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Causes of excessive mucus
These are some of the main causes of excessive mucus:

1. Environmental allergic irritation of the sinus and nasal cavity from:
   • pollens
   • house dust
   • outside dust
   • smog
   • smoke
   • chemicals
   • other air pollutants
2. Viral infection from:
   • common colds
   • bacterial infection of the nasal or sinus cavity membranes
3. Fungal infection
4. Allergic rhinitis
5. Foods which:
   • cause production of mucus
   • exacerbate any of the other causes listed, above
6. Sinus infection
7. Other diseases in the respiratory system, e.g.,
   • bronchitis
   • pneumonia
   • diseases of the sinus cavities
8. Sinus pressure allowed to degenerate into sinus infection

One must understand that sometimes excess snot, as sometimes mucus is called, is brought about by other sinus problems such as sinus pressure, etc.

How to Prevent Excessive Mucus

Now that we may know what can cause excessive mucus, prevention becomes easier: Just avoid,as much as possible, those causes. This is the first and most important steps. There are a number of things you can do along side that first step. Here are some things you can do to prevent a return of the mucus:

How to prevent excessive mucus - conventional way
Medical literature does not abound in material showing how to prevent excessive mucus. We can say that one can infer ways to prevention from the medical principle that a body kept in good general health can, through its immune system, counteract diseases and undesirable health conditions. Thus the following is what I would do to prevent excessive mucus:

1. When a significant allergic reaction to the environment is suspected and clear mucus begins to flow:
   • take an antihistamine like non-drowsy "Allegra" or
   • consult my pharmacist for some other OTC (over-the-counter) remedy
   • rest as much as I can
   • drink extra amounts of water
2. At the first signs of a sinus infection
   • clear mucus appears
   • strengthen your immune system -- for details, please click
   • don't allow congestion or sinus pressure to continue unchecked; many sinus infection start with sinus pressure that was not cared for timely
   • post-nasal drip is often associated with irritation of the mucous membranes or sinus infection; see your physician if improvement is not seen in a few days
   • do not swallow phlegm that may be produced
3. If I suspect I have picked-up a virus there is not much you can do, except minimize symptoms, since a virus must run its course
   • viruses effects usually last for a few days and antibiotics will not do any good
   • drink lost of water to aid your immune system
4. During flu season avoid, as much as I can, large gatherings
5. If I begin to develop sinus drainage I make take some Sudafed PE or antihistamine to avoid complications

How to prevent excessive mucus - natural way
Some herbs other supplements and natural remedial procedures have been studied over the years and scientific support is mixed for many of them. Some popular alternative medicine choices I would follow:

1. Avoid mucus producing foods
2. Vitamin C - it is believed that when taken in large doses at the onset of cold symptoms it can shorten the duration of symptoms
3. Zinc - studies show that it can be beneficial. But you need to weigh the possible side effects of:
   • nausea after taking zinc lozenges
   • bad taste left in the mouth
   • zinc-based nasal sprays can take away sense of smell, possibly for good
4. Black elder berry (sambucus nigra)
5. Echinacea - studies show mixed results. Some show no benefit at all, while others indicate a substantial reduction in the severely and duration of symptoms when taken early on after onset of symptoms. The type of echinacea plant use and mode of preparation used may account for the disparity in studies result. There are not known adverse side effects, therefore, it would probably do no harm to use it--with the potential that it bring some benefits.
6. Acupressure - to drain the sinuses, if congestion or sinus pressure develops, and to strengthen the immune system -- for details, please, click
7. Fasting - for chronic conditions is believed by some to have detoxification and remedial qualities, e.g., to boost the immune system
8. Deal with sinus pressure soon--to avoid sinus infection and other sinus issues

Nasal Cavity and Upper Respiratory Tract
a - vertebrae, b - esophagus, c - trachea
d - cricoid cartilage, e - laryngopharynx, f -
pharynx, g - nasopharynx, k - tongue,
l - hard palate, o - superior turbinate,
p - middle turbinate, q - inferior turbinate

How to prevent excessive mucus - conventional and natural way combined
From a common sense or empirical standpoint an eclectic (combined) approach of regular and conventional medicine would seem to offer the best way to prevent excessive mucus. Here is a partial list of things I would do to prevent excessive mucus:

1. If I smoke, I would quit
2. Drink as much water as I can throughout the day
3. Try to stay on diet free from mucus producing foods as much as possible -- for details, please click
4. Strengthen my immune system with
   • antioxidants
   • allicin--the active element in garlic
   • vitamin C
   • learn to relax and do so everyday
5. Do not get chilled during cold season
6. Avoid congested area to avoid getting:
   • cold virus
   • flu or some other kind of virus
7. At the first sign of a cold or virus
   • take allicin--the active element in garlic
   • take extra anti-oxidants
   • take zinc by mouth
   • relax as much as you can
   • get into tub or shower and perspire good then go to sleep
8. If it is determined that I have strong allergies:
   • consider getting desensitizing allergy injections
   • avoid allergen sources as much as possible
   • be sure to be tested for house dust allergy if you suspect it is allergenic
   • if sinuses congest and sinus pressure develops be sure
     • to do acupressure points to drain the sinuses
     • to do steam-rinse therapy if acupressure does not work; do not over heat the cilia of the nasal membranes
     • if there is severe pain around the sinus cavity area consider taking an analgesic--Tylenol, etc.
   • use an antihistamine as needed
   • if sinus pressure or drainage is a problem consider taking garlic's allicin or beta glucan on a regular basis for a while and evaluate results
   • the antihistamine ":Allegra" is reputed not to cause drowsiness
   • if allergic rhinitis is ruled out check for other types of rhintis
   • remember: antihistamine relieves symptoms only
   • any sinus pressure that may develop should be addressed very soon
9. Restoration of full nerve energy flow from the brain to all organs can aid the body restore its own health, as was originally meant to be; for more information on this subject, for details please click
10. Get as much sinus information as you can from this web site, my own experience as a former sinu sufferer and from other sources.

