Mucus in Throat Causes

As a part of the normal metabolic processes, about 1 - 2 quarts mucus is produced by the lining of the sinuses everyday. This secreted mucus plays a major role of filtration during the breathing process and helps in preventing foreign particles from getting into the respiratory system. Precisely, mucus moistens the nasal passages and inhaled air, traps allergens and prevents infections. Nevertheless, excessive mucus in throat all the time is quite an annoying condition, especially if it clogs up the throat while speaking.

What Causes Mucus in the Throat?

Needless to mention, the mucus in throat causes are the same as that of a postnasal drip. When this phlegm gets stuck in the lining of the nose and throat, we get a constant feeling of thick and sticky mucus in the back of the throat. Presence of mucus in the nasal passages is much easier to expel and requires lesser time, as compared to phlegm in the throat. Hence, for those who have respiratory diseases, it is advisable to expel mucus quickly before it gets to the throat area. The common causes for mucus in the throat are as follows.

Allergic Effect
Allergies are by far the most common causes of mucus accumulation in the throat. Those who are hypersensitive to smoke, fumes, noxious gases, pollens, and seasonal allergens should avoid exposure to these triggering factors. An easy way to achieve the same is covering the nose and mouth completely while going outdoors.

Chronic Smoking
You might be aware of the various negative effects of chronic smoking. Prolonged smoking causes mild to severe inflammation of the mucus lining, thereby triggering increased production of mucus in the nose and throat. The same irritating problem is manifested with excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeinated food items.

Food Reactions
Just like environmental pollutants, consumption of allergenic food results in mucus buildup in the throat. Milk and dairy products aggravate mucus in throat, especially during the onset of the common cold, seasonal flu, and fever. Other food items that worsen throat mucus are eggs, wheat based products, and whole-grains.

Microbial Infections
As already mentioned, mucus helps to fight against invading microbes. When there is a pathogenic infection, the body tends to secrete excessive amounts of mucus as a defense mechanism and causes congestion. This sticky and thick mucus is then accumulated in the throat so that it is flushed out of the body.

Viral Disease
Other less common mucus in throat causes include viral infections such as measles, whooping cough, and chickenpox. In brief, any type of infection caused by bacteria, fungi, or virus, triggers excess mucus production in the nose and throat. Thus, throat mucus often follows step throat, common cold, flu, and sinusitis.

Pregnancy Symptom
Nasal congestion and constant feeling of phlegm in the throat are common symptoms exhibited by pregnant women. What happens is, the body experiences a range of hormonal changes, which indirectly increase mucus secretion. And during this period, one can only rely on home remedies to curb the discomfort symptoms.

Physiological Problem
Impairment of the nose and throat also poses a risk of stagnating mucus in the throat. If these parts are malfunctioned, effective mucus removal is absent, which with time, gets stuck in the nose and throat. Thus, many people having difficulty in swallowing do experience throat phlegm as well.

Excess throat mucus gives a feeling that something is trapped in the throat and we end up coughing more to clear it. This frequent throat clearing leads to irritation and mild bleeding problems. Bleeding is caused due to wear and tear of the tissues in the throat lining. This is also the reason why a tinge of blood is often present in the coughed up phlegm. Mucus buildup in the throat may be associated with coughing of phlegm, shortness of breath, throat congestion, pain, soreness, inflammation, and alike symptoms.

Mucus in Throat Remedies

Excess throat mucus usually resolves on its own within a few weeks period without any therapeutic intervention. However, as this condition is quite annoying, most people opt for remedial measures and medications. The objective is to avoid throat mucus causes and flush mucus from the throat as soon as possible. In some untreated cases, it invites infections and causes bad breath (halitosis). After all, nutrient rich phlegm is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria. Speaking about mucus in throat cure, the following remedies work for getting rid of this annoying condition.

Drink More Water and Fluids
An effective throat mucus home remedy is to drink ample amounts of water and other healthy fluids (if possible 6 - 8 glasses of caffeine free drinks). This fluid dilutes the mucus and aids in easy draining from the throat. The thicker the throat mucus is, the more difficult it is to expel from the body.

Gargle with Hot Water
An inexpensive way to treat phlegm in the throat is gargling, preferably with saline water. Hot saline water gargling for 3 - 4 times daily not only helps in flushing out the throat mucus, but it also minimizes the risk of infection. Ensure that you do not swallow the salt solution. If possible, take steam inhalation for quick recovery.

Blow Nose Regularly
Though it sounds funny, blowing your nose at regular intervals helps a lot in treating throat mucus. Clearing the nasal passage is a sure way to expel phlegm and prevent it from accumulating in the respiratory tract. Hence, indulge in the habit of nose blowing even if you do not feel the urge to do so.

Do Nasal Rinse
It is another approach to get rid of mucus from the nasal passages. For performing nasal wash, warm water dissolved with a dash of salt is used to rinse nose. While it has nothing to do with the throat phlegm treatment, rinsing nose helps in diluting mucus and prevents it from further dripping to the throat.

Plan the Diet
As aforementioned, some of the food items exacerbate mucus production. So, there is no point in adding them and worsening the existing problem. A better way is to identify and eliminate them until throat mucus is treated completely. Examples of such food items are dairy products, sugar, caffeine, and soybean.

Take Ginger Paste
Using ginger in any form (in tea, as juice) is an age-old remedy to fight cold and throat mucus. You can make a paste out of honey and ginger powder (or fresh ginger). Consuming a spoonful of this paste twice daily quickens the recovery time for throat mucus and helps in quick healing of the inflamed cells.

These are some of the effective remedies for throat mucus. For some people, consuming spicy dishes cooked with cayenne pepper and chili flakes aid in thinning mucus, allowing it to drain quickly. The best way to prevent this annoying situation is avoiding exposure to mucus in throat causes. Make sure you refrain from unhealthy habits to prevent recurrent onsets of throat phlegm. If no prompt results are observed after following the above throat mucus remedies, then get it checked by a qualified physician.