Inclusion can have a variety of causes. Respiratory infections are mainly to blame<

Are you bothered by constant constriction of the neck, bronchi or lungs, which also accompanies other unpleasant health complications? The most common causes of these problems are colds, flu, allergies, respiratory tract irritation, lung disease or esophageal reflux disease. We will advise you on how to get rid of congestion as soon as possible and when it is necessary to find a doctor to be sure.

What is mucus?

Mucus is a thick, jelly-like fluid produced by the mucus glands on the mucous membranes of various organs of the human body. These are mainly the mucous membranes of the respiratory system (nasal cavity, mouth, throat, paranasal sinuses, bronchi and lungs) and the mucous membranes of the digestive system (esophagus, stomach and intestines) are also among the causative agents.

To make matters worse, mucus is, of course, also formed on the mucous membranes of the excretory system or on the mucous membranes of the genitals. For this reason, you will find mucus in the genitals, bladder and urinary tract, for example. In addition, pregnant women form a mucus plug in the cervix, which usually leaves before giving birth.

Although the mere thought of mucus is unpleasant for some people, they are actually necessary for humans because they soften mucous membranes, help eliminate waste products from the body and prevent infectious diseases by trapping various allergens, dust particles or dangerous microorganisms.

In the case of pregnant women, mucus also plays a very important role, as it seals the cervix and protects the fetus from any harmful substances that could endanger it. Together with the fruit wrappers, therefore, it represents a kind of protective barrier. Mucus production then also occurs during the menstrual cycle (at the beginning it prevents the penetration of sperm, later it increases their lifespan).

An embedded organism

Under normal circumstances, the patient is not aware of the production of mucus on the mucous membranes or does not consider it special. Only when the consistency or amount of mucus changes does one begin to perceive its presence. In some cases, a common cold or respiratory tract irritation is to blame, but in other cases a serious illness may be the cause of the problem.

Doctors talk about the involvement of the body when the body begins to produce an excess of this jelly-like fluid, which happens mainly in respiratory infections or allergies that affect the respiratory system. However, inclusion can also affect the activity of the digestive system, where the patient observes the presence of mucus in the stool or urinary tract.

Symptoms of congestion

In terms of characteristic manifestations, in addition to increased mucus production, patients usually also observe a number of other unpleasant health complications. The development of these symptoms is, of course, related to the cause of the problem, with patients most often complaining of:

Causes of congestion

Whether you're bothered by a sore throat, a voracious vocal cords, a vicious nasopharynx, a vicious bronchus, or even a vicious lung, you'd like to know the cause of your problems and how to get rid of them. Of course, the accumulation of mucus is not pleasant for the human body, and therefore it is necessary to detect the cause of complications as soon as possible and effectively resolve the obstruction.

The mucosa protects the body from various pathogens and their main function is to excrete toxins from the body. If the patient becomes ingested, this may be a sign of excessive "clogging" of the body, which requires detoxification. Excessive mucus production can also be related to mucosal irritation caused by environmental factors and the patient's lifestyle. This includes mainly:

When it comes to non-infectious clogging, dietary error is most often to blame. However, inclusion after meals also occurs in allergy sufferers and individuals with lactose intolerance, mainly due to the consumption of milk and dairy products. However, other foods, such as sugars, white flour, protein drinks, wheat or an excess of meat products, also contribute to excessive mucus production.

Prolonged infections in children (but often also in the case of adults) are mainly due to recurrent infections, with generally weakened immunity and symptoms worsening mainly during the autumn months. Inclusion and chronic rhinitis are then the result of the presence of parasites in the frontal and secondary cavities or also on the lungs.

Of course, if the patient suffers from a sore throat, nasopharyngeal sores, bronchial numbles or lung sores, the problem can of course also be a more or less serious disease. Among the diseases that may be responsible for increased mucus production are mainly:

Regarding upper respiratory tract infections, patients suffering from acute laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx) or sinusitis complain about the presence of more mucus. In this case, mucus together with pus can flow into the respiratory tract (especially during the night), which irritates the patient and causes an unpleasant wet cough.

As with upper respiratory tract infections, obstruction can also cause lower respiratory tract infections. These are mainly various bronchitis or pneumonia, which is accompanied by coughing up mucus, fever, general appetite and shortness of breath.

