Doctors: Swallowing Coughed-Up Mucus Is Safe, but Spitting It Out May Help
Doctors surveyed by the U.S. magazine Health say swallowing coughed-up mucus is not harmful, though spitting it out during a cold may help people feel better. Symptoms lasting over a week warrant seeing a doctor.
When a person has a cold or a respiratory virus, the body produces more mucus, and many wonder whether coughed-up phlegm should be spat out or can be swallowed. Doctors surveyed by Health magazine explain that swallowing it is not harmful to health, although spitting it out can sometimes make a person feel better.
Increased mucus production during a respiratory infection is a normal bodily response. If symptoms last longer than a week or the amount of mucus keeps growing, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
Why the body needs mucus
Mucus coats moist surfaces of the body, including the lungs, sinuses, mouth, stomach, intestines and eyes. It consists mainly of water and large molecules called glycoproteins, which give it thickness and a slightly sticky consistency. It also contains salts and substances involved in the immune defence.
Mucus acts as a lubricant and forms a barrier between the body and the outside environment. In the airways it traps dust, allergens, viruses and bacteria, helping to immobilise them and protect against infection.
During illness the body makes more mucus to reinforce this barrier. Mucus contains antibodies and lysozyme, an enzyme that acts against bacteria. The increased production also creates a flow that helps flush out disease-causing agents.
Spit or swallow?
Doctors generally agree that thick mucus collected in the throat may be worth spitting out, since this helps clear drainage paths of the nose and sinuses. Coughed-up mucus can contain irritants, allergens and infectious agents.
However, there is no evidence that swallowing it harms the stomach or intestines: the digestive tract breaks it down and the body later eliminates it. People swallow mucus throughout the day without noticing.
Ways to clear excess mucus
There is no single correct way to spit it out; a tissue or any other convenient method will do. Doctors also suggest:
- drinking enough fluids, since dehydration can thicken mucus;
- rinsing the nose to flush out mucus with trapped bacteria and viruses;
- using a saline spray, which may thin the mucus;
- taking a warm, steamy shower;
- using certain over-the-counter medicines, such as antihistamines and pseudoephedrine, which may reduce the amount of mucus.
