No one enjoys being ill. Yes, you get to spend a few extra days in bed but you feel like you’ve been hit by a bus. You’ve got a runny nose, a high temperature, and a heap load of mucus forming in your through.
When we’re feeling under the weather, the mucous membranes that line the nose and the rest of our airways become inflamed which can make our glands create even more mucus than normal.
That mucus can end up becoming thick with bacteria and cells that come to fight the infection, which in turn can prompt more mucus production.
So if you feel like you have more mucus and phlegm when you’re sick, it’s not a coincidence.
When you feel like you’re full of mucus, it’s your natural reaction to want to get rid of it. You probably think you’re doing yourself a favour by removing any excess mucus from your body by hacking it up but you might be wrong.
Why? Our mucus is made of water mainly, but it also consists of proteins, sugars and molecules that can help our body control harmful germs. In other words, mucus helps creates a layer of protection from the outside of the world.
You might not be aware of it, but we actually produce a lot of mucus all the time.
The reason you can’t feel yourself creating mucus is because microscopic hairs called cilia push our mucus to the back of the throat so you don’t know when you swallow it.
But, when you’re ill, mucus production increases so you notice it more. The mucus becomes thicker and sticker when we’re feeling poorly and despite being annoying, it actually helps us trap bacteria, viruses, and cells that mobilised from our immune systems.
We know how annoying and gross it feels to have excess mucus but getting rid of it won’t really make you feel better. Instead, try staying hydrated, use a sinus rinse, or gargle salt water.