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If you do go the swallowing route, your stomach acids and digestive system will simply eradicate the phlegm and any of the harmful stuff it might have snared, says Dr. Comer. The alternative, of ...
Also, due to the social image of spitting (the alternative of swallowing) in some communities, females were shown to be more likely to swallow phlegm and less likely to report experiencing it. [17] [18] The alternative to swallowing would be throat-clearing. To do this, the mouth should be closed and air should be inhaled hard into the
The majority of cases of throat irritation usually go away without any treatment. There is no real treatment for throat irritation from a virus. If you have difficulty swallowing then you should drink liquids, suck on lozenges, ice chips or mix salt with warm water to gargle. Bacterial infections generally require antibiotics.
Phlegm can lead to congestion, coughing, and breathing problems. We spoke to medical experts on the causes, symptoms, and treatments of phlegm.
If you experience difficulty breathing, develop a severe cough, notice thick green or yellow mucus, run a fever, and/or feel extremely fatigued If your symptoms worsen instead of improve over time
Some signs and symptoms of swallowing difficulties include difficulty controlling food in the mouth, inability to control food or saliva in the mouth, difficulty initiating a swallow, coughing, choking, frequent pneumonia, unexplained weight loss, gurgly or wet voice after swallowing, nasal regurgitation, and dysphagia (patient complaint of swallowing difficulty). [6]
Thick mucus can be a sign that you're dehydrated, so making sure to drink plenty of water can be helpful, she says. In a perfect world, Elliott says, you'll keep your mucus flowing.
Swallowing phlegm does not directly make you sicker, but you will be consuming the bacteria residing in the phlegm. That doesn't exactly make the recovery process any easier. Is it best to cough up phlegm, or leave it to do whatever it does? There may or may not be anything harmful in the phlegm. Swallowing is generally not harmful.