5) Salt Water. This is a fantastic remedy for three reasons, according to Top 10 Home Remedies. Salt water is a powerful antibacterial agent, it relaxes your throat, and it reduces inflammation. Dissolve a pinch of salt in a glass of warm water and gargle. Rinse and repeat several times a day.
6) Nasal Irrigation. We’ve talked about gargling salt water, but you can also try rinsing your nasal passages with it. Nasal irrigation is the method of pouring a saline solution into one nostril to loosen up the mucus that has collected there, and then draining it out of the other nostril. WebMD emphasizes the importance of using distilled or boiled water when making your own saline solution, and rinsing your irrigation device after each use.
7) Turmeric. Turmeric may be the latest super-spice, but people have been using it for thousands of years. According to Top 10 Home Remedies, turmeric’s antiseptic properties kill the bacteria that cause excessive mucus, and turmeric naturally strengthens the immune system. Try simply adding a teaspoon of turmeric to a glass of hot water, and gargling. You can also add it to a glass of hot milk for a soothing and spicy drink, but take care with this one as many people find that milk encourages the production of phlegm.
8) Warm compress. Try soaking a washcloth in hot water and laying it over the affected areas of your body—the warmth will heat up and liquify the mucus.
9) Essential Oils.Natural Living Ideas suggests making use of a diffuser to waft the aroma of essential oils throughout your room. Eucalyptus, peppermint, and rosemary are all essential oils with decongestant properties that help to open the airways.
10) Hot drinks. You might have noticed a common thread throughout these remedies—many of them include a glass of warm water. Natural Living Ideas emphasizes the importance of drinking hot drinks while you’re under the weather. They’re comforting and keep you hydrated, but they’re also effective in loosening mucus from your throat and chest. You can have warm water with lemon, herbal teas, or even a cup of chicken broth. This isn’t an old wive’s tale—researchers have tested the effects of hot and cold drinks on people suffering from the flu, and found that those who were given a hot drink experienced instant and prolonged relief from their flu symptoms.
Stubborn phlegm in your chest and throat is frustrating, and prolonged coughing in an attempt to get it out can irritate the walls of your throat and hurt your chest and ribs. Try these natural home remedies instead to warm and soften the mucus, allowing it to travel more easily through your airways and out of your body.