Postnasal drip

What's that nagging cough, and what can you do to cure it? Cough for a minute or two, and you may think something has "gone down the wrong pipe." Cough for a day or two, and you may think you've picked up a cold or For many people, chronic coughing raises the specter of What is a cough? Although folk wisdom views coughing as a grave portent of illness — What did one casket say to the other? "I hear you coffin" — the cough is actually a vital player in the body's defense against disease. Coughing expels mucus, microbes, and foreign particles from the respiratory tract, protecting the lungs from infection and inflammation. The cough begins with an initial gasp that draws air deep into the lungs. Next, the glottis snaps shut, putting a lid over the trachea, or windpipe. The third step is the forceful contraction of the muscles of the chest cage, abdomen, and diaphragm (see figure). In normal breathing, these muscles push air gently from the lungs up through the nose and mouth. But when the glottis is closed, the air can't move out, so tremendous pressure builds up in the air passages. Finally, the glottis swings open and the air rushes out. And it is quite a rush; in a vigorous cough, the air travels out at nearly the speed of sound, creating the barking or whooping noise that we call a cough. Anatomy of a cough A cough can be a conscious, voluntary act or an uncontrollable, involuntary reflex. In the latter case, stimulation of nerves in the larynx ("voice box") and respirat...

Verywell / Cindy Chung Postnasal drip may be temporary—for example, clearing up after an infection passes. Or it can be more chronic, as is often the case with allergies or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Treatment may be directed at easing symptoms, as well as treating an underlying condition, if present. Postnasal drip is not dangerous. However, some activities—like skiing or scuba diving, which requires wearing a mask—can be uncomfortable or make it feel like you can't breathe. When to See a Healthcare Provider If you experience postnasal drip a few times per year, then there is probably nothing to worry about. It rarely requires medical attention and often goes away on its own. • Morice AH. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2004;17(6):343-5. doi:10.1016/j.pupt.2004.09.005 • Sylvester DC, Karkos PD, Vaughan C, et al. Int J Otolaryngol. 2012;2012:564852. doi:10.1155/2012/564852 • Rennard BO, Ertl RF, Gossman GL, et al. Chest. 2000;118(4):1150-1157. doi:10.1378/chest.118.4.1150 • Harvard Health. • UpToDate. Additional Reading

A runny nose is having fluid run out of the nose. The fluid can range from thin and clear to thick and yellow-green. The fluid might drip or run out of the nose, down the back of the throat, or both. If it runs down the back of the throat, it's called postnasal drip. A runny nose is often called rhinorrhea or rhinitis. But the terms are different. Rhinorrhea involves a thin, mostly clear fluid running from the nose. Rhinitis involves irritation and swelling inside the nose. • Post-nasal drip. American Academy of Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery. https://www.enthealth.org/conditions/post-nasal-drip/. Accessed Nov. 1, 2022. • Kliegman RM, et al. Allergic rhinitis. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 31, 2022. • Peden D. An overview of rhinitis. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Oct. 31, 2022. • Nasal congestion and rhinorrhea. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/ear-nose-and-throat-disorders/approach-to-the-patient-with-nasal-and-pharyngeal-symptoms/nasal-congestion-and-rhinorrhea. Accessed Oct. 31, 2022. • Sinusitis. American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. https://www.aaaai.org/tools-for-the-public/conditions-library/allergies/sinusitis. Accessed Oct. 31, 2022. • Cold versus flu. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/qa/coldflu.htm. Accessed Oct. 31, 2022. • AskMayoExpert. Nonallergic rhinitis. Mayo C...

Drainage in your throat, or postnasal drip, is when the glands in your nose and throat continually produce mucus to filter out the nasal passage and provide lubrication. Causes include allergies, infections, and even medications. Postnasal drip affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. The glands in your nose and throat make mucus to: • fight infection • moisten nasal membranes • filter out foreign matter You typically swallow the mucus without even realizing it. When your body starts producing extra mucus, you might feel it accumulate in the back of your throat. You may also feel it dripping down your throat from your nose. This is called postnasal drip. Common symptoms of postnasal drip include: • feeling that you need to constantly clear your throat or swallow • a cough that’s worse at night • nausea from excess mucus moving into your stomach • sore, scratchy throat • bad breath A number of conditions can cause postnasal drip. Another common cause is a Other causes of postnasal drip include: • cold temperatures • viral infections resulting in the • • pregnancy • changes in the weather • dry air • spicy foods • certain medications, including some blood pressure and birth control prescriptions In some cases, the problem causing postnasal drip isn’t excessive mucus, but your throat’s inability to clear it. Swallowing problems or You can turn to a number of home treatments to relieve the symptoms of postnasal drip. Over-the-counter decongestants like pseudoephed...

