How do you get rid of thick nasal mucus from cold?

Answer 1

You could use OTC meds that contain Guaifenesin which is in the expectorant family that could help break down the mucus and help you expel it. Also, I have heard that pure pepperment in water can also open you up to help too but I have never tried it. You can also ask your doctor to prescribe Sitrex PD Liquid. This contains Phenylephrine HCI 7.5 mg and Guaifenesin 75 mg in a sugar free alcohol fre dye free liquid dose. Usually each 5 ml dose (1 teaspoon) every 4 hours is enough to break down the mucus and help restore airways. If you have a cough that persists beyond 7 days that you do not see any noticable change in treatment, you should seek medical attention as this could be a more severe respritory issue that needs other treatment. I hope this helped.

Answer 2

Blow your nose regularly, especially after showering as the steam from the shower will soften and loosen the mucus. Try not to "pick" your nose as scratches can cause infection and nose bleeds. If dry mucus if a constant problem perhaps a saline nasal spray would help.

Answer 3

Try the following:


• Mucinex (thats the brand name for Guifenessen) That is a mucous thinner. Drink lots of water with it because it will dehydrate you quickly.


• Sudafed or another product containing pseudoefedrine hydrochloride, but they are only available behind the pharmacy counter or cashier's counter. This is much more effective than the alternative phenylanalene found in most products.


• Finally, look into nasal irrigation using a netti pot or something of the like. I have had chronic sinus issues for about 15 years now and always get severe sinus infections when I get a cold. Using nasal irrigation flushes the lower portion of the sinuses and with proper technique and mixing a proper salt and baking soda solution, you can rid the lower sinuses of lots of nasty globs of mucous.


• Make sure you drink lots of fluids...over hydrate a bit. You'll know when you are urinating every few hours. That helps by making the mucous more fluid so you can blow it out easier, medicines can dry you out, and fevers can dehydrate you also.


Good luck getting better.

Answer 4

There are cough medicines over-the-counter that can help with this. Consult with the pharmacist before selecting one to get help in choosing the best one for your symptoms. The ones that are called "Expectorant" cough medicines help to loosen and allow you to cough up the thick sputum (phlegm).

One of the active ingredients in some of them for helping to make the sputum less thick and easier to clear is Guaifenesin. It is one of the more effective ingredients in use today for this purpose. There are cough preparations that contain this as a single ingredient, others have it as one of several active ingredients.

Guaifenesin is derived from the Guaiac tree. Native American tribes as far back as the 16th century were using remedies made from the Guaiac tree. How "naturally" is defined varies widely in products, so you will need to make the decision (perhaps with guidance from the pharmacist) of whether it meets your definition of "natural".