Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsImpact on LungsLong COVID and Chest CongestionOther SymptomsSymptoms of Different VariantsTreatmentBreathing ExercisesPostural ExercisesEmergency Symptoms
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Impact on Lungs
Long COVID and Chest Congestion
Other Symptoms
Symptoms of Different Variants
Treatment
Breathing Exercises
Postural Exercises
Emergency Symptoms
Up to one-quarter of people with COVID-19 may experience a cough with mucus (phlegm).Though not typical, sometimes chest congestion is a sign of COVID-19. This can cause a wet or productive cough that may persist even after the coronavirus resolves.
When you catch a virus like COVID-19, your lungs and airways may start to produce extra phlegm. Thismucus, which the body responds to with a cough to help expel it, is meant to help rid the body of the infection.
Chest pressure orheaviness in the chestand a rattling sound or feeling when breathing can accompany the mucus you cough up.
How COVID-19 Impacts Lungs
ACOVID-19 infectioncan inflame the lung tissues, including the alveoli. The alveoli are where oxygen and carbon dioxide pass between the blood and the air. When they swell up and fill with fluid, the lung’s job of getting oxygen to your body and removing waste becomes more challenging.
Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 that impact the lungs include:
Adry coughwith COVID-19 is more common than a productive, wet cough with mucus (about 50% to 70% of patients have a dry cough).While COVID-19 typically does not initially cause phlegm in the chest or a productive cough, in the later stages of the illness, a dry cough can become wet—especially ifpneumoniabegins to develop.
When the COVID-19 virus enters the lungs, inflammation increases phlegm that collects in the airways. Depending on the individual, this phlegm can contribute to more severe illness, resulting in damaged lung tissue, secondary bacterial infections, and pneumonia.
A cough with mucus is also known as a:
Pneumonia in one or both lungs may occur due to asevere COVID-19 infection. Due to inflammation and fluid build-up, pneumonia usually causes breathing difficulties. If an individual does not respond to over-the-counter treatments or at-home prescriptions, treatment in the hospital with oxygen or a ventilator to take over breathing may become necessary.
With COVID, severe cases can cause lasting lung damage and a lingering cough or breathing difficulties that can take months to recover from.
Estimates suggest that about 10% of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 develop long COVID. One of the commonsymptoms of long COVID-19is a cough. If you have a cough with congestion that lasts three weeks or longer, see your healthcare provider.
You’re no longer contagious once you test negative for the virus, but long-term COVID symptoms can come and go for several months. These symptoms can impact your ability to function on a day-to-day basis.
Other Common COVID-19 Symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 can be mild, moderate, or severe and can depend on the variant of the virus. Common symptoms of a mild COVID-19 infection vary among individuals and may include:
Moderate COVID-19 includes the above symptoms plus shortness of breath ordifficulty breathing, but blood oxygen levels remain above 94%. If blood oxygen levels drop below 94%, it is considered severe COVID-19.
While upper respiratory symptoms, fever, and fatigue are the most common COVID-19, gastrointestinal symptoms are present in about one-quarter of COVID infections. One study reported the prevalence of individual gastrointestinal symptoms as diarrhea (15%), abdominal pain (5.6%),vomiting(5%), and anorexia (3.1%).
COVID-19 symptoms can last a few days or several weeks. Most mild cases resolve in less than two weeks, while severe cases take six weeks or longer.
COVID-19 symptoms can differ based on the variant or the virus. For example:
As other variants continue to emerge, so will different symptom patterns.
Treating COVID-19 Cough and Chest Congestion
Coughing and chest congestion with COVID-19 can be treated with prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, hydration, and other home remedies. Breathing exercises can also help.
Getting rid of COVID-19chest congestionas quickly as possible often requires an approach that combines medications, rest, hydration, and breathing exercises.
While COVID-19 can often be treated at home, seek medical care if you feel shortness of breath or have difficulty breathing. You may require additional care beyond OTC medications and home remedies.
Prescribed Medications
A healthcare provider may recommend amucolyticif you have trouble with mucus and a wet, productive cough after a COVID-19 infection. These medications thin the mucus in your lungs, making it easier to cough up.
N-acetylcysteine(NAC), available in oral and inhaled forms, may be prescribed to break up chest mucus.
While NAC tablets are available OTC as a supplement, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate OTC formulations. This is why they are also available via prescription for medication purposes.
