Get rid of phlegm and mucus with these home remedies
Mucus is a protective lining that keeps certain organs safe against foreign invaders. However, with infections, allergies, or excessive smoking, our body starts generating more and more of it, which damages our lungs and nasal passage. As it's the season of flu with almost everyone falling ill, here are some natural and home remedies that can help you get rid of phlegm and mucus.
Use a humidifier
One of the many reasons why you should use a humidifier is that it adds moisture to the dry air around you. Dry air can hamper your upper respiratory tract and make you feel more congested with mucus and phlegm, which is why you can use this device to inhale vapors that soften the air you breathe. It can also help you treat cough.
Drink more liquids
Drinking more liquids during this time can help you with getting rid of mucus and phlegm. And by this, we don't just mean increasing your water intake but also sipping on other liquids that can make your mucus thin and help you drain it out of your body easily. You can try warm apple juice, ginger-honey tea, soup, or decaffeinated black or green tea.
Take a warm shower or sauna
Warm water generates steam which further helps in loosening and clearing the mucus and phlegm in your body. Even allowing some bearably-hot water to splash on your face can reduce the pressure on your sinuses and reduce headaches and facial pains caused due to excess mucus build-up. So when you bathe next, allow the warm water to run continuously and inhale the steam.
Use eucalyptus oil
Eucalyptus essential oil can reduce both coughs as well as the mucus trapped in your chest. You can apply it topically on your chest but it's recommended to do a patch test to see if it doesn't irritate your skin. If that doesn't suit you, you can put a few drops of this oil in a diffuser and inhale.
Apply a warm cloth on the face
Applying a clean and warm wet cloth on the face can help you keep your sinus-induced headaches at bay. It also helps loosen the thick, solid, and stubborn mucus in your nose, making it easy for you to blow them out. Inhaling through the heat can also soften your nasal passage and throat muscles.
