What should I do if my cough persists and phlegm remains stuck despite receiving injections?

After receiving an injection for cough, if phlegm remains difficult to expel, symptoms can be improved through methods such as adjusting body position to facilitate sputum clearance, increasing fluid intake, enhancing airway humidification, performing proper back tapping, and using expectorant medications appropriately. Accumulated phlegm may worsen infection and requires timely intervention. Seek immediate medical attention if symptoms such as difficulty breathing, cyanosis of the lips, chest pain, or persistent high fever occur.

1. Adjust body position for sputum drainage: Lie on your side or in a prone position with the head slightly lowered to use gravity to help move phlegm toward the airways for easier coughing up. Avoid lying flat, which can cause phlegm to accumulate at the base of the lungs and worsen expulsion difficulties.

2. Increase fluid intake: Drink plenty of warm water, light soups, or diluted electrolyte beverages. Adequate hydration helps thin thick mucus, reduces its adhesiveness, and makes it easier to cough out, preventing phlegm from becoming dry and hardened due to dehydration.

3. Enhance airway humidification: Use a humidifier indoors to increase air moisture, or inhale warm water vapor to moisten the respiratory mucosa, relieve airway dryness and spasms, reduce mucus viscosity, and create favorable conditions for sputum clearance.

4. Perform proper back tapping: Cup your hand and gently tap from the lower back upward and from the outer sides toward the center. Apply gentle pressure that is tolerable. This vibration helps loosen phlegm in the airways and facilitates its removal.

5. Use expectorant medications appropriately: Under professional guidance, choose mucolytic agents or expectorants. Avoid using strong antitussive (cough-suppressing) drugs on your own, as these may suppress cough reflexes and hinder phlegm expulsion. Mucolytics help break down mucus components and reduce viscosity to promote clearance.

Maintain a light, easily digestible diet, and avoid spicy, greasy, or overly sweet foods that may stimulate excessive mucus production. Ensure adequate rest and avoid fatigue, which can weaken immunity. Keep indoor air well-ventilated and minimize exposure to smoke and dust to support airway recovery.