The most common causes of post-nasal drip are: viral infections in your nose and throat (such as a cold) hay fever — inflammation of the inside lining of your nose, also called 'allergic rhinitis' sinusitis —inflammation of the hollow spaces in the bones of your face (sinuses)
Postnasal drip is the accumulation of mucus in the back of the throat, which can cause a feeling of congestion, a sore throat, or a cough. It is a common symptom of conditions such as the common cold, sinusitis, and allergies.
Most cases of post-nasal drip go away with time, but long-lasting, untreated post-nasal drip and excess mucus can create a breeding ground for germs, which in turn can lead to additional health complications, including sinus infections and ear infections.
Post-nasal drip occurs when your body produces too much mucus or when mucus isn't draining effectively. It's a common symptom of colds and other respiratory infections or allergies that have respiratory effects.
In addition to allergies, here are some other factors that may cause or aggravate your post-nasal drip: Dehydration: Breathing a lot of dry air—very common when the heater goes on in the wintertime— can dehydrate the nasal passages or cause increased production of mucus.
Thickened mucus along with decreased mucociliary clearance (see below) is thought to lead to common rhinitic complaints such as postnasal drip, cough, and globus. Edelstein was able to demonstrate that the prevalence of postnasal drip, nasal drainage, coughing, and sneezing increased with age[4].
Postnasal drip caused by allergies can be managed with OTC antihistamines and decongestants. Note that older antihistamines like Benadryl and Chlor-Trimeton can actually thicken mucus; instead, try Claritin, Alavert, Allegra, Zyrtec, Xyzal or Clarinex.
Fexofenadine (brand Allegra) and loratadine (brand Claritin) are good second-generation antihistamines that are non-sedating and could be good for mild to moderate postnasal drip symptoms.
Eat spicy foods: The chili peppers used in Thai or Indian food and Japanese horseradish, or wasabi, can help clear up thin mucus because they are expectorants. 10 The spiciness of the ingredients encourages your body to expel mucus.
Your condition could be more serious when the postnasal drip is accompanied by symptoms such as: Extreme difficulty breathing or swallowing. A lump in or on the throat or neck. Sores inside your nose that won't heal.
Sometimes the extra mucus exits through your nostrils, resulting in a runny nose. When the mucus drips down the back of your nose down into your throat, though, it's known as post-nasal drip.
Possible causes of excess mucus can be food allergies, an acid reflux from the stomach, or an infection. The consistency of mucus in the throat also varies depending on what is going on in your body. Common causes of too much mucus in the throat include a cold or flu, acute bronchitis, sinusitis or pneumonia.
Postnasal drip refers to excess mucus that someone may feel in the back of the nose and throat, causing a constant need to clear the throat. It may lead to symptoms, such as a sore throat and trouble swallowing. Environmental triggers, such as allergies, cold weather, or dry air, may cause postnasal drip.
I took him to the dr 4 weeks ago and she prescribed Telfast (5ml 2 a day) and Monte Air tablets. According to her the post nasal drip is due to allergies. The medication worked for about 3 weeks and now the post nasal drip is back in all its glory.
Decongestants like pseudoephedrine (Sudafed®) are useful for reducing congestion and postnasal drip, and saline nasal sprays can help keep your nasal passages moist. If allergies are responsible for your postnasal drip, non-drowsy antihistamines such as loratadine-pseudoephedrine (Claritin®) could help.
As an antihistamine, Zyrtec can help with many allergy symptoms, while Sudafed primarily helps with nasal congestion. These medications can usually be taken together, as long as it's safe for you to take either medication alone.
Sandoz issued a voluntary recall of 1,023,430 units of Zyrtec (10 mg) capsules as a result of failed impurities and a specification being reported for impurity at the 21-month stability time point, according to an FDA Enforcement Report.
The antihistamine effects of Zyrtec and Claritin last for at least 24 hours, therefore, they are both given once daily. Cetirizine, the active ingredient of Zyrtec works within one hour.
With aging there is a decreased ability to clear mucus from the lungs. Two mechanisms primarily contribute to this decline: 1) reduced cough strength and 2) alterations in the body's ability to clear particles in the airways.
The article also cites studies that show postnasal drip, nasal drainage, coughing, sneezing and nasal dryness increase with age, and that due to reduced hydration, older patients can have excessively thick mucus.