Why do people produce a lot of phlegm? What is the reason for the phlegm in the throat?

Phlegm is actually a substance secreted by our body. When we have a cold or have a cold, we sometimes have phlegm in our throat. It would be best if we can cough it out. If we can't cough it out, it will stay in our throat and feel very uncomfortable. So why do people have phlegm? What is the reason for having a lot of phlegm in the throat?

Why do people produce a lot of phlegm?

Under normal circumstances, there is a layer of mucous membrane on the inner wall of our respiratory tract, which contains glands. When it comes to glands, most non-medical people may not know what their functions are. In fact, they mainly secrete some mucus substances, which can prevent the mucous membrane from drying out and have a protective effect on the mucous membrane. These mucus can also adhere to dust and bacteria in the air to prevent them from entering the lungs.

On the surface of these mucous membranes there is a structure called columnar epithelium, which has tiny microvilli that can move and transport dirt to the larynx, stimulating the body to cough and thus expel these bad things from the body.

When our trachea, bronchi and lungs are irritated or infected by pathogens, these mucus cells in the respiratory tract will undergo some inflammatory reactions, resulting in local edema and exudation, and these glands will proliferate and hypertrophy, and they will secrete a large amount of liquid substances to help clear these inflammatory substances. However, this is an overreaction, and the mucus secretion is too much, and it is difficult for these cilia to expel these substances from the body. They will be stored in the trachea and form sputum with these necrotic cells and inflammatory substances.

What is the reason for phlegm in the throat

First of all, the most common are throat diseases, which are mainly seen in diseases such as tonsillitis and chronic pharyngitis. Due to bacterial and viral infections, the throat mucosa edema and inflammatory exudation will occur, which will cause sputum in the throat, and there will be symptoms such as a foreign body sensation, pain and discomfort in the throat.

There are also bronchial and lung diseases, which are mainly common in bronchitis, pneumonia, lung abscess, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, tumors and other diseases. These diseases can easily cause the glands to secrete a large amount of inflammatory mucus, and these mucus are not easily expelled from the body with coughing. If the inflammation and etiology are not treated in time, the excessive sputum cannot be eliminated in time.

Can drinking more water help reduce phlegm?

When there is phlegm in the throat, most people will also have coughing symptoms. Coughing will cause different degrees of water loss, which will make the phlegm sticky and dry, increasing the difficulty of phlegm discharge. Drinking more water can not only dilute the phlegm and prevent it from sticking, but also promote blood circulation and metabolism, helping the body to discharge those harmful substances faster.

So when you have a lot of phlegm, you can drink more water to help eliminate the phlegm.