There are alsoantiviralsfor individuals at a higher risk of a serious COVID-19 infection. Contact your healthcare provider about prescription antiviral medications if you are in a higher-risk group. Antivirals include:
People who are more likely to get very sick with COVID-19 include adults over age 50, individuals who are unvaccinated, and people with chronic health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, or a weakened immune system.
Over-the-Counter Treatments
Expectorants(like Mucinex or anything with the active ingredientguaifenesin) thin mucus and make coughing easier. These medications won’t make you cough less, but they will make coughs more productive and clear the airways. Guaifenesin is available in a formulation that is taken every four hours and an extended-release option that is taken every 12 hours.
Decongestants(like Sudafed or anything withpseudoephedrine) shrink blood vessels in the mucus membranes, especially in the sinuses, slowing mucus production. They work best for nasal congestion.
You shouldn’t take a cough suppressant when you have a wet cough. The cough is essential to moving mucus out of your lungs, where it’s interfering with breathing.
Taking a cough suppressant when you have awet coughmay increase your risk of developing pneumonia. Mucus that stays in your lungs and airways is more likely to breed harmful bacteria and cause additional challenges with your body’s ability to oxygenate itself.
Home Remedies for Congestion
Outside of medications, there are otherhome remediesyou can try to clear up your chest congestion.
Breathing exercisesuse your breath to strengthen your lungs and help you expel mucus. Here are a few to try.
Deep Breathing Exercise
This exercise expands your lungs and helps clear mucus from them. You can be lying down or sitting up to do this exercise; just keep your chest and shoulders relaxed in a comfortable position:
Breath Stacking Exercise
This exercise can help expand your lungs, keep your muscles moving and flexible, and help strengthen your cough to clear mucus.
You can do this exercise multiple times a day, but make sure you’ve waited at least an hour after eating or drinking, and stop if you experience pain:
Postural exercises are another way to help clear mucus and use gravity to help move mucus out of your lungs. Back-lying and side-lying are two that are often recommended.
Wait at least an hour after meals before doing postural or positioning exercises. Stop if you’re feeling sick or if the position is aggravating yourheartburn.
Back Lying Exercise
Side Lying Exercise
COVID-19 can sometimes require emergency medical treatment. Symptoms that warrant emergency medical treatment include:
If someone is showing any of these signs, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Summary
People with COVID-19 and other respiratory infections may experience a cough with mucus as a symptom of their illness. Phlegm is mucus produced within the respiratory tract.
Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or home remedies or prescription medication to make you more comfortable and help you clear your lungs. Breathing exercises may also be beneficial.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed. As new research becomes available, we’ll update this article. For the latest on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cohen-McFarlane M, Goubran R, Knoefel F.Novel coronavirus cough database: Nococoda.IEEE Access. 2020;8:154087-154094. doi:10.1109/access.2020.3018028Song WJ, Hui CKM, Hull JH, et al.Confronting COVID-19-associated cough and the post-COVID syndrome: role of viral neurotropism, neuroinflammation, and neuroimmune responses.Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(5):533-544. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00125-9American Lung Association.Understanding mucus in your lungs.Welte T, Ambrose LJ, Sibbring GC, Sheikh S, Müllerová H, Sabir I.Current evidence for COVID-19 therapies: a systematic literature review.Eur Respir Rev. 2021;30(159):200384. doi:10.1183/16000617.0384-2020Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronavirus COVID-19 lung damage.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Long COVID: Long-term effects of COVID-19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.National Institutes of Health: COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines.Clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection.Belabbes FZ, Maizi M, Belghyti N, et al.Prevalence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients in Casablanca: a retrospective cohort study.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e27815. doi:10.7759/cureus.27815Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronovirus diagnosis: what should I expect?.Whitaker M, Elliott J, Bodinier B, et al.Variant-specific symptoms of COVID-19 in a study of 1,542,510 adults in England.Nat Commun. 2022;13(1):6856. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-34244-2MedlinePlus.Acetylcysteine oral inhalation.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 treatments and medications.MedlinePlus.Guaifenesin.UNC Health Talks.Mucus, our body’s silent defender.De Blasio F, Virchow JC, Polverino M, et al.Cough management: a practical approach.Cough. 2011;7(1):7. doi:10.1186/1745-9974-7-7
