim or semi-skim options that will have less of an effect on your mucus
Step 5. Avoid allergens, fumes, and hazardous chemicals
Fumes from paint, cleaning products, and other chemicals could irritate your airways and make it hard for you to breathe. This could cause your body to make more mucus. Limit your contact with irritating chemicals or products. If you must be in contact, wear a mask and get to a well-ventilated area as soon as possible.
Advice
- You can swallow the mucus, but you can also spit it out if you prefer.
- Relieve your throat with menthol throat syrup.
Warnings
- If you cough up blood or have trouble breathing, see a doctor right away or call the emergency room.
- If you cough up yellow or green mucus, you need to see a doctor.
- Do not use apple cider vinegar to treat congestion. It will not have any effect on the infection and it could burn your throat.