Post Nasal Drip: General Health

HealthyPals · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Post nasal drip can be annoying and you might not even know if you have it. It occurs when excessive mucus is produced by the sinuses. The excess mucus accumulates in the throat or back of the nose. It is frequently caused by allergies.

Some symptoms of post nasal drip include:

constant clearing of the throat
feeling the need to swallow constantly
spitting (mucus) constantly
tickling feeling in the throat
cracking voice
mucus feeling in the back of the throat
difficulty in breathing
congestion in the nasal and sinus passages
sore throat
tonsil stones or tonsilloliths found in the tonsils that are generally yellow or white
Bad breath
Coughing
Feeling nauseated due to accumulation of mucus in stomach

Treatment
Generally, your Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) doctor can prescribe a steroid nasal spray to help the inflammation in your sinuses that is causing the drip.

I also found this product, which claims it can also cure post nasal drip: http://www.sinuswars.com/remedies/SinusWars2.asp. Not sure if it is a good product or not. Please let us know if you have tried it.

Ziggy · **Site Rank:** Healthy BBF

It seems to me that if a person has post nasal drip, isn't that the same thing as a sinus infection, or not? And also, wouldn't that person need to get medicine from a doctor to make it go away, not over the counter?

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Post nasal drip is not a sinus infection, but untreated post nasal drip can lead to a sinus infection. Post nasal drip is the backward flow of mucus down your throat. I researched some things that cause post nasal drip and they include:

Inhaled Irritants
Dairy Products - Dairy products can cause an irritation to the delicate mucus membrane lining and stimulate the nasal lining to increase their production of mucus.
Continuously eating foods that you are allergic too
Living in dry areas
Smoking - Causes an irritation and inflammation of the delicate mucus membrane lining of the nasal passages. This causes an increase in the amount of mucus the nasal membrane secretes.
Colds and flu - A person's immune system is lowered when one is suffering from a cold or flu. This makes it easier for a person to develop post nasal drip and sinus infections.
Throat and Swallowing disorders - These disorders may result in an accumulation of fluids, mucus and solid particles in the back of the throat.

I would say it is probably best to go to the doctor to see what the best treatment is, but from my experience, half the time it takes the doctor 3 times to diagnose you!!!!

I think there should be a rule that if you get treated by a doctor and you go home and take the medicine they prescribe and it doesn't work, you should NOT have to pay the bill!!!

Ziggy · **Site Rank:** Healthy BBF

tammy wrote:

I think there should be a rule that if you get treated by a doctor and you go home and take the medicine they prescribe and it doesn't work, you should NOT have to pay the bill!!!

I agree with you, because it costs so much money to go to a doctor in the first place, let alone 3 times for the same thing. Send a letter to President Obama and tell him he needs to make that a law!!

joebert · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I used to get a lot of those symptoms in school. Mainly the throat and coughing ones.
I always just figured it was because I hadn't smoked a cigerette because it started around the same time I'd started smoking and I ignored it.

I quit smoking a few years ago now, and I still get some of the symptoms occasionally. I wonder if this is what it is.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

joebert wrote:

I used to get a lot of those symptoms in school. Mainly the throat and coughing ones.
I always just figured it was because I hadn't smoked a cigerette because it started around the same time I'd started smoking and I ignored it.

I quit smoking a few years ago now, and I still get some of the symptoms occasionally. I wonder if this is what it is.

Well, it says smoking is one of the causes of post nasal drip. Quitting probably did help!

Quote:

Smoking - Causes an irritation and inflammation of the delicate mucus membrane lining of the nasal passages. This causes an increase in the amount of mucus the nasal membrane secretes.

GraceF · **Site Rank:** Healthy Acquaintance

My husband uses a saline nasal spray and it definitely helps. If you suffer from allergies or sinus trouble, it is also important to eat more vegetables and fruits and less dairy products and chocolate (unfortunately!). Dairy and chocolate can increase the mucus lining in the sinuses.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

I agree with GraceF. A sinus rinse system works well to clear up the sinuses. Any drug store has a lot of choices to choose from. A good one is the Neil Med Sinus Rinse Kit.

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