Morning Flem(phlegm)

I wake up every morning with a throat full of green and brown flem (phlegm). It just started about 1 month ago. I have to get it all out because if I don't it will bother me the entire day. However, it does irritate my throat for a couple of hours. Please consider that I am a 20yo female that has never smoked and drinks once or twice a year. I also do not have any medical conditions that I know of. I do have allergy and sinus but they have not been serious latley.  What do I have to do to vanish this morning problem.

[National Jewish]

Your morning problem may be due to postnasal drip.  It could also be due to sinusitis.

Sinusitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities.  Inflammation of the sinuses could be due to an allergy, an infection, or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or smoke.  Symptoms can include a headache or pressure in the area of the sinuses, a stuffy nose, achy teeth, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, constant low fever, and thick, yellow to green nasal drainage.  A CT scan of the sinuses is the best way to identify sinusitis.

This inflammation can block sinus drainage and cause increased phlegm production.  The phlegm can drain from the nose and sinuses down the back of the throat causing a constant or intermittent postnasal drip.  This can fester sinusitis.

There could be several reasons for postnasal drip.  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.  Postnasal drip can cause irritation of your throat.  You may experience the postnasal drip as a throat full of phlegm every morning.  This collects all night long while you are sleeping.  The phlegm may "sit" there and become green and brown.

As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily.  This will thin the phlegm so that it moves more easily.  An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip.  However, it may make the phlegm thicker and more difficult to move.  A decongestant like Sudafed

[ozark]

this sounds like a sinus infection that should be treated with antibiotics especially if its been going on for a month...see you dr

[Revelation]

This is the first time I've tried to search for help online pertaining to the problem and I discovered this page. I also have that problem...

I had a bad cold for awhile and it has gone but now I get a sore throat every morning (so sore that it hurts to swallow) and I need to clear my throat constantly, especially if I'm talking. I don't smoke but I'm around a lot of 2nd hand smoke and I'm not allergic to anything.

[auntdor]

A related discussion, Post Nasal Drip was started.