A relatively rare infectious cause of obstruction is tuberculosis, which is characterized by coughing up mucus with a mixture of blood. However, the same is true for lung cancer, which can cause mucus overproduction in the affected part of the lung and cough attacks. In patients with cystic fibrosis, the mucus is abnormally thick and sticky.

Diagnostics

Whether the patient complains of chronic obstruction, which brings with it a number of health problems, or, on the contrary, suffers from neck obstruction without cough and without pain, it is always necessary to trace the cause of these complications. Therefore, the doctor will be mainly interested in the color and consistency of the mucus, how long the problem lasts, whether other accompanying symptoms have appeared and whether the mucus also contains a mixture of blood.

The mucus can then be examined for the presence of bacteria that may be responsible for developing a respiratory infection. The doctor will also be interested in whether the patient is a smoker and in what environment he or she normally moves. If there is a long-term coughing up of mucus with a mixture of blood, an X-ray of the lungs or a functional examination of the lungs is performed, which assesses the capacity and functional ability of the patient's lungs.

How to get rid of congestion?

Of course, the treatment for obstruction always depends on what caused the unpleasant health complications. As the most common causes of problems are respiratory irritation, colds, flu or allergies, it is usually not necessary to apply any special therapy and the symptoms should disappear in the near future. However, if a more serious illness is to blame, the situation should be resolved with the help of a doctor.

Sufficient hydration

If you are thinking in vain about what helps to be overwhelmed, remember to adhere to the drinking regime. You will definitely not get rid of mucus if you reject fluids, but also if you pour one coffee or lemonade after another. Instead, reach for hot tea or prefer lemon water. However, the consumption of clean water or hot soup (strong chicken and beef broth or garlic) also helps.

Humidification of the air

Due to the fact that dry air in the apartment may be responsible for the increased mucus production, it is ideal to pay attention to sufficient humidification of the air, ideally through humidifiers working on the principle of cold steam. This helps alleviate the patient's problems because the moist air releases mucus, reduces its viscosity and facilitates expectoration.

Gargling with salt water

Another way to combat congestion is to gargle with lukewarm salt water. This helps to loosen the sore throat and rid the body of some harmful microorganisms. The brine, which should contain about 250 ml of lukewarm water and more than half a teaspoon of salt, is used for gargling several times a day, for about 30-60 seconds.

Natural remedies

If a respiratory infection is caused, it is recommended to consume a variety of foods and beverages that help at least partially alleviate the course of the disease. This is, for example, ginger or cardamom tea, which relaxes the airways, but ordinary lemon water can also help.

However, antibacterial effects are also attributed to onions and garlic, which have a great anti-cold effect, reduce the density of mucus and make it easier to cough or blow. According to some people, honey added to warm water with lemon, licorice root, ginseng, echinacea, apple cider vinegar or thyme tea can also have beneficial effects.

To quickly and effectively get rid of the body, you can also try quality vegetable essential oils (ideally after consulting a doctor). These products relax the airways, relieve coughs and help patients get rid of unpleasant problems. For example, inhalation of eucalyptus oil vapors can reduce mucus production, and eucalyptus balm also provides relief.

Drugs

Of course, if you are bothered by uncomfortable insult, you can also reach for some medications. These are mainly decongestants that reduce the swelling of the nasal mucosa, dilute the mucus present and help clear clogged airways. They are available, for example, in the form of nasal sprays and drops, and you can recommend suitable products at the pharmacy. However, you should never use them for a long time.

Expectorants, a heterogeneous group of drugs that facilitate the removal of mucus from the airways, are also suitable. Mucolytics are most commonly used for infectious diseases of the respiratory tract that accompany obstruction, for chronic bronchitis, or for example for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These are, for example, ACC, Mucobene, Erdomed, Bromhexine, Ambrobene, Ambrosal or Mucosolvan.

If congestion is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics that do not work directly against excessive mucus production, but will kill the bacteria that cause these problems. If a more serious illness is to blame, it is necessary to consult the situation with the attending physician and focus on the treatment of the primary health problem.

When to see a doctor?

Although in most cases no special treatment is required, there may be situations where the patient should seek immediate medical attention. You should see your doctor immediately if the insurgency does not go away even after one month, or if other unpleasant complications occur, such as: