What is a Postnasal Drip?

You could think of a postnasal drip as your nose being too helpful by deciding to work overtime. When functioning normally, the glands in your nose produce mucus to trap dust, dirt, and other particles. This usually happens as a background process you aren’t likely to notice. The mucus has a few important functions:

• Moistening the air you breathe in
• Cleaning your nasal passage
• Trapping particles
• Fighting infections

While this is needed in your body, sometimes your glands decide to significantly increase mucus production. When this happens, the mucus might not drain properly, which leads to that unmistakable sensation at the back of your throat, which is a postnasal drip.

Causes and Symptoms

We know that a postnasal drip is caused by excess mucus production by your body, but what triggers the body to do this? Here are some possible causes for this annoying issue:

• Allergies: From pollen to a friendly cat, allergies are a common cause of postnasal drips. Allergens irritate your nasal passages and your mucus glands go into overdrive, thinking that they are protecting you, but instead, they increase your tissue use.
• Colds and Infections: This one might be obvious, but it’s worth mentioning. When you have a cold or an infection, your body increases mucus production to fight infection.
• Dry Air: Dry air can make your mucus thicker and harder to drain, leading to a postnasal drip.
• Hormonal Changes: Hormonal changes caused by pregnancy, menstruation, birth control, or other factors can lead to symptoms of a postnasal drip.
• Spicy Foods: That extra hot sauce might make your taste buds happy, but your sinuses might not be. Spicy foods can make your body react to the sensation and produce excess mucus.
• Acid Reflux: This one was a little surprising, but believe it or not, acid reflux can play a part in causing a postnasal drip. Stomach acid can irritate the throat and stimulate excess mucus production as your body tries to soothe the discomfort.

Doctors: If your postnasal drip persists despite treatment, make sure that you visit a doctor. In most cases, it’s not very serious, but there is a small chance that it might be a symptom of a more pressing issue. It’s better to be safe than sorry!

You might be wondering if a postnasal drip is contagious. While it’s not contagious in and of itself, the cause of it might be. If the symptom is caused by a viral infection, you could pass it on to others.

Symptoms

Here are the symptoms you need to watch out for to know that you’re dealing with a postnasal drip:

• Frequent need to clear your throat (which might make for some awkward Zoom calls).
• Bad taste in your mouth.
• Sore and scratchy throat.
• A persistent cough that could keep you up at night.
• Hoarseness in your speech.

Prevention and Treatment

There are plenty of ways to ease your discomfort and get your nose and throat back on track. Let’s dive into some tips and tricks that will help you with your postnasal drip.

Hydration

Everyone talks about the many benefits of drinking water. One of them is preventing and relieving symptoms of postnasal drip. Staying hydrated helps to keep your mucus thin and easy to drain.

Steam Inhalation

Steam is a simple home treatment that can work wonders. Warm, moist air loosens thick mucus and helps clear the excess. You can also add a few drops of essential oils such as peppermint or eucalyptus to add to the soothing effect.

Saline Nasal Spray

These clear out your nasal passages and get rid of particles and allergens, leaving you with a clear airway.

Elevate Your Head When Sleeping

Sleeping flat can worsen a postnasal drip. Using an extra pillow can help keep the excess mucus flowing the right way.

Medication

Over-the-counter medications and antihistamines can help, especially in cases of allergies. Make sure you use them safely as directed.

Foods for Relief

Believe it or not, you can sometimes eat your way to relief when suffering from a postnasal drip. Below we’ve listed some good and some not-so-good food choices for clearing up this problem:

The Good

These can clear your sinuses and boost your immunity to help fight infection:

• Warm broths, herbal teas, and foods rich in vitamin C like citrus fruits.

The Not-So-Good

These can exacerbate your symptoms:

• Dairy products can thicken mucus.
• Greasy fried foods can cause acid reflux, which can lead to excess mucus.
• Spicy foods can lead to mucus production. If you’re suffering from a postnasal drip, maybe leave the bottle of hot sauce in the cupboard.

When Should You Call a Doctor?

More often than not, a postnasal drip is irritating but not a serious problem. However, you should call your doctor if you have the following symptoms:

• Fever that is persistent or unexplained.
• Blood in mucus.
• Shortness of breath or wheezing.
• Persistent symptoms.

The Takeaway

While dealing with a postnasal drip isn’t exciting, it doesn’t need to be a nightmare either. Sometimes your body gets a little too enthusiastic when trying to protect you from infection and other airborne intruders. The good news is that with a few simple but effective strategies, some changes in routine, and helpful home remedies, you can prevent this common and annoying issue. Cheers to better health and an untouched tissue box!