Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Throat always having phlegm

Hey :)

I've been reading a number of posts here, in the archives, about phlegm in the throat.

I have phlegm in the back of my throat all the time. I'm certain this is contributing to my snoring.

One extremely helpful post said that constant phlegm in the throat is comes from congestion that is above or below your throat.  If the congestion is in the chest this could be due to asthma. I'm not asthmatic, I don't smoke or live with a smoker, so that's out. The responder also said that postnasal drip is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat. I don't believe I have postnasal drip. Typically, my nose is clear and I don't had sinus pain.

During the summer I take allergy medication a few times a week, as necessary, but I haven't needed any allergy meds in about two weeks (thankfully!).

My goal for this post is to find a way to prevent the phlegm from being there. I'd accept a way to remove the phlegm, too.

The only thing that seems to help get rid of it is to not drink anything for a few hours and then take a few small sips of cold water. About a minute later I can hack up the phlegm and get rid of it. This usually works. If I time it right and do this before I go to sleep, my wife and I both (usually) get a decent night's sleep.

Another post had a response where the person said it could be a systemic Candida overgrowth, but I don't have any knowledge about this at all...

Might anyone have any info or advice for me?

Thanks for reading!

Paul
43 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I am so glad that I found this post. Now, I know that I am not alone.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello, I am  not sure that I agree with your comments about the group of people who often suffers from throat/lung phlegm. My circle of family and friends have the same, lower, higher level of daily activeness and I am the ONLY one with this problem. I do not smoke, am fairly active, and eat well, especially veggies. I dumped milk out of my diet, eat very little sugars, and only drink tea. This problems occurred when I was diagnosed with broncial infection. Since then, I have suffered heat, pollen, and dust allergies and, you guessed it, phlegm. Excuse the misspell.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i hope this is a clue for some of you.  I had this problem with chocking at night and not sleeping when I hung out with a friend that smoked constantly.  It started about 5 years ago when I would go over and help her because she had cancer and would not stop smoking! I finally stopped going to her apartment and eventually the gagging in my throat stopped at night.  Then I found out I had advanced osteoporosis.  I have high blood pressure and so it gets very complicated.  I have not been able to take the meds for osteoporosis because I end up with it coming back up.  Most likely will have to take injections instead.  But I did increase milk products significantly every day. When I began this new diet, the gagging and even chocking began again.  This, with the pain of my legs makes it hard to sleep more than a few hours lying down.  Not sure if any doctor will be able to help me with the gagging.  Lately I even have to vomit there is so much stuff in my throat.  I went on line to see if any one has this problem.  Thanks for all the information because I really think it is the new dairy diet.
Helpful - 0
4922746 tn?1361075458
this might sound weird and i have yet to try this but im going to try it. I was advised to gargle coconut oil like a mouth wash. its called oil pulling and helps with many things including build up of phlegm/mucus. hopefully this works. you can use vegitable oil as well but coconut is much healthier. and probobly tastes better.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I, too, have suffered with throat mucus for at least 15 years.  I also have a LONG history of throat infections - when I get sick it ALWAYS hits my throat and then moves down into my chest.  I cough a lot and the area around my larynx always gets irritated and I lose my voice.  Have tried and done everything (have explored the possibility of allergies, GERD, you name it, nothing has worked), and have ALWAYS wondered if the fact that I was raised with 2nd-hand smoke had something to do with it!  dlllfo - what were you told you should do about this??  I would LOVE to research this possibility.  I am a singer so this has really plagued and depressed me...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello everyone, I am 25 years old and I have had this problem since I was about 15. I have a constant urge to clear my throat (loudly) due to this mucus build up. As soon as I clear my throat 1 minute later it is back again, I can feel it there on my throat and having to clear it all the time not only hurts but is embarrasing when surrounded by people at work who have to listen to me day in day out. I went to the doctors twice about this in the past and they advsed I may have a small hole in my nasal passage which creates a drip. I have used a nasal sprey twice to try and fix the problem but it did not work so I am off to the doctors today to ask to be seen by a specialist. I have 3 other people in my office who sound like me but do not have the nerve to ask them about it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have constant mucus in the back of my throat.  I finally found an ENT doc that checked my sinuses by running a light up my nose and down into the sinus tract that drains into the throat.  Turns out my sinuses are very small and the sinus that drains into the throat is so small it can't drain properly.  I was told to use steroid sinus sprays, decongestants, antihistamines, etc., but nothing helps.  I ALWAYS feel like there is something just hanging in the back of my throat, am constantly trying to clear my throat by coughing or (and this is gross) sucking it down, but it never goes away.  I was wondering about some type of stenting procedure but don't know if they can stent this particular sinus.  I will be checking it out, though, to see if there is ANYTHING else that can be done.  I'm ready to just have them take the entire sinus tract out if that's what it takes.  It is the most annoying thing ever, not just to me but to anybody around me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had constant mucus in my throat for a couple of years.  I just thought it was a symptom of my sinus problems.  My sinus specialist mentioned that the two main food allergies are milk and wheat.  A couple of months ago Dr. Oz talked about milk and how it can cause inflamation and other side effects.  I eliminated milk products and it really cleared up my mucus problem.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Sadly - we all seem to have the same nerve-wracking symptoms.
I read the ones who had the "lung discharge" which is CONSTANT phlegm, snoring, bad breath, windpipe-whistle/wheezing.
First stage COPD or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Doctors asked me for YEARS, 'do you smoke?" each year was another year to claim freedom. 30 years smoke-free and this is the deal I get?
Well, things could be worse. I have a CPAP and must walk OUTSIDE thirty minutes per day to expand the lungs and get fresh air (good or bad) for the aerobic portion.

