Excessive Phlegm

[Wendy614]

A couple of months ago, my father (48 years old) tripped while walking down the stairs in our house and landed hard on his bottom.  Shortly after this accident, he also had a slight cold, during which he first experienced phlegm accumulation. He was given medication and the cold cleared up in a few days. However, everyday he continues to feel excessive phlegm build up in his chest and has to clear his throat constantly throughout the day.   The phlegm is thick but not unusually discolored. The phlegm is not affected by eating habits nor exercise. Otherwise, he is and has been in very good health (and thus does not believe it is necessary to see his doctor). However, I would like to know why he is producing so much phlegm and if there should be cause for concern. Thank you!

[National Jewish]

Your father will need to see his doctor to know for sure why he is producing so much phlegm.  His doctor will be able to let him know if there is cause for concern.  However it is possible that this is reactive airways disease (RAD) and/or postnasal drip.

Viral infections like a cold can cause inflammation of the airways of the lungs.  This inflammation can cause excessive phlegm build up in the chest.  After the cold is gone, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.  This inflammation can last for several weeks.  Sometimes this inflammation may linger for 3 to 6 months.  Eventually the inflammation will go away, and then the excessive phlegm will stop.  This is called RAD and behaves a lot like asthma.  This inflammation often clears more quickly when it is treated with an inhaled steroid medicine that is used to treat asthma.  Your father’s doctor is the best judge of this.

Postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat.  There could be several reasons for this drainage.  One reason is an allergy.  A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold.  A third reason is chronic sinusitis.  Your father may experience the postnasal drip as an excessive phlegm build up and feel a need to clear his throat constantly.

The fat content in dairy products can thicken phlegm.  Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful.  Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the phlegm so that it moves more easily.  As long as your father is not on a fluid restriction he should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily.  Clearing his throat can irritate his throat and make it sore.  When your father feels the need to clear his throat he should sip some water to clear the phlegm.

An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip.  However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move.  A decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier.  A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both.  Your father’s doctor could let him know which would help him more.

A nasal wash helps remove phlegm and germs from the nose and sinuses.  This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen the excessive phlegm.  A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases phlegm production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses.  This may prevent the postnasal drip and phlegm accumulation.  To get the most help from a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash.  A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms.  It may require several weeks of routine use to become effective.  Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique.  Your father can share this information with his doctor to see if he would benefit from this daily treatment.

[Purified Air]

I used to have to clear my throat all the time but since having an air purifier in my home that covers the whole house; I've found it to help all my children even in the midst of this WI winter - we've had no colds or flu or other respiratory ills.  Here's some obvious signs in your own home that can indicate a need simply for whole house air purification.
COMMON TRAITS OF INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
Affected Household Members initials: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____
Dust on furniture / Visible in air
House odors
Allergies
Asthma
Sinus problems
Headaches
Sleeplessness / Light sleeper
Snoring
Sore throats / Colds / Flu
Itchy/ Watery eyes
Coughing / Throat clearing..................
Lack of Concentration
Depression / Irritability
Fatigue / Naps
Mold / Mildew in basement & bathrooms
Pet dander and odors
Smoking
Wood / Coal heater
Static Electricity

As you fill this in and realize how much is affected by your indoor air; maybe you should try an ionizing/ozone air purifier like I have.  It's removed all respiratory ills in our family with 8 children 19 down to two. I know breathing in that purified air night after night in and out, in and out has healed our lungs and even strengthened our immunes systems.  My air purifier is no medical machine, but it's sure amazing how good you can feel breathing in purified air that's cleaned like fresh air outdoors.

[jerenick]

hello wendy,
at least iam not alone,I"am 24 year old male always been healthy.and 8 months ago i got a head cold then thats when it all started.i started to get lots of phlem in throat,chest,and it felt like i was having problems breathing.Well i think i have had every test done possible to man and they do not know what is wrong with me.A couple of months later i was diognosed as a asthmatic.i take advair, which helps me breath better and allegry which helps control the phlem. i was wondering after meals was your dad having a shortness of breath to?well i feel a lot better after taking these meds.Tell your dad good luck i know exactly what he is going through and at times it can be very scary

[Peter5505]

A related discussion, Same Symptoms was started.