To control or loosen mucus at home, you can try the following remedies:ĭrink lots of fluids. A parent can pass on the CF gene even if they don’t have the condition themselves, and about 1,000 new cases of CF are diagnosed annually in the U.S. Doctors test for cystic fibrosis (CF) in newborns, and 75% of people with CF are diagnosed by age 2. It can lead to worsening lung function as people age. This is an inherited disease that results in thick mucus in the lungs and other organs. COPD is generally caused by long-term exposure to things that irritate the lungs, such as cigarette smoke, but people with asthma can also develop it. Chronic bronchitis causes inflammation of the bronchial tubes and more mucus, both of which make it harder for your lungs to work. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)ĬOPD includes several lung diseases that can make it harder to breathe, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. But complications from the virus can include pneumonia, which does involve chest congestion. The new coronavirus that causes COVID-19 doesn’t usually cause mucus in the chest. Infections such as the flu, acute bronchitis, and pneumonia can cause your airways to make extra mucus, which you’ll often cough up. This may be a sign that your airways are inflamed, but small amounts of white or clear mucus aren’t worrisome. AsthmaĪlong with other symptoms of asthma, such as shortness of breath and chest tightness, asthma can cause you to cough up phlegm. A reaction that involves the lungs is more typical if you’re allergic to something airborne, such as pollen or dust mites.

AllergiesĪllergies can cause a host of symptoms, from itchy eyes and sneezing to congestion, chest tightness, and coughing. This can result in throat irritation and postnasal drip, along with chest congestion. If you have acid reflux, the acid in your stomach comes up the esophagus to your throat. Here are a few situations when you might get mucus in your chest: Acid Reflux But too much of it, especially somewhere like your lungs, can be annoying and possibly a sign of a health problem. Your body makes about a liter of mucus a day. Mucus, also known as phlegm when it’s produced by your respiratory system, lines the tissues of your body (such as your nose, mouth, throat, and lungs), and it helps protect you from infection.

Your body naturally makes mucus every day, and its presence isn’t necessarily a sign of anything unhealthy.

Coughing up tiny balls of mucus