See here and take care of yourselves! I plan to be around another 50 years! :-) http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/copd/
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I also have this problem. I used to be a smoker. I'm sure that might have been the cause. But then again, I come from a family of snoring males. I feel it when I wake up in the mornings. I have to clear my throat quite a bit. Is there any medication that I can possibly take?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello  -  I am experiencing the very same as you are having re a " minor sinus " problem.  Very aggravating to say the least.
I am scheduled to see my doctor tomorrow.
Will read a follow up if you send one and I will also let you know what occurs at my doctors visit.

Best wishes -  Ench
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I always have a feeling of phlegm in my throat and to swallow. When I spit it, small qty of yellowish phlegm comes out followed by blood. If I keep spitting, the blood continues to come out. The ENT specialist said that it is a minor sinus prob. But the prob persists even after medication. Advice please- Vani
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have asthma , and cough up phelgm all the time , I know its from the asthma so maybe a lot of you have untreated asthma sounds to me or may have even worse copd , please have your lungs checked and if unhappy with your Doctor go get a new one. It's important to have a friendship with your Doc and work together otherwise if he or she just dominates you and treats you like you know nothing of your own body move on to one that cares about you as you would them . Doctor's are not god and cant hold your hand all the time however you need to be your own health advocate Always Best Wishes to All
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have had cartarrh and phlegm for a good number of years and have an irritating cough when the phlegm builds up too much.  The cough starts with a tickle and then It sounds like I smoke 60 a day!  The cough rattles around and is keeping me awake more than it used to.  I have tried Beconase spray, an inhaler which didn't work very well and catarrh remedies but nothing seems to work.  I also suffer from Rhinitis and sore throat during the Spring/Summer months.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi All

There is no one-stop solution to this. This is a common symptom for people with the following life-culture:

- Get up from bed, go to work.
- Sit constantly in the Air Conditioned room
- skip breakfast.. heavy lunch/dinner
- eating junk food (too spicy or processed foods/packed foods)
and so on..

A person who is physically worked all day usually does not face such issues.

You can try this religiously for one month and let me know the improvement:

- As soon as you get up from bed, finish with the nature's call conveniently.. that is with no urgency and completely. As soon as this is done, you usually feel hungry. You will hear the sound from your stomach.. This is because HCL is released.

- Now, drink 7 to 8 glasses of water at once.. but slowly..Logically, HCL is released to help kill germs in the food we eat. Hence if this water that is mixed with HCL is circulated through the blood, it should help clean any infections in the whole body and also improve immunity/white blood carpusules.

Please note: I trust this since this is sure to resolve the problem. Time taken varies on person to person.

You dont need to avoid any food. but keep in control.

- Ensure you exercise 1 hour after drinking 7 to 8 glassed of water, as in the above step. Excercise should be much related to lungs and upper respiratory tract. I suggest, pushups and pullups as the most basic ones and contributes 50 percent to the cure.

Do all the peeing before exercising... Dont pee immediately after you exercise.

Do not sleep after exercise.. Continue being active..

If you are to sit at a seat and type on a computer, then take constant breaks and keep your body active.

- Before you sleep, take this solution with milk:

   1) Tumeric - 1 teaspoon full
   2) Milk - 500 ml
   3) fresh black pepper powder - half teasoon
   4) ghee - half teaspoon
   5) Honey - 1 teaspoon
  
Heat up well. Then let it cool just a bit and drink hot. Dont drink water after this. Go to sleep. This will surely give very good sleep..

Pepper resolves the phleghm breakage.
Tumeric resolves inflammations in lungs or respiratory tract

If you cant get other ingrediants, you can as a  minimum use just pepper and tumeric in milk.

- Clear off the nose before you go to sleep.

- Sleep STRAIGHT...or in any other good positions.. refer to the internet for more info on good positions of sleeping..

- Most of all, control coughing and inhaling the phleghm form your nose.. Many times, a habit is the real root cause to this problem.. just leave the habit with the above mentioned procedure and in three to four months, most cases, this issue must be resolved..


