How to get rid of throat congestion

What is Throat Congestion?

Throat congestion is an annoying side effect of a common cold, sinusitis allergies, or any other condition that clogs your airways. Throat congestion can be very frustrating and leave you constantly clearing your throat, coughing and unable to breathe properly.

Read on to learn more about throat congestion and how to get your symptoms under control so you can get your breathing, and your life back to normal.

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What is Throat Congestion?

Throat congestion happens when mucus from your nose drips down the back of the throat, also called, postnasal drip and gets stuck.

If your nasal passage is congested but your body is still producing mucus to fight off harmful bacteria or pollutants, that mucus needs somewhere to go. Unfortunately, that place is your throat.

Throat Congestion Symptoms

You are likely suffering from throat congestion if you have:

A sore throat
A productive cough, meaning you are coughing up mucus and phlegm
An inability to clear your throat
A runny nose
Sneezing
Breathing difficulty
Swallowing difficulty
Change in voice hyponasal speech
Loss of smell
Loss of taste
Mild headache and body ache
Low fever

How to Get Rid of Throat Congestion

While the symptoms of throat congestion can be painful and frustrating, there are lots of ways to get symptom relief, including:

Take a hot shower: Breathe in the steam from the hot water. It will help loosen thick mucus membranes, making it easier to cough them up and blow them out.
Use a humidifier: Humidifiers moisten the air you breath. This moisture has a similar effect as the steam from a hot shower; it thins thick mucus allowing you to expel it easier by coughing and blowing your nose. Try adding eucalyptus oil to the humidifier to get even more relief. This essential oil has been shown to aid congestion by fighting off harmful bacteria.
Keep Hydrated: Drinking plenty of fluids helps thins mucus from the inside out. Drinking water is the best way to do this but if you prefer to drink something else just make sure it is caffeine free because caffeine is dehydrating. When your body is dehydrated your mucus becomes thick and sticky. This creates an excess of phlegm and makes you prone to buildups because it is much harder to break up the mucus membranes.
Up your lemon, ginger, garlic, and spice intake: These ingredients have been linked to respiratory health. While more research is needed, ingestion is not harmful, and is very helpful to some, so it is worth a try.
Try drinking lemon ginger tea and adding extra garlic to your food. Spicy foods containing capsaicin like chili peppers can also break up mucus. Just be careful not to exceed your spice limit, as this can be very uncomfortable.
Gargle warm salt water: try gargling warm salt water for 30-60 seconds: This helps remove any phlegm that is stuck in the throat. The salt also helps to kill bad bacteria promoting relief and recovery. While this may taste yucky, it can be worth the results.
Try an over the counter decongestant: consult your doctor to find the best one for you.

Remember, the more mucus you get out of your body the better so keep hydrated, keep your environment moist, and don’t hesitate to cough and blow your nose as much as possible. If your symptoms donâ€™t improve and throat congestion becomes a regular occurrence, contact your doctor for an official diagnosis and treatment plan.

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What is Mucus?

When you cough, sneeze, or spit out mucus, it may be green, yellow, beige, clear, red, or even black.

The color, quantity, and texture of your mucus can help you determine what may be wrong with you, and how your body is progressing in fighting off an illness. Mucus is generated by membranes in the nose and sinuses.

It contains antibodies and enzymes that work to prevent harmful bacteria, viruses, and allergens from entering the body and spreading. Think of it as a line of a defense, a barrier between your body and a harmful antigen.

Respiratory mucus lines your mouth, nose, throat, and lungs. However, mucus is also produced in other parts of the body, including your cervix, digestive system, and urinary tract.

Symptoms

Common symptoms that accompany mucus production include:

Chest congestion
Cough
Nasal congestion
Restlessness and trouble sleeping
Runny nose
Sinus headache
Sore throat
Wheezing

What Causes the Overproduction of Mucus?

An overproduction of mucus is brought on by a wide range of illnesses, including bacterial infections, viral infections, allergies, and lung diseases.