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cohen-McFarlane M, Goubran R, Knoefel F.Novel coronavirus cough database: Nococoda.IEEE Access. 2020;8:154087-154094. doi:10.1109/access.2020.3018028Song WJ, Hui CKM, Hull JH, et al.Confronting COVID-19-associated cough and the post-COVID syndrome: role of viral neurotropism, neuroinflammation, and neuroimmune responses.Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(5):533-544. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00125-9American Lung Association.Understanding mucus in your lungs.Welte T, Ambrose LJ, Sibbring GC, Sheikh S, Müllerová H, Sabir I.Current evidence for COVID-19 therapies: a systematic literature review.Eur Respir Rev. 2021;30(159):200384. doi:10.1183/16000617.0384-2020Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronavirus COVID-19 lung damage.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Long COVID: Long-term effects of COVID-19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.National Institutes of Health: COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines.Clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection.Belabbes FZ, Maizi M, Belghyti N, et al.Prevalence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients in Casablanca: a retrospective cohort study.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e27815. doi:10.7759/cureus.27815Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronovirus diagnosis: what should I expect?.Whitaker M, Elliott J, Bodinier B, et al.Variant-specific symptoms of COVID-19 in a study of 1,542,510 adults in England.Nat Commun. 2022;13(1):6856. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-34244-2MedlinePlus.Acetylcysteine oral inhalation.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 treatments and medications.MedlinePlus.Guaifenesin.UNC Health Talks.Mucus, our body’s silent defender.De Blasio F, Virchow JC, Polverino M, et al.Cough management: a practical approach.Cough. 2011;7(1):7. doi:10.1186/1745-9974-7-7
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cohen-McFarlane M, Goubran R, Knoefel F.Novel coronavirus cough database: Nococoda.IEEE Access. 2020;8:154087-154094. doi:10.1109/access.2020.3018028Song WJ, Hui CKM, Hull JH, et al.Confronting COVID-19-associated cough and the post-COVID syndrome: role of viral neurotropism, neuroinflammation, and neuroimmune responses.Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(5):533-544. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00125-9American Lung Association.Understanding mucus in your lungs.Welte T, Ambrose LJ, Sibbring GC, Sheikh S, Müllerová H, Sabir I.Current evidence for COVID-19 therapies: a systematic literature review.Eur Respir Rev. 2021;30(159):200384. doi:10.1183/16000617.0384-2020Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronavirus COVID-19 lung damage.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Long COVID: Long-term effects of COVID-19.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.National Institutes of Health: COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines.Clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection.Belabbes FZ, Maizi M, Belghyti N, et al.Prevalence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients in Casablanca: a retrospective cohort study.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e27815. doi:10.7759/cureus.27815Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronovirus diagnosis: what should I expect?.Whitaker M, Elliott J, Bodinier B, et al.Variant-specific symptoms of COVID-19 in a study of 1,542,510 adults in England.Nat Commun. 2022;13(1):6856. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-34244-2MedlinePlus.Acetylcysteine oral inhalation.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 treatments and medications.MedlinePlus.Guaifenesin.UNC Health Talks.Mucus, our body’s silent defender.De Blasio F, Virchow JC, Polverino M, et al.Cough management: a practical approach.Cough. 2011;7(1):7. doi:10.1186/1745-9974-7-7
Cohen-McFarlane M, Goubran R, Knoefel F.Novel coronavirus cough database: Nococoda.IEEE Access. 2020;8:154087-154094. doi:10.1109/access.2020.3018028
Song WJ, Hui CKM, Hull JH, et al.Confronting COVID-19-associated cough and the post-COVID syndrome: role of viral neurotropism, neuroinflammation, and neuroimmune responses.Lancet Respir Med. 2021;9(5):533-544. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(21)00125-9
American Lung Association.Understanding mucus in your lungs.
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Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronavirus COVID-19 lung damage.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Long COVID: Long-term effects of COVID-19.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Symptoms of COVID-19.
National Institutes of Health: COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines.Clinical spectrum of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Belabbes FZ, Maizi M, Belghyti N, et al.Prevalence and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms in COVID-19 patients in Casablanca: a retrospective cohort study.Cureus. 2022;14(8):e27815. doi:10.7759/cureus.27815
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Coronovirus diagnosis: what should I expect?.
Whitaker M, Elliott J, Bodinier B, et al.Variant-specific symptoms of COVID-19 in a study of 1,542,510 adults in England.Nat Commun. 2022;13(1):6856. doi:10.1038/s41467-022-34244-2
MedlinePlus.Acetylcysteine oral inhalation.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.COVID-19 treatments and medications.
MedlinePlus.Guaifenesin.
UNC Health Talks.Mucus, our body’s silent defender.
De Blasio F, Virchow JC, Polverino M, et al.Cough management: a practical approach.Cough. 2011;7(1):7. doi:10.1186/1745-9974-7-7
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