What Causes Excessive Sputum Production?

KOMPAS.com – Maybe you are one of those people who have excessive phlegm. This condition has many causes that can underlie it.

Collect Men’s Healthphlegm is mucus that we expel from the respiratory tract as cilia push it towards the throat.

Cilia are hair-like structures surrounded by water and minerals (electrolytes).

Also read: Types of Diseases that Cause Different Phlegm Colors

Mucus naturally covers our respiratory tract (covering the mouth, nose, throat, sinuses and lungs).

Its sticky texture serves to trap dust, allergens, bacteria or viruses that accidentally enter the respiratory tract.

Our bodies naturally produce about 1 liter of phlegm each day.

Also read: What Color Is Normal Phlegm?

Brett Comer, MD, assistant professor in the division of rhinology, sinus surgery and allergies at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine says that without it germs and irritants in the air will easily enter the lungs through the airways.

When you are sick or suffer from allergies, the body increases its production of phlegm in an effort to clear the bad germs it detects.

This article will briefly review what causes excessive phlegm production.

Also read: Does Sputum Need to be Excreted?

Various causes of excessive phlegm production

Quoted from Verywell Healththe following are the causes of excess phlegm that need to be known:

• Allergies: Allergens such as pollen, pollution or dander can cause irritation. The body tries to get rid of these substances by making more mucus for you to cough up.
• Asthma: Asthma is associated with swelling and inflammation of the airways. This is also the cause of excessive phlegm production.
• Infection: bronchitis is a viral infection of the lungs. When you have bronchitis, your immune system tries to trap the virus and remove it from the body. One of them is by producing excess mucus.
• Smoking: smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke are the biggest causes of chronic excess phlegm production. Smokers can suffer from chronic bronchitis and impaired airflow.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): some COPD patients experience increased phlegm production because they have more goblet cells than people without COPD. They may also have oversized mucus glands in their airways.
• Cystic fibrosis: this is a genetic disease associated with the production of very thick, sticky mucus. It affects the lungs and other organs such as the pancreas. The sticky mucus makes it very difficult for people to clear their airways to breathe.

It is recommended that you see a doctor immediately, if you experience a prolonged productive cough or excessive phlegm production.

Also read: 8 Natural Remedies to Eliminate Phlegm that You Can Mix at Home

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