How to Get Rid of Phlegm and Mucus in Chest and Throat Naturally

How to get your airways trap and remove irritants, so rid of phlegm and mucus naturally

Phlegm helps your airways trap and remove irritants, so you generally want to loosen and clear it, rather than eliminate mucus entirely.

7 simple things that may help

1. Drink plenty of fluids 💧
   Water helps keep mucus from becoming overly thick.

2. Use warm liquids
   Warm water, tea, or broth can soothe an irritated throat. Honey can also help with cough in adults and children over 1 year old.

3. Gargle salt water
   Mix about ½ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water, gargle, and spit it out.

4. Try saline nasal spray or rinsing
   This can help if mucus is coming from the nose or sinuses and draining down the throat. For nasal irrigation, use distilled/sterile water or water that has been boiled and cooled.

5. Keep the air from becoming too dry
   A clean humidifier may help. Avoid inhaling steam directly from boiling water because of the risk of burns.

6. Avoid smoke and airway irritants 🚭
   Smoking, vaping, secondhand smoke, dust, and strong chemical fumes can increase mucus and coughing.

7. Stay gently active
   If you’re otherwise well, light walking can help with normal airway clearance.

What about yellow or green phlegm?

Color alone doesn’t prove that you have a bacterial infection or that you need antibiotics. Viral infections and inflammation can also change mucus color.

When to see a doctor

Get medical advice if phlegm or coughing lasts several weeks, repeatedly returns, or comes with persistent fever, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, or blood in the mucus.

Seek urgent medical care for severe difficulty breathing, significant chest pain, or coughing up a substantial amount of blood.

If you tell me whether your mucus is mainly in your throat or chest, its color, and how long you’ve had it, I can help narrow down the likely cause.