How To Get Rid Of Mucus In The Throat Fast?

Isn’t it annoying when you can feel the mucus in your throat? Isn’t it incredibly irritating when you are in the middle of spending time with your friends or family, and that slimy thing is stuck in your throat? What can you do to get rid of mucus in the throat fast? 

What is mucus?

Difference between phlegm and mucus

Before diving deep into the topic, let’s learn about mucus. There is a distinction between mucus and phlegm. Mucus is a normal protective secretion that has slippery and elastic properties.¹ It has other names, such as snot. Your doctor might call it sputum or phlegm. However, phlegm and mucus are two different things, although they are similar. 

Phlegm is a type of mucus, but unlike mucus, phlegm is involved when it comes to diseases.² It results from inflammation and contains mucus with inflammatory cells, germs, and debris.² You can say phlegm is like an evil twin of mucus. 

Causes for the overproduction of mucus

Goblet cells and submucosal glands produce mucus.² Then, it is secreted into our airways.³ Mucus contains secreted water, sugar, protein, lipids, minerals, and mucins.³ Mucin is a type of protein that is an essential part of mucus.³ Under normal conditions, mucus is vital to protect our airways from foreign particles and moistens the air.³ On the other hand, when  under different types of stress conditions, our body might produce excess mucus.³ 

So, what are the causes of the overproduction of mucus? The reasons include smoking, infection, pathogenic factors, and oxidative stress.³

Excess mucus production also can be triggered by several health conditions, including ⁶:

1. Lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and cystic fibrosis
2. Asthma
3. Infections 
4. Chronic diseases such as primary ciliary dyskinesia, HIV 

If the excess mucus buildup is persistent, it will encourage the growth of germs in your body which can lead to infection.⁶

Ways to get rid of mucus in the throat

But rest assured! There are plenty of home remedies to remove mucus in the throat. 

Home remedies

Humidify the air

Keeping the air moist by humidifying the air might be effective in clearing mucus in the throat. Some studies suggested that air humidifiers can help with mucus clearance.^4,5 It is also a good treatment for people suffering from the common cold, COPD, and sleep apnea.^4,5 Although the results are inconclusive, you can still use this method by putting your humidifier in your bedroom to keep your nose and throat clear. 

Keep hydrated

Doctors commonly advise patients with acute respiratory infections to drink a lot of water.⁷ 

Acute infections include colds, acute sinusitis, tonsillitis, laryngitis, acute bronchitis, pneumonia and influenza.⁷ An expert review found that drinking a lot of fluids might lead to the thinning of mucus,⁷ however, more studies should be conducted as the results of this study are inconclusive. But there is no harm in trying, right? Furthermore, a study in 1978 demonstrated that warm water might be more effective than cold water in getting rid of mucus. ⁸

Thus, try to consume more water, especially warm liquids, to make your nose and throat clearer!

Salt water gargle

Gargling salt water is another trick that can alleviate sore throat symptoms and cold.²² Aside from that, it can eliminate viruses in your throat. ²²

Elevate your head

Your body and head positions are vital to eliminating the mucus in your throat.³ Appropriate body positions help the mucus flow out of your airways and keep your throat clear.³ However, it depends on which part of your lung is a lesion.³

Avoid irritants and decongestants

You should avoid things that might encourage the overproduction of mucus, such as irritants and decongestants. Exposure to irritants and smoking can worsen your symptoms and cause mucus hypersecretion.⁹

Use eucalyptus oil

Eucalyptus oil is rich in 1,8-cineole which has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. ¹⁰ Eucalyptus oil is often used to treat cough, cold and bronchitis.¹¹ It is also used to provide symptomatic relief of colds and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.¹¹ 

You can breathe in eucalyptus steam to help get rid of the mucus.¹¹ But, how do you prepare it? Put 12 drops of eucalyptus oil into 150 ml of boiling water and inhale the steam.¹¹ You can repeat this treatment three times per day.¹¹ However, you should not put eucalyptus oil and its preparations on your face or nose, and refrain from using it on babies and children.¹¹ So, be careful and ensure no children are around your eucalyptus oil!

Consume respiratory health-promoting ingredients

Why don’t you try consuming food and drinks that contain garlic? Experts suggested that garlic possesses antimicrobial and antiviral properties that can relieve the common cold.¹³ Moreover, another study demonstrated that garlic can help clear the mucus in the body.¹⁴ However, the study mentioned earlier was an investigation involving horses as the subjects, therefore might have a different impact on humans. 

Honey is another ingredient that is good for treating a cough.¹⁵ It has mucolytic and cough relief properties that might lead to a reduction in coughing.¹⁵ Furthermore, the mucolytic properties of honey help to reduce the thickness of the mucus, facilitating mucus elimination by coughing.¹⁵

Eat more fruits

We all know how beneficial fruits are for our health. One of their benefits is helping us get rid of excess mucus from our bodies. As an expert suggested, pineapple is a champion in eliminating excess mucus from our body.¹⁵ Pineapple, or its scientific name Ananas comosus, contains Bromelain, which is essential in breaking up thick mucus.¹⁵ Furthermore, research demonstrated that combining pineapple and honey is much more effective than honey alone in removing mucus.¹⁵ 

You can make yourself a pineapple smoothie in the comfort of your house. Here is a recipe that you can try. 

Take a hot bath or shower

For a long time, heat has been used in the form of hot springs, saunas, hammams, steam rooms, sweat-lodges, steam inhalations, hot mud and poultices to treat and prevent respiratory infections.¹⁶ The steam that comes from the hot water will moisten the air and prevent the growth of germs in your nasal cavity.¹⁶ Furthermore, heat can help your body to clear your mucus effectively. 

You can enhance the efficacy of a hot bath/shower with essential oils that contain antiviral, mucolytic and anxiolytic properties.¹⁶

Avoid alcohol and caffeine

The impact of alcohol on our airway function depends on its concentration, duration and route of exposure.¹⁷ You are still safe if you only take a sip, but it might worsen your mucus problem if you take too much. A study suggested that alcohol might alter the normal functioning of mucociliary clearance, which is vital to expel excess mucus.¹⁷ Thus, avoid drinking too much alcohol. 

Use nasal rinse or spray

Another name for nasal rinse or spray is nasal irrigation.¹⁸ It has been known to ease the symptoms of acute upper respiratory infections(URIs) by clearing mucus, decreasing congestion, and improving breathing.¹⁸ Nasal irrigation is mainly used to treat sinusitis and allergic rhinitis.¹⁸ 

Furthermore, a study demonstrated that sea salt-derived physiological saline nasal spray helps to reduce the symptoms of nasal congestion and runny nose in patients with URI. ¹⁸ 

If you feel like these home remedies are too cumbersome, and you want quick ways to expel mucus from your throat, you can opt to take medicines instead!

Take over-the-counter medicines

You can take guaifenesin, an expectorant that can help loosen your thick mucus in the airways and make coughs more productive.¹⁹ It is also used to treat chest congestion and wet cough due to the common cold.¹⁹

Prescription medicines

According to the NHS, carbocisteine can help clear phlegm out of your body.²⁰ It also breaks down your mucus, making it less sticky and thick.²⁰

When to see a doctor

On the other hand, you still have to see your doctor if ²¹

1. You have had a persistent cough for more than 3 weeks
2. Your cough is getting worse
3. You feel breathless
4. You’re coughing up blood
5. You have chest pain and feel unwell

Summary

If you find your mucus bothersome, there are plenty of home remedies that can help you throughout your daily life by eliminating the excess mucus in your throat. 

Excess mucus is a harmless symptom, but if the symptoms persist, make sure to book an appointment with your doctor.