constant clear,thick, throat mucus

I totally understand this frustration...I got sick over a yr ago babysitting some kids where sick and have had sinus problems ever since...mainly post nasal drip. After several allergy meds, daily use of the netti pot (which helps for a few hrs) and the FESS surgery, my ENT suggested reflux meds...I'm giving it a shot...as it's painful and needs to stop, but don't have any grand expectations. He also said it'll take months to even work.

BUT here are a few things I've found comforting:
chewing gum....in part. trident tropical twist, and orbits pina colada...both oh which have Xylotol-- a sweetener that's good for your teeth.

I've also found licorice tea to feel pretty good too.

I know it's annoying...and can impact your quality of life...but try to look on the bright side...you still have you're life, this has not completely debilitated you....you CAN work, and have a life etc....you just have to try and not think too much about it. Easier said than done, i know...I have spent too many nights "chilling in" because I didn't feel well. But finally have decided it's not worth it to let this get me down so much.

Hope that's helpful.

This is such a horrible curse. Does anybody suffer from bad taste in their mouth too? which I'm guessing can probably mean bad breath. All these lovely symptoms seem to come along with this sticky white mucus. I'm 18 and have had it for at least 3 or 4 years but only in the last year have I become obsessed with it. Always looking at blogs and websites. I fear for my future if I'm like this at 18. I've heard therabreath is a scam which I was looking to buy. About a month ago I did this experiment where I only ate fruit for 3 days , although that isn't healthy I've just been trying everything in hope that SOMETHING might work. But I tried it, and found It great because I had practically no mucus. Well I had some but alot less than usual. This lead me to the theory that perhaps what we eat plays a big part. I think milk and cheese and maybe eggs are bad news. But we can't only eat fruit so this is not a solution, try it and see if you notice anything different.
Also I stumbled across this blog the other day where this woman commented on it saying she uses the sinupulse elite to help her bad breath / post nasal drip / mucus (this was a blog more about tonsil stones, which I believe are the biggest perhaps only cause for bad breath). What she does is uses saline solution and grapefruit seed extract and puts it into the irrigator and uses it twice a day. And her breath is normal and a lot of the symptoms had gone. (I don't have the link for the blog) And after her post there were hardly any posts just people saying it was a miracle worker. This one guy said 'is the reason nobody has commented on this busy blog since be perhaps because they have been cured' so he bought it and said it was a miracle too, thanking his tolerant girlfriend and family and seemed to be in the high heavens. BUT about a week after he commented saying he posted too soon and it didn't work for him after a while.
I really want to try it but the sinupule elite is £117 which is so so much for a student. If any of you do try it please tell me how it goes ... apparently ENT doctors recommend it. I wish it would just go with a magic spell. It really does ruin your life, I've thought things like... I'd rather have one less finger than this. Seriously, thats how annoying it is after 4 years.