With respect to bloody mucus, it si always good to try this and if the issue remains even after two months, consult a doctor...

For people with too much and thick mucus sufferrings, eat a two to three cloves of raw garlic before you sleep..

Since it may burn, the technique is , have some water in mouth already, and then put in the cloves to munch.. so the accilin is diluted when you bite on the clove... so this will avoid the burn!

I hope this helps..

Do post about how it does... only if you have thoroughly followed it!!!

If done, this WILL resolve the issue permanently!!!!!

This problem is only caused due to regular habits and is not usually considered to be a disease symptom.. so ont worry.. be cool :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi All

There is no one-stop solution to this. This is a common symptom for people with the following life-culture:

- Get up from bed, go to work.
- Sit constantly in the Air Conditioned room
- skip breakfast.. heavy lunch/dinner
- eating junk food (too spicy or processed foods/packed foods)
and so on..

A person who is physically worked all day usually does not face such issues.

You can try this religiously for one month and let me know the improvement:

- As soon as you get up from bed, finish with the nature's call conveniently.. that is with no urgency and completely. As soon as this is done, you usually feel hungry. You will hear the sound from your stomach.. This is because HCL is released.

- Now, drink 7 to 8 glasses of water at once.. but slowly..Logically, HCL is released to help kill germs in the food we eat. Hence if this water that is mixed with HCL is circulated through the blood, it should help clean any infections in the whole body and also improve immunity/white blood carpusules.

Please note: I trust this since this is sure to resolve the problem. Time taken varies on person to person.

You dont need to avoid any food. but keep in control.

- Ensure you exercise 1 hour after drinking 7 to 8 glassed of water, as in the above step. Excercise should be much related to lungs and upper respiratory tract. I suggest, pushups and pullups as the most basic ones and contributes 50 percent to the cure.

Do all the peeing before exercising... Dont pee immediately after you exercise.

Do not sleep after exercise.. Continue being active..

If you are to sit at a seat and type on a computer, then take constant breaks and keep your body active.

- Before you sleep, take this solution with milk:

   1) Tumeric - 1 teaspoon full
   2) Milk - 500 ml
   3) fresh black pepper powder - half teasoon
   4) ghee - half teaspoon
   5) Honey - 1 teaspoon
  
Heat up well. Then let it cool just a bit and drink hot. Dont drink water after this. Go to sleep. This will surely give very good sleep..

Pepper resolves the phleghm breakage.
Tumeric resolves inflammations in lungs or respiratory tract

If you cant get other ingrediants, you can as a  minimum use just pepper and tumeric in milk.

- Clear off the nose before you go to sleep.

- Sleep STRAIGHT...or in any other good positions.. refer to the internet for more info on good positions of sleeping..

- Most of all, control coughing and inhaling the phleghm form your nose.. Many times, a habit is the real root cause to this problem.. just leave the habit with the above mentioned procedure and in three to four months, most cases, this issue must be resolved..


With respect to bloody mucus, it si always good to try this and if the issue remains even after two months, consult a doctor...

For people with too much and thick mucus sufferrings, eat a two to three cloves of raw garlic before you sleep..

Since it may burn, the technique is , have some water in mouth already, and then put in the cloves to munch.. so the accilin is diluted when you bite on the clove... so this will avoid the burn!

I hope this helps..

Do post about how it does... only if you have thoroughly followed it!!!

If done, this WILL resolve the issue permanently!!!!!

This problem is only caused due to regular habits and is not usually considered to be a disease symptom.. so ont worry.. be cool :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm having the same problem too. I have always been an Asthmatic, but not to the point where I need to keep using an inhaler. It all started getting worse about three years ago when I first joined Karate, which by the way is very hard on you're body, especially on you're respiratory system. I used to train four nights a week but cut back because I found it to stressful on my body. I have been doing Karate about three years now, and I have cut back to one night a week. In the time I have had this problem I decided to take a basic allergy test, and it turns out I should be cutting as much Dairy out of my diet as much as possible; that I have done. But even through the change of season this problem has stayed with me. Symptoms: Constant runny nose, not to the point where it's a problem. Flem constantly on lungs and throat, and sometimes sneezing. It sounds like hay-fever, but I'm sure it's not. Any advice would help, thanks.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My naturopath suggested NAC for my throat and it has helped me greatly.  I also, by accident, discovered oil of oregano in gel cap form and they take about 10 minutes to work, and they work.  They are a natural anti-histamine, you can research to confirm if you like.  I'm still learning what my triggers are but dairy is one along with seasonal allergies too.  
And, I get my NAC and Oregano Oil gelcaps from Swanson Vitamins too because they're cheap and they work.  (great products and no, I don't work there)  I also keep these on hand for when I get a cold, Dr. Oz just mentioned that this week on his show.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I also have this problem.  I noticed when I eat bread, dairy, or something with a lot of sugar, I start getting phlegm in my throat.  I also have trouble getting a deep sleep.  I did a sleep study and the doctor said that my brain seems to wake up constantly.  The thing is, I don't wake up at all in my sleep.  And the doctor said I don't have sleep apnea.  I've done some research and noticed that maybe I could have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome (UARS).  I noticed my nose is usually partially stuffed, and I sleep a little better next to the window with the window open.  Also, by having UARS, you may be predisposed to Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD).  For a details about UARS see http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com/page5.html, but in short, if you scroll towards the bottom you'll see it says:

Some UARS patients required multiple surgeries, to partially correct symptoms. UARS manifests (shows itself) as multiple EEG (Electo Encephalo Gram, showing brain waves) arousals during the night, from partial upper airway obstructions, leading to daytime fatigue (bigtime), leading to many other problems. Many UARS patients are NOT obese, and may never have breathing entirely stop, as happens in sleep apnea.

One patient having UARS (early 2006), suspects possible VCD (Vocal Cord Dysfunction), as a partial factor causing patient's residual problems from UARS, and suspects that the UARS may have predisposed patient to getting VCD (along with possible LPR/laryngo pharyngeal reflux, air quality problems, etc. etc.).
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I too recently had constant phlegm sitting at the back of my throat, it was awful being out for dinner with someone or on the tube and needing to spit constantly! Literally every four minutes! so awkward, I just couldn't relax & it wasn't exactly lady like! I started having this problem as soon as I moved in with my boyfriend and we started cooking in a frying pan that his mum had given us as a housewarming gift. It was a 'teflon" non stick pan. I discovered that whenever I used the pan I got lots of mucus. I looked into it and found out that there has been an 18 year cover up by 'teflon' regarding the dangers of using these pans. The black coating inside the pan is made up of chemicals, all of which go into our food once the pan is heated. They also off gas into the atmosphere. Once the chemicals are in our fat cells, organs and bones they are impossible to get out never breaking down once that they're in our system. Teflon pans also cause phlegm...one of the side effects of using teflon is having over active mucus in the throat, The heated pans are extremely toxic and inhalation/consumption can lead to fluid build up in the lung (edema). In the cases of animal testing "Teflon toxicosis," as the bird poisonings are called, the lungs of exposed birds hemorrhage and fill with fluid, leading to suffocation. I have found that swapping to stainless steel pans totally cured my problem. It is a simple way to have a clear throat & no more mucus or spitting!! - Please try and cook without these pans for a while & see if there is any improvement - Also whilst researching into mucus prevention I saw quite a lot that said cows milk, chedder cheese and butter can cause phlegm. If you'd like more info on teflon pans take a look at http://tuberose.com/Teflon.html


Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
the pheglm in my throat all started when i was 6 months pregnant eating was very very hard always feels like my throat is ready to close when im eating even drinking liquids was very hard for me that was 12 months ago and nothings changed the pheglm in my throat has gotten worst where im losing so much weight i've seen 5 different doctors and they had no idea what to do first they said i wassuffering from anxiety but 24 / 7 i dont think so even when im sleeping i sometimes wake up from a dead sleep trying to catch my breath it's hard as i would love to eat and enjoy all the foods i once loved to eat can someone please please help me im so worried i will be walking around like a skeleton
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been dealing with this stuff for 20 years. I always have clear mucus in my throat. I have allergies to just about everything that is airborne. No dairy allergy. The doctors have always said it is allergies and drip, but I feel the mucus is being produce in my throat and lungs and not dripping from my sinus. Clair tin D will dry up my nose, but the mucus is still in my throat. About 10 years ago I did a trial of Claritin and it didn't stop my sore throat, mucus problems. My voice gets tired very easily. I could never have a job where I had to speak all day as that leads to a brutal sore throat. I ordered some NAC to see if that helps clear the mucus.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Mine's been going on over a year.. I used to smoke and then quit but now i'm smoking again and I don't notice it any worse. I'm up early today because I felt like i was suffocating from it. It makes me so anxious and sometimes sick to my stomach, on top of embarrassing when i "hawk" up a loogy in front of someone when I thought noone was around! Sinuses? Allergies? Acid Reflux?? Geez.. I just wish I could stop it and without insurance I haven't been able too. I'm tired of always feeling this, then feeling sick at my stomach when I swallow it.. I feel for anyone with this problem!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks for the post Mr. Raymond!

my husband has a very bad throat because of phlegm.I make sure that he does the breathing exercise for relief

Thanks again
Cheers!!
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Respiratory Disorders Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Find out what causes asthma, and how to take control of your symptoms.
Healing home remedies for common ailments
Tricks to help you quit for good.
Is your area one of the dirtiest-air cities in the nation?
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.