Prolonged phlegm – A discomfort of many
Have you ever wondered what that slimy and gooey liquid we sneeze out during cold is? That viscous liquid is phlegm. It’s a secretion of the lungs that’s usually clear and the amount produced daily is massive and that’s 2 liters! Food allergies commonly cause prolonged phlegm production and eradicating the allergen restores the phlegm levels.
When does it start
During infection, our immunity produces mucus to wade off all the harmful microbes. While doing this, the mucus becomes viscous. So the possible scenarios for this are when we have:
- Cold
- Irritated sinuses
- Allergic reactions
- Exposure to smoke or pollution
Now, these triggers will wane away soon and our body restores that clear liquid. But what happens in prolonged phlegm?
Is it a silent warning?
Cough is the main way in which the discomfort due to phlegm is tackled. So prolonged cough naturally means our phlegm production is on overdrive. The most common reasons for this are:
- Postnasal drip
- Infections
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Whooping cough
- Sore throat
- Consuming spicy food
Now despite all this, most of the people have prolonged phlegm due to a simple infection.
How to manage it?
Since prolonged phlegm hinders our daily life, remedies are needed to handle this. These include:
- Staying hydrated
- Gargling with warm salt water or saline
- Using clean filters for heating and cooling systems to keep allergens at bay
- Nasal saline spray
- Humidifiers
- Anti-allergic medications
The underlying causes mostly get resolved on its own with time. However, if the phlegm production exceeds 2 weeks, then rush to the doctor to get tested. So, stay calm and worry less.