***this post is edited by moderator *** *** private e-mails not allowed **
Please read our Terms of Use

I don't know what all the posts have said, but I have been troubled by thick clear throat mucus for about 10 years. I have used all the sprays, been allergy tested, had sinus x-rays, etc. The ONLY really helpful thing is nasal irrigation which I do daily and sometimes twice. I use the Waterpik (your basic corded model WP 60W which should be $40-45) method with the Grossan tip - - 1 cup hot (to melt the salt) tap water with approx 1/2 to 1 tsp of salt + 1 lukewarm cup water. I mix up 2-3 cups full (of salt and soda) at a time, adding a little baking soda. Keep it in a clean airtight container, plastic is fine. I keep a small container of the mixture in the bathroom with a measuring scoop and earplugs (waterpik is noisy). Also a heavy duty plastic cup marked inside at 1 cup. Too little or too much salt will cause the solution to burn in your nose. I sometimes use it on the medium setting but usually the lowest or almost lowest. Experimentation has helped. At times I forcefully blow out the side the water is coming out of in a rhythmic manner. I snerk/suck/inhale up solution from my nostrils and spit it out my mouth. (What is wrong with suck in this context?) This gets the back of the throat. After irrigating, I tilt my head to each side and blow out the upper nostril while clamping shut the lower one. Repeat this. You will still have to blow with a tissue. Use the same technique only lower your head toward the floor. This same scenario works with a beginning sinus infection if you are gentler. Nothing happens if nostrils are totally blocked. Don't even try it. You may be surprised how much and what you can expel from your nasal cavity area. For trips I take that 1 cup squeezable bulb thing with a nasal tip with little packets of salt etc premeasured. NeilMed Sinus Rinse. Knock on wood, I have not had an actual URI in over 2 1/2 years. I never got "colds", I always got something worse which would make me cough for weeks. Irrigation is cheap, non-prescription and effective, (unless you have some anatomical abnormality) but not curative. Be sure to rinse the inside and bottom of the water pik container and run some warm water (using motor) through it after each use. If a red or pink mold starts in the bottom, put the container in your bathroom sink (stoppered) with a little bleach and water and your tips (and toothbrushes if they will fit) as well. Let it sit till it looks white again, rinse everything thoroughly and run plain water through. Simply Saline is a good product to keep around for in between irrigations, on a plane (if they let you take it), anywhere. No preservatives, just pressurized saline spray. Large can, not dinky, lasts a long time. Just for you, no sharing with your sick boyfriend. If I have the least bit of color in the mucus, I will irrigate up to 3 X day. Girls and boys put your hair up or it may get wet. WASH HANDS FIRST, before starting to irrigate.

***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed

Try a neti pot...

Read about 'Biofilms' there is a lot about them on the internet, I have read that putting a small amount of baby shampoo in the nose irrigator can remove them, search for 'biofilms baby shampoo', I haven't tried this myself yet, but am wondering if biofilms are the problem.

I hope you were careful with those heavy heavy antibiotics. The reason most doctors will only prescribe a small amount and give a hard time about getting them is because they MURDER the good bacteria in your digestive tract. I know that was like two years ago but for others reading this, make SURE you eat some yogurt with them or your stomach will not feel very pretty. Also... to contradict what I just stated, I have similar problems to you all, and I am considering whether its dairy and beef products that do it to me.

Hi for people with mucous in throat and in nose etc. I had the same thing for years. It was worse in the mornings. after countless tests, and doctors and (so called) specialists. It turned out I was highly allergic to Dust Mites. which are on mattresses and carpets and drapes in their millions. Really unavoidable. Get rid of carpets, rugs, (or vacuum once a week) and buy mattress and pillow covers. Launder all bedding in Very hot water, or add bleach if the materials allow.
Hope this helps someone.

The problem is called "post nasal drip" (wierd name, but it just means your mucous is dripping down your throat). Bad sufferers will rarely produce any mucous from the nose, when it should normally all come out the nose. I cured my case though, and I had it for years. The tissue that is responsible for the sinuses is also the tissue that is resposible for the stomach, the intestines, and the lining of the inside of your mouth. This is all controlled by a hormone called "ghrelin", which is an important hormone which causes you to get hungry. Low production of ghrelin occurs when a person has a bad habit of over-eating (or they are naturally sensitive to over-eating). Low ghrelin, and symptoms such as post nasal drip and canker sores, are not only a sign of stress on the inner tissues, but a way for the body to dissuade you from eating. In order to avoid these problems, make sure you are getting hungry throughout the day. Maintain a 2000 calories a day diet. Doing this natural diet will induce a daily feeling of hunger, and supplement your body with the appropriate levels of ghrelin.

rrr Im getting fustrated with this... I have constant pglegm in my throat area. in the mornings its the worst. I will vomit or gag on it because of it. I have used neti pot, flonase, mucinex, decongestants, even the doc put me on pepcid 40mg in the night. This has been going on forever. Even when i do the neti pot there is huge chunks of brownish yellow phelgm that come out from the throat. I wish this would end.. I hate this....

same problem since December 2010. After two bouts of pneumonia still have productive cough, hoarse voice. It's taken awhile, but symptoms are getting better. Have seen a pulmonologist too. recommended continuing with all the meds my primary care MD suggested. currently using NeilMed sinus rinse (without the pot is fine) twice daily, Loratadine (Claritin), Omeprazole (Prilosec), pro-air (inhaler), Mucinex...daily. Had CT scan to make sure nothing deeper in the lung; waiting results. Also will have cardiac workup since MD wanted to rule this out as contributer to constant cough. Good Luck  

I've had the same issue but only since October 2010 or so. I thought it might be allergies but I have never been allergic to anything, plus I've moved 3 times since then and am still dealing with the same thing but it appears to be getting thicker and causing more issues (headaches, pain in my eyes and swollen throat glands). I've read through a Lot of these posts and I'm compassionate to all of the frustration... I don't know how I can possibly deal with this for several years (much less the rest of my life). I've tried all the meds, Musinex and Sudafed are temporary relief but it always comes back as soon as I stop taking it.

