How the respiratory system protects itself
The respiratory system needs effective self-protection. Each day, the average adult inhales and exhales more than 10,000 litres of air. Considering the large volume of air that flows in and out of our lungs, it is not surprising that quite a lot of foreign bodies like dust particles, pollen or germs can enter the body via the airways. A healthy respiratory system protects and cleans itself with a highly efficient mechanism - comparable to a conveyor belt system. This self-cleaning process is an essential part of the body's natural defences.
The airways are coated with mucus, a slippery, gel-like substance that serves as a protective barrier and can trap foreign bodies which are inhaled. Cilia (tiny hairs that line the airways) then transport the mucus with the foreign bodies towards the pharynx (throat), where it is normally swallowed. Larger obstructions of the airways cause an irritation that triggers a cough to expel the obstructing matter.
This mucus can be produced in excessive amounts, becoming thicker and stickier when you are suffering from an infection such as a cold or 'flu, or due to irritation such as cigarette smoke. The respiratory system's self-protection mechanism becomes overwhelmed as viral, bacterial or other factors trigger excessive phlegm production. Breathing becomes difficult and a cough develops - often at first a dry cough which later develops into a cough with phlegm. Mucolsolvan® is a proven, effective expectorant: it helps the respiratory system return to its natural state by making the phlegm more liquid and by activating the natural conveyor-belt movement of the cilia. Phlegm can be ejected out of the airways more easily.
