# That phlegm in the back of your throat: Hock it or not **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536 "2004-11-13T05:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2004, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/1 "2004-11-13T05:20:49Z")
You know when you’re just getting over a sickness and you’ve got that stuff at the back of your throat that you can feel moving when you breathe or swallow (and it’s kind of painful). It feels pretty good to finally get rid of that stuff (although the process is painful). Should one get rid of it? Is it like a protective layer over the raw back of your throat that should stay? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2004, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/2 "2004-11-25T22:32:28Z")
_ahem_ and is it harmful to swallow it? * * * bump card - go directly to top of page, do not pass the stickies, do not feed the hamsters. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/3 "2004-11-26T01:50:23Z")
> [@Chairman Pow](#): > > It feels pretty good to finally get rid of that stuff (although the process is painful). Get some good cough syrup, that will promote drainage and also contains an exporant. > [@](#): > > Should one get rid of it? Is it like a protective layer over the raw back of your throat that should stay? It contains infective agents. If it is draining into you stomach it will be dealt with there. Otherwise let the cough syrup assist in getting it out of your system. Soothing cough drops can allso be helpful. ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/4 "2004-11-26T02:13:25Z")
[To truly hock a loogie, one must not retrieve the phlegm from the throat, but from the soul.](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000056BSD/104-2376829-4919116?v=glance&vi=quotes-trivia) ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2004, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/5 "2004-11-26T23:51:18Z")
Ahh, my first venture into GQ. IANAM, but… (I am not a Mucologist) I always hock, myself, whenever possible, figuring that’s where all the dead bacteria the white cells have killed are. If the throat needs more phlegm, it will make it, I’m sure. I remember my doctor telling me it wasn’t the best idea to swallow phlegm, it didn’t really belong in the digestive tract. They can tell by your blood tests if you’ve been swallowing too much mucous. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/6 "2004-11-27T02:38:15Z")
[Defines “Hawk”](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hawk) hawk3 ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hôk) v. hawked, hawk·ing, hawks v. intr. To clear or attempt to clear the throat by or as if by coughing up phlegm. [9 Entrys Unrelated to OP](http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=hock) What is going on. Is “hock” a misspelling," a misspronounciation, or what? ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2004, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/7 "2004-11-28T04:59:04Z")
Hm. I’ve always seen it spelled, “hock.” ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/8 "2004-11-29T04:04:56Z")
Yep, you can indeed Hock phlegm, but if you don’t redeem the ticket within 30 days, the Pawnshop owner is likely to sell it. ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/that-phlegm-in-the-back-of-your-throat-hock-it-or-not/274536/9 "2004-11-30T04:36:41Z")
> [@The Sonoran Lizard King](#): > > Yep, you can indeed Hock phlegm, but if you don’t redeem the ticket within 30 days, the Pawnshop owner is likely to sell it. Thinking this is a Monkey Island reference, but can’t recall…