How To Get Rid Of Phlegm In Chest

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For a more targeted steam, place a large bowl in your sink and fill it with hot water. Once it’s full, lean over the bowl.

8 Ways to Get Rid of Mucus in Your Chest

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To ease chest congestion, you can try home remedies, including drinking liquids and using a humidifier, and over-the-counter decongestants. Sometimes, you may need a prescription from a doctor for stronger medication.

If you’re dealing with a persistent cough, you likely have a buildup of mucus in your chest.

Although this isn’t a life threatening condition, it can affect your quality of life. If left untreated, it can lead to additional complications.

Before you head to the doctor, there are a few things you can do to help clear up your symptoms at home.

Keep reading to learn more about the different treatment options available.

For many people, home remedies are an effective first-line treatment. Try these options:

Drink liquids

Drink lots of fluids. It sounds cliché, but you likely hear this advice often because it works.

Liquids help thin out mucus. Warm liquids can help clear out mucus in the chest and nose. This can relieve congestion, giving you a small respite from your symptoms.

You may wish to sip:

water
chicken soup
warm apple juice
decaffeinated black or green tea

Use a humidifier

Steam can also help loosen mucus and clear up congestion. Depending on your needs, you can make your own steam room or humidifier at home.

You can also pick up a humidifier at your local drug store. Cool mist humidifiers are an option, as well. They’re often preferred in warmer climates where steam may not be ideal.

You may find it beneficial to use the humidifier at night and keep it near your bed. This can help ease congestion while you’re sleeping so that you can sleep easier through the night.

Be sure to keep your bedroom door and window closed to keep the vapor from escaping.

If you don’t have a machine, there are a couple of ways to DIY your own humidifier:

Allow your shower to become a sauna

Let the water run until it begins to steam up the bathroom. To maximize your steam, step into the shower and close the curtain or door.

Make sure the showerhead is pointed away from you so that the water doesn’t scald your skin.

Use a bowl and a towel

For a more targeted steam, place a large bowl in your sink and fill it with hot water. Once it’s full, lean over the bowl.

Place a hand towel over your head to help trap the steam around your face.

Take honey

One 2007 study found evidence to suggest that buckwheat honey may be more effective than traditional medication at relieving cough.

The researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 to participate. They received buckwheat honey, a honey-flavored cough suppressant known as dextromethorphan, or nothing at all.

Results revealed that parents found buckwheat honey to provide the most symptom relief for their kids.

You can purchase buckwheat honey at most health food stores and specialty food shops. Take a spoonful every few hours like you would any cough medication. However, you shouldn’t give honey to children younger than 1 year due to the risk of botulism.

Use essential oils

Certain essential oils may help loosen mucus in the chest.

Peppermint oil and eucalyptus oil are also used as natural decongestants.

You can make use of essential oil in one of two ways:

Diffuse it

If you want to diffuse the oil into the air, you can pick up a diffuser from your local drugstore. You can also add a couple of drops of the oil to a hot bath or bowl of hot water so the scent is released into the air.

For a more targeted approach, fill a bowl with hot water and a few drops of essential oil. Lean over the bowl and cover your head with a hand towel to help trap the steam. Breathe in the steam for 5 to 10 minutes.

Apply it topically

You’ll need to do a skin patch test first. To do this, mix your essential oil with a carrier oil, like jojoba or coconut oil.

The carrier oil helps dilute the essential oil and reduces your risk of irritation. A good rule of thumb is 12 drops of carrier oil for every 1 or 2 drops of essential oil. Then, apply the diluted oil to the inside of your forearm.

If you don’t have any irritation within 24 hours, it should be safe to apply elsewhere.

Once it’s clear that the oil is safe on your skin, you can apply the diluted oil directly to your chest. Repeat as needed throughout the day.

Never apply an essential oil to inflamed, irritated, or injured skin. You should also keep all essential oils away from your eyes.

While research suggests there are health benefits, the FDA doesn’t monitor or regulate the purity or quality of essential oils. It’s important to talk with a healthcare professional before you begin using essential oils and be sure to research the quality of a brand’s products. Always do a patch test before trying a new essential oil.

If natural remedies aren’t relieving your congestion, you may want to give an OTC medication a try.

Take a decongestant

Decongestants are available in liquid, tablet, or nasal spray form at your local drugstore. Common OTC options include:

oxymetazoline ( Vicks Sinex)
pseudoephedrine ( Sudafed)

Follow the directions on the packaging. A decongestant can speed up your heart rate and make it harder to fall asleep. You may find it better to take it during the day.

Slather on a vapor rub

Vapor rubs contain decongestive ingredients, but they’re applied topically instead of ingested.

In one 2010 study, researchers studied children who received either vapor rub treatment, petrolatum ointment, or no medication. Vapor rub scored the highest in providing relief from cough and congestion.

The ointment didn’t relieve symptoms significantly better than no treatment at all. So, it’s thought that the combined camphor and menthol of a vapor rub supplies the most symptom relief.

You can purchase vapor rubs at any drugstore. Common OTC chest rubs that contain camphor and menthol include:

J. R. Watkins Natural Menthol Camphor Ointment
Mentholatum Vaporizing Rub
Vicks VapoRub

You can usually rub it onto your chest every night until the symptoms stop. Be sure to follow the instructions on the packaging.

If OTC options still don’t help, you should see your doctor.

It’s important to determine the cause of your mucus and cough. They may recommend prescription-strength medication as a result.

Prescription decongestant

If you find that the mucus lasts for more than 3 to 4 days, or that your condition gets worse quickly, you can ask your doctor for a prescription decongestant.

It’s a stronger version of OTC decongestants. Your doctor will instruct you on how often to take it.

Prescription nasal spray

If the congestion is also in your nose, nasal decongestant sprays can help open up your nasal passageway.

Talk with your doctor about how long you should use them. Typically, if you use nasal sprays for more than 3 days in a row, you may end up stuffed up again.

If your symptoms persist, make an appointment to see your doctor. This is especially true if you have a fever, chest pain, or trouble breathing.

It’s also important to see a doctor if:

the congestion worsens and lasts longer than 3 or 4 days
mucus changes from a runny substance to a thicker texture
mucus has a green or yellow color, as this may indicate an infection

In most cases, mucus and related congestion will clear up within 7 to 9 days.

Last medically reviewed on November 5, 2018

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2967840/
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10.1093/jac/47.5.565
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Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017). Bronchitis.
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Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018). Can chicken soup cure a cold?
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How To Get Rid Of Phlegm In Chest

8 Ways to Get Rid of Mucus in Your Chest