During a cold or other respiratory infection, mucous membranes
don’t release as much liquid as they normally do. So the mucus that is
there in the tract changes from its benign, watery consistency to the
thick, gross, gummy stuff we call phlegm.
Any aid you use to help you cough up phlegm and get it out of your chest and your life is called by a fancy name: expectorant. Many people think that expectorants work by stimulating your cough reflex so you will cough more. That extra coughing, they believe, helps bring up the phlegm. But that is probably not how expectorants operate at all; instead, they do their job by attempting to thin out phlegm so it is easier to cough up.
Which expectorants work? That is hard question to answer, experts say. Expectorants are tough to test under rigorous scientific conditions because everybody’s phlegm is different and difficult to measure. Here is a rundown:
Extra fluids
From water to chicken soup, almost every expert we consulted said that extra fluids were the most effective expectorants to reach for, especially as a first line of defense. Extra fluids go into all compartments of the body, including your respiratory tract, where they help to liquefy hardened mucus so it is easier to cough up. How much extra fluid is enough? Six to eight ounce glasses a day, which includes your usual amount.
Chicken soup made volunteers’ noses run faster than did other hot or cold liquids. But the researchers didn’t attempt to measure the soup’s effect on phlegm deeper in the respiratory tract, the kind that needs to be coughed up.
And what about that oft-quoted piece of wisdom that says avoid drinking milk during a cold because it increases the amount of phlegm in your system? Not true, milk does not produce phlegm, infection does, why do so many people think milk is a phlegm producer? It may because milk is a coating liquid. It gives you the feeling of more phlegm in your throat but the milk is not really increasing the amount.
Over-the-counter drugs
What about cough medicines that combine expectorants with other cold remedies? Many doctors and pharmacists would probably be reluctant to recommend such combination drugs if all you need is an expectorant. But a lot of physicians would also agree that in some situations a cough. Suppressant/expectorant is justified.
Some people may have an incredibly sensitive cough reflex, which the suppressant could help tone down so they are not coughing all the time.
Then, if the expectorant is doing its job, you will only cough when there is something actually ready to be coughed up.
Other home remedies
Lozenges containing licorice, horehound or aromatic oils, such as peppermint or spearmint, are often linked with increased breakdown of phlegm, as they dissolve in your throat, they help liquefy mucus.
Hot & spicy foods the kind that makes your eyes water or your nose run, may also be modestly effective. They help mucous membranes all over, not just in your nose, to secrete more liquid, which can help thin mucus, so you might want to add foods containing hot peppers, curry and other hot and spicy flavorings to your menu when you have a cold.
Any aid you use to help you cough up phlegm and get it out of your chest and your life is called by a fancy name: expectorant. Many people think that expectorants work by stimulating your cough reflex so you will cough more. That extra coughing, they believe, helps bring up the phlegm. But that is probably not how expectorants operate at all; instead, they do their job by attempting to thin out phlegm so it is easier to cough up.
Which expectorants work? That is hard question to answer, experts say. Expectorants are tough to test under rigorous scientific conditions because everybody’s phlegm is different and difficult to measure. Here is a rundown:
Extra fluids
From water to chicken soup, almost every expert we consulted said that extra fluids were the most effective expectorants to reach for, especially as a first line of defense. Extra fluids go into all compartments of the body, including your respiratory tract, where they help to liquefy hardened mucus so it is easier to cough up. How much extra fluid is enough? Six to eight ounce glasses a day, which includes your usual amount.
Chicken soup made volunteers’ noses run faster than did other hot or cold liquids. But the researchers didn’t attempt to measure the soup’s effect on phlegm deeper in the respiratory tract, the kind that needs to be coughed up.
And what about that oft-quoted piece of wisdom that says avoid drinking milk during a cold because it increases the amount of phlegm in your system? Not true, milk does not produce phlegm, infection does, why do so many people think milk is a phlegm producer? It may because milk is a coating liquid. It gives you the feeling of more phlegm in your throat but the milk is not really increasing the amount.
Over-the-counter drugs
What about cough medicines that combine expectorants with other cold remedies? Many doctors and pharmacists would probably be reluctant to recommend such combination drugs if all you need is an expectorant. But a lot of physicians would also agree that in some situations a cough. Suppressant/expectorant is justified.
Some people may have an incredibly sensitive cough reflex, which the suppressant could help tone down so they are not coughing all the time.
Then, if the expectorant is doing its job, you will only cough when there is something actually ready to be coughed up.
Other home remedies
Lozenges containing licorice, horehound or aromatic oils, such as peppermint or spearmint, are often linked with increased breakdown of phlegm, as they dissolve in your throat, they help liquefy mucus.
Hot & spicy foods the kind that makes your eyes water or your nose run, may also be modestly effective. They help mucous membranes all over, not just in your nose, to secrete more liquid, which can help thin mucus, so you might want to add foods containing hot peppers, curry and other hot and spicy flavorings to your menu when you have a cold.
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