Excessive Mucus buildup.. Night time

[gill1929]

During the day I'm fine, it's the night time that is killing me. I cough excessively, have abundant amounts of mucus that I need to cough up and spit out all night. This has been going on for over 7 months. Tried Nasonex and that doesn't help at all. Mucus is white in color so it's not an infection. The weird thing about the whole situation is the fact that the symptons occur only in the night time. Once it gets dark I start coughing and the mucus builds up..

Can you please help me understand my condition and possibly offer some advice. Thanks

[BlueAtlas]

Have you ever been diagnosed with any kind of lung condition, like COPD, emphsema, bronchitis? It's very typical to have more secretions at night for a couple of reasons. For one, you're lying down, which means a larger surface area of your lungs is being compressed than when you're upright. For another, you breathe not as deeply when you're resting, so the secretions aren't moving around as much and tend to collect.

Drinking lots of fluids will help keep the mucous thinner so it's easier to get out. If you smoke, that will also make it worse. The little hairlike thingys in your airway that move foreign substances, like dust and secretions, toward your throat so you can cough them out become paralyzed for about 20 minutes after smoking, so more mucous will build up.

If you haven't seen a doctor, that would be a good thing do to, since this has been going on for 7 months. I hope you can get some help and relief.

[kristen1]

Try Mucinex - works good for me and my asthma when I get a cold.

[CoyoteBound]

I have the same problem! As soon as I lay down,I start coughing and will not stop intil I get the mucus out of my throat. Have you tried Mucinex like the last poster mentioned? The doctor reccommended it to me and it really loosenes up that muscus and makes it come up easier. I have lung trouble so I know how you feel. They told me when you lay down that your lungs flatten out and to put several pillows behind my head and not lay flat down and if I start coughing to roll over and lay on my side! It does help so try it and see what it does for you.

[Sannah]

Sinus drainage is worse when you are flat, reflux is worse and it can make you cough. If your heart is weak, like congestive heart failure, it can cause fluid build up in your lungs. Dust mite allergies can cause mucus when you are in bed.