- How to fight cough with phlegm
- Home remedies to loosen phlegm
- Natural Cough Remedies for Catarrh in Pregnancy
- When to go to the doctor
To combat coughing with phlegm, nebulisations should be performed with serum, coughing to try to eliminate secretions, drinking at least 2 liters of liquid and drinking teas with expectorant properties, such as onion skin, for example.
Cough is a defense mechanism of the body in an attempt to eliminate secretions from the respiratory system, arising mainly when there is an inflammation of the bronchi or lungs. Some diseases that can cause cough with phlegm are bronchitis, bronchiolitis, pneumonia and tuberculosis and therefore if the cough does not improve in 5 days, you should go to the pulmonologist.
Generally, coughing with transparent phlegm is not a concern and can be a sign of the flu or cold. However, in addition to this cough, there may be:
- Cough with phlegm and shortness of breath, which can be a sign of bronchitis, which must be treated with the use of medicines prescribed by the doctor; Cough with green phlegm or yellow phlegm, which can be a sign of bacterial infection and treatment should be guided by the doctor; Cough with phlegm and blood, which can be a sign of tuberculosis or damage to the respiratory tract, so it is important to consult a doctor so that the cause can be investigated and appropriate treatment started.
The phlegm can concentrate in the throat and make breathing difficult, making the voice hoarse, and in order to eliminate it, nebulization with serum is necessary to facilitate the fluidization of secretions.
How to fight cough with phlegm
If the person has a cough with transparent phlegm, it is recommended to nebulize to decrease the thickness and amount of mucus, helping to breathe better, in addition to coughing whenever you feel the presence of secretions, avoiding swallowing them, in addition to drinking at least 2 liters of water during the day to fluidize secretions and thus facilitate their elimination.
In addition, an option to fight cough is by taking teas with expectorant properties, such as mallow tea with guaco and onion syrup, for example, which facilitate the elimination of phlegm. In some cases, especially when the cough is persistent, the doctor may recommend the use of specific cough syrups, and should be used according to guidance.
Home remedies to loosen phlegm
Some options for home remedies to cure cough with clear phlegm include:
- Inhale the steam of boiled water with 1 tablespoon of coarse salt and 1 drop of eucalyptus essential oil; Take the tea from the onion skin with honey and 1 pinch of white pepper twice a day; Take the juice of 1 orange with 1 lemon, 1 spoon of honey and 3 drops of propolis extract; Eat foods rich in vitamin C like orange, mandarin oranges and raw pepper, because this strengthens the immune system. In addition, you can make an orange juice with watercress and drink it every day.
When there is a cough with phlegm, it is important not to take any medicine for dry cough because it is important to eliminate the phlegm to avoid complications such as pneumonia, for example. Check out some other options for home remedies for sputum.
Learn how to prepare various home remedies against cough in the following video:
Natural Cough Remedies for Catarrh in Pregnancy
Cough with phlegm can also occur during pregnancy, which can be very uncomfortable and, to treat it, it is essential to drink plenty of water, juices or teas, so that the phlegm becomes more fluid and comes out more easily. Orange juice is also great for hydrating the body and as it is rich in vitamin C, it is a great home remedy to strengthen the immune system to fight the flu and cold.
Also, during pregnancy, you should not take any tea or medicine without medical advice, as they can harm the baby, so before taking any medicine you should consult a doctor.
When to go to the doctor
Medical help should be sought when the cough presents with green, yellow, bloody or brown phlegm because these colors may indicate the presence of microorganisms in the lung that may have to be treated with antibiotics, for example.
It is also recommended to go to the consultation when there is fever, hoarseness and when coughing with phlegm makes breathing difficult and has not passed for more than 3 days. The doctor may order an X-ray of the lung and an examination of the sputum to assess the color, consistency and microorganism involved so that the diagnosis of the disease can be made and, thus, indicate the best remedies.
