These symptoms can fluctuate throughout the day. And you may feel worse after lying down for a while or after speaking for a long time. Postnasal drip generally lasts for a few days or weeks, depending on the cause. Sometimes, it can be chronic; you may experience it for months on end.
While post-nasal drip certainly is a nuisance, it is not considered to be a serious condition. This is fortunate, since many people live with chronic post-nasal drip, especially during allergy season. That said, many doctors recommend seeing your doctor if your post-nasal drip has not cleared up within 10 days.
In fact, postnasal drip is one of the most common causes of cough, and it can linger for weeks to months.
You should seek medical attention within a few weeks of symptoms. Post-nasal drip will be present for 12 weeks or longer before it's classed as chronic. Chronic rhinitis is frequently the culprit if you have persistent post-nasal drip.
Postnasal drip can be annoying, but it's typically harmless. Most of the time, you can treat the condition with simple home remedies and over-the-counter medications. If you develop additional symptoms or your postnasal drip doesn't clear up within a couple of weeks, call your healthcare provider.
Allergies, or chronic rhinitis, results in a persistently runny nose, often postnasal drip, congestion, coughing, itching, and sneezing. It is also, as mentioned, one of the most common causes of chronic postnasal drip—symptoms from chronic rhinitis may occur all year long and can lead to a cascade of other symptoms.
It's a common diagnosis. It can happen for a number of reasons: allergies, viral infections (including the common cold), sinus infections, irritants in the air (such as fumes or dust). Less common causes include something stuck inside the nose (common in small children), pregnancy, and certain medications.
Common causes of post-nasal drip are viral infections, sinus infections and hay fever. Treatment of post-nasal drip usually involves treating the cause.
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.
Antihistamines and decongestants can often help with postnasal drip caused by sinusitis and viral infections. They can also be effective, along with steroid nasal sprays, for postnasal drip caused by allergies.
If you have thin, watery mucus, try these home remedies for postnasal drip: 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.
Glands in the nose and throat normally produce 1-2 quarts of mucus every day. This mucus moistens the lining of the nose and sinuses, humidifies the air, traps inhaled particles, and helps to fight infections. Normally this mucus is swallowed unconsciously many times throughout the day.
Along with extra mucus draining from the nose into the back of your throat, other signs of postnasal drip include: Hoarseness. Persistent cough, often worse at night. A need to constantly clear your throat.
In general, this process is routine and beneficial. But it can become an issue when mucus secretion becomes excessive and causes serious nasal congestion or an irritated throat. Post-nasal drip can result from many factors, most of them not a serious threat to your health.
Post-nasal drip often leads to a sore, irritated throat. Although there is usually no infection, the tonsils and other tissues in the throat may swell. This can cause discomfort or a feeling that there is a lump in the throat. Successful treatment of the post-nasal drip will usually clear up these throat symptoms.
Catarrh is a build-up of mucus in an airway or cavity of the body. It usually affects the back of the nose, the throat or the sinuses (air-filled cavities in the bones of the face). It's often temporary, but some people experience it for months or years. This is known as chronic catarrh.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) represents one of the three main causes of chronic cough (along with asthma and upper airways cough/postnasal drip syndrome), implicated in up to 41% of chronic cough patients [3].
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.
It is rare to have true postnasal dripping with no obvious nasal and sinus symptoms. Other organ systems can also affect the back of the throat. One of them could be the lungs and trachea.
"Ginger or thyme tea with their antibacterial and antiviral properties can calm the irritated throat and help you to decrease mucus overproduction." Tea with ginger, in particular, can soothe a sore throat.
Seasonal allergies due to plants releasing their pollen may cause trigger postnasal drip, as the body produces extra mucus to try and eliminate the pollen spores. Cold weather or dry air can also cause postnasal drip.
When mucus starts to build up or trickle down the back of the throat, this is known as postnasal drip. Causes of postnasal drip include infections, allergies, and acid reflux. As well as feeling the need to clear the throat frequently, a person with postnasal drip may also experience: a sore throat.