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. The excess mucus can be caused by inflammation or swelling of the nasal passages, which can be due to a variety of factors such as viral or bacterial infections, allergies, or irritants in the air. Every day, glands in the linings of your nose, throat, airways, stomach , and intestinal tract produce mucus . Your nose alone makes about a quart of it each day. Mucus is a thick, wet substance that moistens these areas and helps trap and destroy foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses before they cause infection. Normally, you don't notice the mucus from your nose because it mixes with saliva , drips harmlessly down the back of your throat, and you swallow it. When your body produces more mucus than usual or it’s thicker than normal, it becomes more noticeable. The excess can come out of the nostrils -- that’s a runny nose . When the mucus runs down the back of your nose to your throat, it's called postnasal drip. Mucus Colors Meaning Yellow mucus Yellow mucus can indicate a bacterial infection in the nasal passages. This type of infection often requires antibiotics to clear up. If the yellow color is accompanied by thick and discolored nasal discharge, it may be a sign of a sinus infection. Green mucus Green mucus can be a sign of a more severe viral...

When excess mucus builds up and drips down the back of your throat, it’s called postnasal drip. In addition to feeling like mucus is draining down your throat, symptoms of postnasal drip include cough, the urge to clear your throat and hoarseness. Postnasal drip has many causes, including allergies, infections, pregnancy, medications and GERD. Overview What is postnasal drip? Postnasal drip is when more mucus than normal gathers and drips down the back of your throat. You may feel like you have a tickle in the back of your throat. Postnasal drip can be a bothersome condition that can lead to a The glands in your • Moistens and cleans your nasal lining. • Moistens the air you breathe. • Traps and clears whatever you inhale. • Helps fight infections. You normally swallow mucus unconsciously. You don't notice it because it mixes with your saliva and drips harmlessly down the back of your throat. But when you feel like mucus is gathering in your throat or dripping from the back of your nose, it becomes more obvious. Symptoms and Causes What are the symptoms of postnasal drip? Postnasal drip can cause an irritated • A feeling of mucus draining into your throat. • Frequent swallowing. • Gurgling or • Urge to clear your throat. • • Cough that bothers you more at night. • Postnasal drip can also cause painful What causes postnasal drip? You can get postnasal drip for many different reasons. One of the most frequent causes of postnasal drip is Another cause is a • • Bacterial infec...

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. However, certain conditions increase throat drainage and may cause queasiness, including: • • Allergies • Dehydration • Pregnancy • What’s often overlooked is that conditions which inflame or irritate the throat — such as sore throat and sometimes Certain medications can also change the character of the drainage, heightening our awareness of it. And irritating fumes and spicy foods can trigger increased mucous flow.

The season of allergies and colds is upon us and, with it, the all-too-familiar runny nose and its frequent companion, post-nasal drip. And adding an extra level of caution this year is the spread of COVID-19, which can cause symptoms similar to post-nasal drip at its onset. Let’s review a few facts behind post-nasal drip: what it is, what causes it, and what we can do about it. Why does mucus form? Mucus actually serves a healthy purpose. The glands within your sinus cavities produce it in order to trap foreign particles, eliminate debris from the sinuses, and help humidify the air you breathe. Typically, debris cleared from the nose is pushed into the nasopharynx, then into the back of your mouth as post-nasal drip, which you swallow like saliva. 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. The most common causes are allergies that cause inflammation or swelling of the lining of the nose, spurring overproduction of mucus. When this excess mucus is persistent—or if its thickness and frequency cause that constant drip in your throat—you may begin to experience additional symptoms, like an itchy throat, hoarseness, and the need to clear your throat constantly. Feeling that familiar drip in the back of your throat? Post-nasal drip is often triggered ...