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This letter originally appeared in Dr. Hoffman's column on allHealth.com. |
Q: Why do I always have so much sputum in my throat? It's annoying so I have to spit it out all the time which is of course difficult. I have noticed that its gets worse when I drink milk or have consumed other dairy products.
A: While some folks do produce excessive amounts of saliva (usually in response to medications), sputum is usually derived from nasal and sinus mucus, and not from saliva. Here are a few rules to learn when it comes to mucus:
MUCUS IS YOUR FRIEND. Think of mucus as the sticky stuff on a No-Pest strip. Mucus traps all of the crud in the air that you inhale: dirt, ashes, pollen, bacteria, viruses and so forth become embedded in nasal mucus. Mucus constantly flows from the nasal cavity to the back of the throat. Then you swallow the stuff, and your stomach gets to play The Terminator. Without mucus, you would have an uncomfortably dry, irritated nose, and you would undoubtedly be more prone to infections of the nose and throat.
YOU PRODUCE A TON OF THIS STUFF EVERY DAY, SO YOU HAD BETTER LEARN TO LIKE IT. Under normal circumstances, an adult produces about one liter (4 cups) of mucus each day from his/her nose and sinus cavities alone. Additional mucus is produced by the tiny mucus-secreting glands that are scattered throughout the throat and lower respiratory tract (wind pipe and bronchi). If you are suffering from a cold or allergies, mucus production soars.
IT IS BETTER TO MODIFY THE CONSISTENCY OF MUCUS THAN THE AMOUNT OF MUCUS. Mucus bothers you because it is thick, not because it is there (it has always been there). Medications to "dry up" the nose tend to unpleasantly thicken the mucus. If anything, the mucus becomes even more objectionable. Instead, you should take steps to "thin out" the mucus. The most important step that you can take is to stay well-hydrated. In other words, drink plenty of nonalcoholic, noncaffeinated beverages. The current recommendation (for healthy individuals) is to drink a whopping 10 eight ounce glasses per day! Needless to say, how much you need to drink depends on your level of physical activity, and a day laborer should drink much more than this. How can you know how much is enough? Look at the color of your urine. If it is dark yellow, orange, or even brown, then you are not drinking enough liquids. You are shooting for urine the color of a pale ale.
If you have heart or kidney disease, you need to discuss your fluid requirements with your physician. Individuals with such problems can become very ill if they drink too much fluids. Similarly, many medications tend to cause (as a side effect) dryness of the nose and throat. If you are using such medications, you should discuss with your doctor whether there are any alternatives that do not have this side effect.
Alcohol is a very dehydrating substance, and should be avoided. Caffeine is a diuretic (it stimulates production of urine) and should similarly be avoided. Cigarette smoke, since it is an irritant, tends to promote mucus production, and the mucus will be laden with the smoky waste products of burned tobacco. So... stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke, if possible.
Some conditions (especially chronic sinusitis and nasal allergies) are associated with increased mucus production, or production of mucus that is offensive (foul-tasting or foul-smelling). If this is your problem, successful treatment of the underlying condition should help alleviate the mucus problem.
Dairy products do NOT make mucus worse in any way. This is a common misconception. Dairy products give mucus a white color, making it a more impressive sight.
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