Mucus build-up
Increased mucus production, over time, can build-up and block the airways. The pooling of mucus in the airways then becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which, in turn, can lead to lung infections like pneumonia.
So explains why the breathing difficulty comes first and the infection then follows. In all three incidences the breathing deterioration has been noticed before the infection, weeks before.
But what causes the mucus?
Mucus not associated with IPF?
Usually a cough results from excess mucous or infection, but the characteristic dry cough of pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by the increase of scar tissue in the lungs. A dry cough is a cough that produces little or no mucus.
How to loosen and get rid of mucus
Steam it out. Place your face over the bowl and a towel over your head to trap in the steam. Hold your face there for as long as you are able, and breath deeply as you do. You can choose to add in a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil, which may aid in breaking up the mucus.
Elevate your head. This tip applies primarily to sleeping; keeping your head elevated will help promote drainage of mucus, rather than a build-up overnight. Use several pillows to try to keep your head raised a bit higher than your torso.
Try a hot pack. Applying a hot pack or steaming hot cloth on your throat and chest will help soothe congestion and warm the airways externally. Lie down with your head elevated, and allow the heat to soak in through your skin for 10-15 minutes. It may be helpful to follow this up with a steam treatment to empty your body of the liquefied mucus.
Keep well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water when you are ill is a must, but is especially helpful in clearing out chest congestion. Not drinking enough liquids will cause the mucus in your chest and throat to coagulate and thicken, making it stickier and harder to get rid of. Drink water (warm is preferable) throughout the day to thin out the mucus in your body.
Brew up a cup of peppermint, ginger, chamomile, rosemary, or ginseng tea to drink several times a day. Add a bit of honey for sweetness and extra mucus-fighting power.
Avoid problem foods. Although food doesn’t seem to be directly related to mucus and phlegm, there is a correlation between the two. Dairy products, salt, sugar, and fried foods all increase mucus production. Cut these items out of your diet until your chest has cleared.
Eat beneficial foods. On the flip side, there are certain foods that can help to clear out the mucus in your chest and lessen its production. Eat spicy foods, citrus fruits, garlic, and ginger for easy chest congestion relief. In particular, asparagus and pineapple have shown to have chest-clearing benefits as well.
Over-the-counter medication. Expectorants are medications that break apart mucus and make it easier to cough up and expel from your body. Avoid suppressants.
See your doctor to get prescription medication. If symptoms do not improve with any of these methods, inquire with your doctor about an antibiotic shot, nasal spray, pills or prescription vitamin therapy to clear up stubborn or deep chest congestion. As the old adage goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Community Q&A
Q. I'm finding it very difficult to clear my chest. When I can, what comes up is mainly white and stringy. What can I thin this chest gunk out?
A. Eat raw garlic, and then drink a tall glass of water with black pepper, lemon, and honey.
Q. Can moving around help clear mucus inside the body?
A. Yes it can. Depending on how you're feeling, choose a physical activity that gets you moving but doesn't make you too uncomfortable. If you're normally very active, try a jog or bike ride. If you're sick or don't feel up to that much activity, simply walking around the block can help. Anything that gets you moving and breathing a little more deeply can help you feel less congested.
Q. I'm allergic to garlic. What else can I use?
A. Use ginger to reduce inflammation and help clear chest congestion.
Google: loosen chest mucus
Increased mucus production, over time, can build-up and block the airways. The pooling of mucus in the airways then becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which, in turn, can lead to lung infections like pneumonia.
Steam it out. Place your face over the bowl and a towel over your head to trap in the steam. Hold your face there for as long as you are able, and breath deeply as you do. You can choose to add in a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil, which may aid in breaking up the mucus.
Elevate your head. This tip applies primarily to sleeping; keeping your head elevated will help promote drainage of mucus, rather than a build-up overnight. Use several pillows to try to keep your head raised a bit higher than your torso.
Try a hot pack. Applying a hot pack or steaming hot cloth on your throat and chest will help soothe congestion and warm the airways externally. Lie down with your head elevated, and allow the heat to soak in through your skin for 10-15 minutes. It may be helpful to follow this up with a steam treatment to empty your body of the liquefied mucus.
Keep well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water when you are ill is a must, but is especially helpful in clearing out chest congestion. Not drinking enough liquids will cause the mucus in your chest and throat to coagulate and thicken, making it stickier and harder to get rid of. Drink water (warm is preferable) throughout the day to thin out the mucus in your body.
Brew up a cup of peppermint, ginger, chamomile, rosemary, or ginseng tea to drink several times a day. Add a bit of honey for sweetness and extra mucus-fighting power.
Avoid problem foods. Although food doesn’t seem to be directly related to mucus and phlegm, there is a correlation between the two. Dairy products, salt, sugar, and fried foods all increase mucus production. Cut these items out of your diet until your chest has cleared.
Eat beneficial foods. On the flip side, there are certain foods that can help to clear out the mucus in your chest and lessen its production. Eat spicy foods, citrus fruits, garlic, and ginger for easy chest congestion relief. In particular, asparagus and pineapple have shown to have chest-clearing benefits as well.
Over-the-counter medication. Expectorants are medications that break apart mucus and make it easier to cough up and expel from your body. Avoid suppressants.
See your doctor to get prescription medication. If symptoms do not improve with any of these methods, inquire with your doctor about an antibiotic shot, nasal spray, pills or prescription vitamin therapy to clear up stubborn or deep chest congestion. As the old adage goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Increased mucus production, over time, can build-up and block the airways. The pooling of mucus in the airways then becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which, in turn, can lead to lung infections like pneumonia.