 

Because of the connection that there can be between excessive mucus and: sinus drainage, sinus pressure, allergies and food, it is very important to eat non mucus producing foods whenever those three mentioned conditions are present. Sinus pressure--which is the accumulation of excessive mucus in the sinus cavities which is not draining--can be the precursor of other sinus issues such as: sinusitis, infection, therefore, sinus pressure should be dealt with early on before it brings complications.

How to Stop Excessive Mucus
For Permanent Relief, please click

Whether it be: yellow, green, clear-watery, etc., excessive mucus is something every person must, at some point, have to contend with. Although each particular kind of mucus can have a precise way to be dealt with, technically, here are some tips that I would use to lessen its impact:

1. Try to categorize your excess mucus based upon the list under Causes of Excessive Mucus, above. This will help decide which remedy fits best
2. Drink plenty of plain, room temperature water if I would suspect my situation fits within category 1-3, above
3. If I had a chronic mucus condition--it keeps recurring--I would do all I can to stop and to prevent it, thus I would:
   • try to associate its recurrig onset to such things as:
     • an allergic reaction to specific pollen
     • sinus pressure
     • specific food(s)
       • sugar
       • dairy products
       • a food I use often
   • If I decide food is very much a part of it I would avoid the offensive ones
4. If I would suspect a viral infection I would:
   • drink 5-7 glasses of water at the first sign of the infection
   • take allicin--garlic active ingredient
   • rest, relax all I can
   • eliminate sugar and starchy foods during viral bout
5. House dust is for many an unknown cause of excessive mucus and sinus irritation and sinus pressure; I find out if it is for me, too
6. If there is sinus drainage I address it and if it does not go away in a day or two:
   • I consider taking Sudafed PE, an OTC medication, as an option
   • or take an antihistamine would be another option e.g., Allegra, if an allergy is suspected as the cause
   • I would avoid irritation of the mucous membranes to prevent infection
7. If I suspect it is sinusitis (sinus infection) because of having some of these symptoms:
   • difficulty breathing because of swollen nasal membranes and passages
   • lesser sense of smell
   • nasal congestion
   • headache
   • sinus drainage
   • sore throat
   • yellow mucus
   • green mucus
   • sinus drainage
   • fever
   • bad breath,
8. If any of those symptoms appear, under line 7, above, I would relieve these symptoms, initially, as I would a bacterial infection and boost my immune system as explained in the protocol, 3 Steps to Quick Sinus and Mucus Freedon, Click. However, if it hangs on beyond a few days it could be a well established secondary bacterial sinus infection, which could drag on for many days unless an antibiotic is administered. Therefore I would go see the doctor if these symptoms do not begin to clear up within a few days
9. If I suspect a nasal fungal infection I would go see the doctor
10. If yellow mucus is coughed out it should carefully monitored; should traces of pink or red appears in the he sputum the doctor should be seen right away
11. Should sinus pressure develop along the way be sure to tackle it at once. Sinus pressure can be the cause of sinus infection if mucus stagnates for long
12. If the mucus stops flowing and pressure begins to develop I would be conscious of a possible sinus pressure-allergy connection and would to allow mucus to buildup in the sinus cavity.

Mucus Relief
As we have seen that effective mucus relief can come when we know the causes thereof and address them. Green mucus and yellow mucus, for example, are caused by an infection of some organ(s) in the respiratory system, such as the sinus cavity, nasal cavity, etc. Another major cause is, as we have seen, the food we eat. We must learn the foods that cause mucus if we expect to get rid of mucus permanently and have the relief we seek. Often a change in lifestyle will bring as a by-product mucus relief. Thus here are some of the things we must remember to obtain mucus relief:

• Some foods cause mucus--avoid them
• Lifestyle changes can bring mucus relief
• A certain amount of clear, watery mucus from the sinuses is necessary and normal
• Do not blow nose hard--it is counter productive
• Hay fever -- rhinitis -- is a common cause of mucus for which symptoms only can be relieved
• Minor sinus disorders such as: congestion, drainage, sinus pressure should be addressed soon to avoid secondary problems
• Yellow mucus and green mucus are signs of an infection which needs to be addressed
• Sinus pressure could be followed by sinus drainage if mucus is allowed to stagnate in the sinus cavity and an infection develops
• Allergies are the cause of much excessive mucus suffering and until addressed mucus will be a problem
• If phlegm -- the very sticky type of mucus -- is present do not swallow it
• When we know the causes of certain health disorders, such as: Sinus pressure, drainage, congestion and correct them, then mucus relief can come with it
  

There is nothing like common sense and using it one could prevent complications. At the first sign of infection, congestion or sinus pressure I start doing right away, based on the above information, what is necessary to alleviate the situation and prevent complications.When not sure what to do I would see my doctor.