Acid reflux

Acid reflux occurs when acid from your stomach travels up your esophagus and sits in the back of your throat.

Acid reflux irritates the throat and causes excess production of mucus in the throat and nasal passages resulting in a sensation of postnasal drip, as your esophagus tries to clear out the acid.

Allergies

Allergies can cause itchy eyes, sneezing, wheezing, congestion, chest tightness, runny nose, and coughing.

When you have an allergic reaction to a food or something in the environment like dust, pollen, or dander, your immune system kicks into overdrive to produce mucus that will help expel the irritant.

Asthma

Symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, chest pain, chest tightness, and coughing. Coughing could be dry or wet with phlegm.

If it is wet with small amounts of white or clear mucus, this is a sign your airways have become inflamed. If you cough up thick phlegm regularly, this could be a sign you have a bacterial infection that requires medical attention.

Infections

Bacterial and viral infections such as influenza, bronchitis, and pneumonia can cause your airways to produce extra mucus.

The mucus may be green or yellow in color. Coughing up or blowing red mucus out of your nose is a sign that blood has been mixed in.

The tissue lining of your nose or throat may have been irritated from too much wiping, rubbing, coughing, or blowing.

Lung diseases

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a broad term for a host of lung diseases that can make it harder to breathe.

Chronic bronchitis and emphysema fall under COPD, and are usually caused by long-term exposure to substances that irritate the lungs, specifically cigarette smoke .

In some cases, people with asthma can develop COPD.

Dehydration

When your body becomes dehydrated, mucus may thicken and tiny hairs called cilia, lining many internal organs, have a hard time pushing the mucus through your body, causing it to feel stuck and difficult for you to cough it up.

Dry environment

A dry environment can be caused by air conditioning, central heating, or an extremely dry climate, leading to dehydration.

Cold or dry air can aggravate the nasal passages, resulting in excess mucus production that may be thick in consistency.

Caffeine and alcohol consumption

Caffeine, found in coffee, black tea, and energy drinks, can lead to dehydration, which can contribute to the thickening of mucus produced by the cells in nasal and respiratory passages.

Heavy alcohol use can damage the mucociliary transport system, which functions to clear mucus from respiratory passages. When it is damaged, your body will have a hard time regulating mucus production.

Smoking

Tobacco smoke can irritate the lungs and cause a range of symptoms including chest pain, wheezing, and coughing.

Long-term exposure can lead to serious health complications such as COPD, heart attacks, strokes, and death.

Home Remedies for Excess Mucus in Throat

There are a range of effective home remedies that can ease symptoms when you’re producing a lot of mucus.

You can incorporate the following home remedies into your healthcare simultaneously with OTC and prescription medications to treat the underlying cause.

Eat chicken soup: A study carried out in 2000 concluded that chicken soup reduces inflammation associated with sinus congestion and colds. Chicken soup may prevent the migration of neutrophils leading to an anti-inflammatory response and therefore decreasing mucus production.
Drink plenty of fluids: Fluids such as water, diluted juices, decaffeinated teas, soups, and lemon water can hydrate you and loosen congestion.
Gargle warm salt water: This may help break up the phlegm in the back of your throat and soothe a sore throat.
Avoid excess dairy. When battling phlegm due to illness, a high dairy intake can lead to increased mucus production and thickening of mucus.
Consume lemon, ginger, and garlic: A 2018 survey found that consuming foods and drinks that contain lemon, ginger, and garlic can help treat colds, coughs, and excess mucus.
Stay warm: Maintain a warm body temperature to help your body fight off illness. You can do this by drinking warm liquids, taking hot showers, wrapping yourself in blankets, and layering your clothing.
Use a humidifier: Steam can help add moisture to the air and clear phlegm and congestion. A humidifier containing an air purifier can rid the air of irritants that may be causing excessive mucus production.

Medications for Excess Mucus Production

Depending on what is causing excess mucus production, over-the-counter (OTC) options can help relieve symptoms such as a stuffy nose, cough, and chest congestion.