So explains why the breathing difficulty comes first and the infection then follows. In all three incidences the breathing deterioration has been noticed before the infection, weeks before.
But what causes the mucus?
Mucus not associated with IPF?
Usually a cough results from excess mucous or infection, but the characteristic dry cough of pulmonary fibrosis can be caused by the increase of scar tissue in the lungs. A dry cough is a cough that produces little or no mucus.
How to loosen and get rid of mucus
Steam it out. Place your face over the bowl and a towel over your head to trap in the steam. Hold your face there for as long as you are able, and breath deeply as you do. You can choose to add in a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil, which may aid in breaking up the mucus.
Elevate your head. This tip applies primarily to sleeping; keeping your head elevated will help promote drainage of mucus, rather than a build-up overnight. Use several pillows to try to keep your head raised a bit higher than your torso.
Try a hot pack. Applying a hot pack or steaming hot cloth on your throat and chest will help soothe congestion and warm the airways externally. Lie down with your head elevated, and allow the heat to soak in through your skin for 10-15 minutes. It may be helpful to follow this up with a steam treatment to empty your body of the liquefied mucus.
Keep well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water when you are ill is a must, but is especially helpful in clearing out chest congestion. Not drinking enough liquids will cause the mucus in your chest and throat to coagulate and thicken, making it stickier and harder to get rid of. Drink water (warm is preferable) throughout the day to thin out the mucus in your body.
Brew up a cup of peppermint, ginger, chamomile, rosemary, or ginseng tea to drink several times a day. Add a bit of honey for sweetness and extra mucus-fighting power.
Avoid problem foods. Although food doesn’t seem to be directly related to mucus and phlegm, there is a correlation between the two. Dairy products, salt, sugar, and fried foods all increase mucus production. Cut these items out of your diet until your chest has cleared.
Eat beneficial foods. On the flip side, there are certain foods that can help to clear out the mucus in your chest and lessen its production. Eat spicy foods, citrus fruits, garlic, and ginger for easy chest congestion relief. In particular, asparagus and pineapple have shown to have chest-clearing benefits as well.
Over-the-counter medication. Expectorants are medications that break apart mucus and make it easier to cough up and expel from your body. Avoid suppressants.
See your doctor to get prescription medication. If symptoms do not improve with any of these methods, inquire with your doctor about an antibiotic shot, nasal spray, pills or prescription vitamin therapy to clear up stubborn or deep chest congestion. As the old adage goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Community Q&A
Q. I'm finding it very difficult to clear my chest. When I can, what comes up is mainly white and stringy. What can I thin this chest gunk out?
A. Eat raw garlic, and then drink a tall glass of water with black pepper, lemon, and honey.
Q. Can moving around help clear mucus inside the body?
A. Yes it can. Depending on how you're feeling, choose a physical activity that gets you moving but doesn't make you too uncomfortable. If you're normally very active, try a jog or bike ride. If you're sick or don't feel up to that much activity, simply walking around the block can help. Anything that gets you moving and breathing a little more deeply can help you feel less congested.
Q. I'm allergic to garlic. What else can I use?
A. Use ginger to reduce inflammation and help clear chest congestion.
Google: loosen chest mucus
Increased mucus production, over time, can build-up and block the airways. The pooling of mucus in the airways then becomes a breeding ground for bacteria which, in turn, can lead to lung infections like pneumonia.
Steam it out. Place your face over the bowl and a towel over your head to trap in the steam. Hold your face there for as long as you are able, and breath deeply as you do. You can choose to add in a few drops of peppermint or eucalyptus essential oil, which may aid in breaking up the mucus.
Elevate your head. This tip applies primarily to sleeping; keeping your head elevated will help promote drainage of mucus, rather than a build-up overnight. Use several pillows to try to keep your head raised a bit higher than your torso.
Try a hot pack. Applying a hot pack or steaming hot cloth on your throat and chest will help soothe congestion and warm the airways externally. Lie down with your head elevated, and allow the heat to soak in through your skin for 10-15 minutes. It may be helpful to follow this up with a steam treatment to empty your body of the liquefied mucus.
Keep well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water when you are ill is a must, but is especially helpful in clearing out chest congestion. Not drinking enough liquids will cause the mucus in your chest and throat to coagulate and thicken, making it stickier and harder to get rid of. Drink water (warm is preferable) throughout the day to thin out the mucus in your body.
Brew up a cup of peppermint, ginger, chamomile, rosemary, or ginseng tea to drink several times a day. Add a bit of honey for sweetness and extra mucus-fighting power.
Avoid problem foods. Although food doesn’t seem to be directly related to mucus and phlegm, there is a correlation between the two. Dairy products, salt, sugar, and fried foods all increase mucus production. Cut these items out of your diet until your chest has cleared.
Eat beneficial foods. On the flip side, there are certain foods that can help to clear out the mucus in your chest and lessen its production. Eat spicy foods, citrus fruits, garlic, and ginger for easy chest congestion relief. In particular, asparagus and pineapple have shown to have chest-clearing benefits as well.
Over-the-counter medication. Expectorants are medications that break apart mucus and make it easier to cough up and expel from your body. Avoid suppressants.
See your doctor to get prescription medication. If symptoms do not improve with any of these methods, inquire with your doctor about an antibiotic shot, nasal spray, pills or prescription vitamin therapy to clear up stubborn or deep chest congestion. As the old adage goes, it's better to be safe than sorry.