Coughing up White Mucus

It is important to understand what the color of the phlegm means. As the color of the phlegm indicates how severe the infection is. If you have white mucus, then it is mostly a viral infection, but in certain cases it can be due to bacterial infection too. With home remedies one can cough up the white mucus. However, if you are coughing up mucus which has blood in it or is green colored, then instead of using home remedies seek immediate medical treatment. As coughing up mucus which is bloody, green or has brown phlegm are serious conditions that need immediate medical attention. Here are some symptoms and reasons of white mucus infection.

Causes and Symptoms of White Mucus

So, what does coughing up white mucus mean? White phlegm means a viral or bacterial infection. Here are the common conditions which cause the formation of white mucus.

• Allergies to foodstuffs
• Inflammation of larynx or pharynx
• Allergy to a certain weather
• Sore throat
• Lung infection like pneumonia or acute bronchitis
• Cold and flu
• Lung diseases
• Sinus infections

Along with the cough and phlegm you can also show other symptoms when suffering from this throat infection. You can feel pain along with the discharge of mucus, a scratchy throat sensation is also common, you might also have difficulty swallowing food. A person can experience mild to severe coughing, and mild fever is also observed. Apart from these symptoms, a person might also experience lack of appetite.

Remedies for White Mucus

Given below, are some remedies for coughing up phlegm, which includes natural ingredients that act as an expectorant (which promotes cough). If you feel a scratchy itchy sensation, then there are some soothing remedies for the throat that can also be used.

Salt Water Gargling: This is one of the best and most effective remedy for many throat infections. Boil 3 cups of water and add 4 tablespoons of salt to it. Wait till this solution becomes warm, then gargle with this solution. Repeat this remedy around 3-4 times a day. This remedy will help you soothe the throat and clear the mucus too.

Warm Honey & Lemon: You can also heat up raw honey and add fresh lemon juice to it, and then slowly drink this mix, while its hot.

Steaming: Taking steam helps to open up the airways. So, in case white phlegm is giving you trouble breathing, consider taking steam. In a bowl take steaming hot water, and inhale the steam from the mouth and nose. Cover your head and the bowl with a towel while taking a steam. To make this remedy even more effective, add few drops of eucalyptus oil to the water.

Licorice Tea: This simple remedy is very effective. Combine licorice tea with peppermint, and add honey for taste. Drink this tea to get rid of white mucus.

Capsicum: Capsicum is a natural expectorant. So, add capsicum to your diet, and try to eat at least one meal in a day which has capsicum in it. Capsicum will help to thin out the mucus, and it will be easy to cough it out.

Carrot-Ginger Juice: Another great remedy is to drink a glass of carrot juice made with a small piece of ginger. Carrot juice itself is very effective, but ginger also helps to fight the throat infection.

Myrrh Remedy: This is a homeopathy remedy, and one of the most known myrrh uses. Add ¼ spoon of myrrh to warm water, then gargle with this solution and drink it. Myrrh has a cleansing effect, so it helps to cough out the mucus as well as reduce the infection. Repeat 3-4 times a day, till you get better.

Garlic: If you can tolerate the taste and smell of garlic, then this is a very good remedy to use. Garlic has antibiotic and antifungal properties, and acts as a natural expectorant. Crush 2-3 cloves of garlic and keep taking them daily, till your throat gets better.

Cough Syrups: Many cough syrups are available over-the-counter (OTC). So, buy a bottle of cough syrup which acts as an expectorant, so that it aids to cough out the mucus. However, make sure you get the right bottle, as some bottles come for children while some for adults, also some bottles can make you drowsy, so buy the non-drowsy bottles if you wish to work after taking the cough syrup.

These were the remedies on coughing up white mucus. Make sure you keep drinking plenty of water, and get adequate rest too, apart from using the above home remedies. If the above remedies don't help you get better within 2 weeks, or if your symptoms become worse, then seek a doctor's help.