When excess mucus production is caused by chronic illness such as cystic fibrosis or COPD, prescription medication may be required.

OTC medicines

Antihistamines: OTC antihistamines come in sedating and non-sedating options, and work to treat a runny nose, tickly throat, and chest congestion that is caused by your immune system’s response to an irritant in your environment. They can help dry up your nose and clear your airways. Sedating antihistamines cause drowsiness. Avoid operating heavy machinery and drinking alcohol while taking them.
Oral and nasal decongestants: For the treatment of a stuffy nose, nasal sprays (like Flonase or Afrin) or oral decongestants (like Sudafed) may be indicated. Nasal sprays like Afrin, or oxymetazoline should not be used for more than a few days as they can cause rebound congestion, or chronic congestion. Flonase is a nasal corticosteroid spray that can be used daily to reduce the inflammation in the nasal passages. ). Oral decongestants work to open up your airways by constricting vessels to decrease swelling and congestion so you can breathe clearly again. Oral decongestants with pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine should be avoided in those who have high blood pressure.
Expectorants: Expectorants such as guaifenesin (Mucinex) thin out mucus so it is easier to cough up.
Suppressants: Suppressants reduce the number of times you cough and clear your throat. They work to coat the throat and soothe irritation.

Prescription medications

In some cases, excess mucus production is a symptom of a more serious health condition such as a chronic lung disease or cystic fibrosis. Stronger medications prescribed by your healthcare provider can help eliminate mucus from your body.

These medications include:

Dornase-Alfa (Pulmozyme): This mucus-thinning medication is used in the management and treatment of people with cystic fibrosis. It is suitable for ages six and up and is inhaled through a nebulizer. Dornase-Alfa helps you cough up sputum and clear your lungs.
Hypertonic saline: Inhaled through a nebulizer, hypertonic saline has a high sodium concentration that attracts water into the airways thinning out mucus, stimulating the cough response. Some saline solutions are available OTC, but this one is available only by prescription.

When to See a Medical Professional

When home remedies and OTC medications have not been effective, contact a doctor. In some cases, excess mucus production can be caused by a serious underlying health condition that needs medical attention.

Consult a healthcare professional right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

A cough that lasts two weeks or longer
A cough that contains blood
Foul-smelling mucus or mucus with blood
A consistent fever of 101˚F (38˚C) or above
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
An overall feeling of illness spreading throughout your body

Excess mucus in the throat is sometimes your body’s way of warning you that it is fighting a viral or bacterial infection.

This may require a physical examination by a doctor and prescription medicine.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get rid of the mucus in my throat?

There are several effective home remedies, including humidified air drinking plenty of fluids and staying warm. There are also over-the-counter (OTC) medications that can help thin or break up mucus.

Why do I feel like I have mucus stuck in my throat?

Mucus in your throat could be signs of an infection or disease. It could also be related to your immune system’s response to your external environment.

Why do I have thick mucus in my throat?

Mucus in your throat is related to an inflammatory response that is designed to protect you. It contains antibodies and enzymes that protect harmful substances from entering the body and spreading illness.

K Health articles are all written and reviewed by MDs, PhDs, NPs, or PharmDs and are for informational purposes only. This information does not constitute and should not be relied on for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.

How do you clear a blocked throat?

taking sips of cold water when you feel the need to clear your throat – constantly clearing your throat may make things worse. using a saline nasal rinse several times a day – these can be bought from a pharmacy or made at home with half a teaspoon of salt in a pint of boiled water that's been left to cool.

What causes throat congestion?

Throat congestion happens when excess mucus from your nose drips down the back of your throat and gets stuck. Often what happens is that your nasal passage will become congested, and your body will still continue to produce mucus to fight off harmful bacteria or pollutants.

Why won't the mucus in my throat go away?

Possible causes of excess mucus can be food allergies, an acid reflux from the stomach, or an infection. The consistency of mucus in the throat also varies depending on what is going on in your body. Common causes of too much mucus in the throat include a cold or flu, acute bronchitis, sinusitis or pneumonia.