What loosens mucus fast?

Drinking enough liquids, especially warm ones can help with mucus flow. Water and other liquids can loosen your congestion by helping your mucus move. Try sipping liquids, like juice, clear broths, and soup. Other good liquid choices include decaffeinated tea, warm fruit juice, and lemon water.

healthline.com - How to Get Rid of Phlegm: Tips, Home Remedies, and Medications to Try

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We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process. How we vet brands and products Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?

Do they have the potential to cause harm? Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?

Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence? Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices? We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness. Read more about our vetting process. Certain remedies, such as staying hydrated, using a humidifer, and taking over-the-counter decongestants can all help ease excess phlegm in your throat or chest. What causes phlegm in the throat? Phlegm is that thick, sticky stuff that hangs around in the back of your throat when you’re sick. At least that’s when most people notice it. But did you know that you have this mucus all the time? Mucous membranes make phlegm to protect and support your respiratory system. These membranes line your: mouth

nose

throat

sinuses

lungs Mucus is sticky so it can trap dust, allergens, and viruses. When you’re healthy, the mucus is thin and less noticeable. When you’re sick or exposed to too many particles, the phlegm can get thick and become more noticeable as it traps these foreign substances. Phlegm is a healthy part of your respiratory system, but if it’s making you uncomfortable, there are ways to thin it or reduce it. Keep reading to learn about some natural remedies, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, and when you may want to see your doctor. 1. Humidify the air Moisturizing the air around you can help keep mucus thin. You may have heard that steam can clear phlegm and congestion, but there isn’t a lot of scientific support for this idea. Instead of steam, you can use a cool mist humidifier. You can run this humidifier safely all day long. You’ll just want to make sure you change the water each day and clean your humidifier according to the package instructions. 2. Stay hydrated and warm Drinking enough liquids, especially warm ones can help with mucus flow. Water and other liquids can loosen your congestion by helping your mucus move. Try sipping liquids, like juice, clear broths, and soup. Other good liquid choices include decaffeinated tea, warm fruit juice, and lemon water. Your drinks shouldn’t be the only thing that’s warm. You should be, too! Staying warm is an easy home remedy to soothe your respiratory system. That’s because you’re better able to fight off conditions that cause excess mucus (like the common cold) when you’re at a warmer body temperature. Methods to stay warm include: warm showers

wearing warmer clothing to fend off cold temperatures

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cuddling up in bed with an extra blanket

3. Consume respiratory health-promoting ingredients Try consuming foods and drinks that contain lemon, ginger, and garlic. A 2018 survey found these may help treat colds, coughs, and excess mucus, though there isn’t much research to back it up. Spicy foods that contain capsaicin, such as cayenne or chili peppers, might also help temporarily clear sinuses and get mucus moving. There’s some scientific evidence from 2016 that the following foods and supplements may help treat and reduce the risk of certain viral respiratory diseases: licorice root

ginseng

berries

echinacea

pomegranate You might also be wondering about the classic many grab when they’re sick: chicken soup. Does it help get rid of phlegm too? Some research suggests yes. Chicken soup might be good for treating colds and getting rid of excess mucus. This is because chicken soup slows neutrophils’ movement in your body. Neutrophils, a type of white blood cell, fight off infection. When moving slowly, they stay in the areas of your body where infection exists for longer. Overall, more studies are needed to confirm the effects of these foods, but for most people, adding these ingredients to their diet is safe to try. If you’re taking any prescription medications, ask your doctor before adding any new ingredients to your diet. 4. Gargle salt water or use saline Gargling warm salt water may help clear phlegm in the back of your throat. It may even help soothe a sore throat. When gargling salt water, follow these easy steps: Mix together a cup of water with 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Warm water works best, because it dissolves the salt more quickly. It’s also a good idea to use filtered or bottled water that doesn’t contain irritating chlorine. Sip a bit of the mixture and tilt your head back slightly. Let the mixture wash into your throat without drinking it. Gently blow air up from your lungs to gargle for 30 to 60 seconds, and then spit out the water. Repeat as needed. If you don’t want to gargle salt water, there’s an easier, more effective alternative to thin phlegm: saline. Saline is a salt water solution you can use as a nasal spray or in a neti pot. It’s available over the counter and is a natural way to clear out the sinuses. Research from 2018 supports the idea that mucus thins out after consistently using a saline solution for longer than a week. 5. Use eucalyptus oil Using eucalyptus essential oil may help reduce excess mucus in your chest. It works by loosening the mucus so you can cough it out more easily. At the same time, if you have a nagging cough, the eucalyptus may relieve it. You can either inhale the vapor by using a diffuser or use a balm that contains this ingredient. While research suggests there are health benefits, the FDA doesn’t monitor or regulate the purity or quality of essential oils. It’s important to talk with a healthcare professional before you begin using essential oils and be sure to research the quality of a brand’s products. Always do a patch test before trying a new essential oil. 6. Take over-the-counter remedies There are also OTC medicines you can use. Decongestants, for example, can cut down the mucus that flows from your nose. This mucus isn’t considered phlegm, but it can lead to chest congestion. Decongestants work by reducing swelling in your nose and opening up your airways. You can find oral decongestants in the form of: tablets or capsules

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liquids or syrups

flavored powders There are also many decongestant nasal sprays on the market. You can try products like guaifenesin (Mucinex) that thin mucus so it won’t sit in the back of your throat or your chest. This type of medication is called an expectorant, which means it helps you to expel mucus by thinning and loosening it. This OTC treatment usually lasts for 12 hours, but you should follow the package instructions. There are children’s versions for kids ages 4 and older. Chest rubs, like Vicks VapoRub, contain eucalyptus oil to ease coughs and potentially get rid of mucus. You can rub it onto your chest and neck up to three times each day. Younger children should not use Vicks at its full strength, but the company does make a baby-strength version. 7. Try prescription medications If you have certain conditions or infections, your doctor may prescribe medications to treat the root cause of your symptoms. There are specific medications that can thin your mucus if you have a chronic lung condition, like cystic fibrosis. Hypertonic saline is a treatment that’s inhaled through a nebulizer. It’s stronger than an OTC saline solution, which means it can sometimes be more effective. It works by increasing the amount of salt in your air passages. It comes in different strengths and can be used on people ages 6 and older. Hypertonic saline treatment only provides temporary relief and may cause some side effects, like: cough

sore throat

chest tightness Dornase-Alfa (Pulmozyme) is a mucus-thinning medication often used by people with cystic fibrosis. You inhale it through a nebulizer. It’s also suitable for people ages 6 and up. You may lose your voice or develop a rash while on this medication. Other side effects include: throat discomfort

fever

dizziness

runny nose

healthline.com - How to Get Rid of Phlegm: Tips, Home Remedies, and Medications to Try

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