Growing up, your mother may have told you not to drink milk if you had a cold as a method of sinus pressure relief.
It may make you wonder if dairy makes mucus congestion worse.
Phlegm is thick, sticky mucus that accumulates in your nose and drips down the back of your throat when you have a cold. It’s supposed to be a defense mechanism, as this substance can block and trap additional bacteria.
Phlegm can be hacked up during a coughing fit and it can also drain out the nose. However, it’s often hard to expel this mucus since it’s so thick.
It’s a common misconception that drinking dairy makes phlegm worse. There have been several studies showing people who drink and avoid dairy when sick have similar mucus amounts. One of the reasons people have this misconception is because dairy coats the inside of your mouth and your throat, which indicates phlegm when in reality it’s just characteristics of the milk.
While milk does not increase mucus, it can increase the body’s production of uric acid and sebum, and this means that drinking milk can cause gout and an increase in acne.
If you are suffering from an increase in phlegm, our sinus doctor recommends these methods:
- Staying hydrated: This will help break up the phlegm.
- Running a humidifier: In a dry climate like L.A., your sinuses can easily become dry or inflamed. Breathing in moist air can give you sinus relief.
- Using a saline nasal spray
- Rinsing the sinuses with a neti pot
When you visit a sinus specialist, they can prescribe you medications to help thin your mucus. There are also over-the-counter medications like decongestants and expectorants that can help break up mucus and allow it to drain from your sinuses.