I've also noticed that my stomach has been very upset. I have an ongoing experiment that is quite gross to do with mucus. I started spitting into a bottle with juice in it to see if the mucus breaks down. 2 weeks later thick chunks are still floating around. I Want to get rid of this and keep my body healthy but I don't know what else to do. My body seems to be producing more acids to over compensate but they only seem to be making my symptoms worse.
Does anyone know a good way to do a stomach flush to get rid of mucus (water Does NOT work)?!?
Is anyone else burping a lot too??

I'm tired of it and I'm a 26 year old self employed female who doesn't have health insurance.

Two things mentioned that I will try. NOT eating until I'm hungry  and  boiling onions and drinking the broth. If either of these help I will be back to post, otherwise I'll keep reading and hoping for someone else to find a cure!

Goodluck

Mary

Oh dear. You poor people. i have had similar for years and recently found that I am allergic to dust mites. There are milliomns of them in bedding, pillows and carpets. So my remedy was to get rid of all carpets, wash bedding, (of course) get new mattress or at least get a special UV vacuum and i feel a lot better already. It takes time to get rid of things etc, but give it a try. And good luck and God Bless everybody in the same position.

I found a product by oasis that the pharmasist recomended. I haven't been able to talk for 2 months cause of mucus solidifing on my vocal chords. it's a spary that breaks up the mucus. it has taken a few days but it is definatly helping. I know they have a line dry mouth products. i was going to try the mouth wash to see if that helps also

i have had the same problem with mucus in my throat sometimes trouble swallowing constantlly clearing my throat drinking fluids and such it started last september doc said allergies not buyin it i have takin several allergy meds even antibiotics it just wont go away i have been dealing with stomache probs as well for three years and not getting better i have lost 70 ibs. keep askin docs could it be a yeast overgrowth im convinced that is the culprit  but they say no no i dont think thats it its just your ibs and gerd well i have had those for atleast17 years and never had mucus in my throat like this its relly wearing me down it makes it seem hopeless when docs cant figure out what is goin on . i have a new stomache doc and plan on demanding a yeast overgrowth test lets hope he can get down to the bottom of this problem . it was a bit of help for me looking up yeast overgrowth symptoms and i have several of them so anyone that has the mucus problem take a minuet to check and see if you have any of the other symptoms too . i hope to reply next month saying that was it and im getting better kinda sad when you hope you have a yeast overgrowth huh but not knowing what is wrong with you is scarey i even developed anxiety from all this well good luck with the rest of you hope you figure out your problems i will surely let everyone know if i have any luck

 

I was thinking about this the night I went to bed to once endure the mucusing that i`ve had for 2+ years (i`m the guy with the start `WOW` comment earlier).

I thought if this is so maybe I can create a short term cure? As usual I started mucusing again about a minute after lying down and was ready to spat into my homemade spittoon. Following my thoughts I adjusted my bed (the head end) so it was higher than the footend and went back to bed. To my amazement the mucus stopped! It didn`t instantly come back like it usually does. I slept the whole night and woke up amazed that i didn`t have to spit 50 times through the night. I could feel the start of mucus in the morning but it was not flowing.

When I actually got up it started again... strange. But I think golden girl has it- At least in my case. I am going to the Doctor to get something to deal acid reflux!

 

In the meantime, I suggest anyone try raising the head end of the bed so you feel appreciably higher at the head end than foot end (not slipping down obviously) and see if that gives you temporary respite to sleep. If it does, it`s an acid refluc thing.

Thanks for the help, goldeen girl, I think this is it. I`ll be back with an update if it totally goes.

 

Ian.