When extra mucus accumulates in the back of your throat, it can begin to drip down your throat, irritating your passageways. You may feel this dripping or just its effects. This condition is referred to by sinus doctors as postnasal drip.
Common symptoms of postnasal drip include:
- The constant urge to clear your throat or swallow
- A cough that gets worse at night
- Nausea from excess mucus shifting into your stomach
- Chronic sore throat
- Hoarseness
- Bad breath
Thick or excess mucus that’s unable to drain properly can have both environmental and medical causes. Post nasal drip can have the following symptoms:
- Cold and flu: When your body is fighting a virus, it may generate excess mucus.
- Allergies: Allergies will cause you to have thicker mucus and more of it.
- Sinus infection: If you have a sinus infection, your sinus congestion can stop mucus from draining out your nose, and instead it drips down the back of your throat.
- Nasal polyps: Nasal polyps are non-cancerous growths that hang down like grapes from the lining of the nose and sinuses. If they grow too big, they can cause a mucus blockage, forcing your sinuses to drain mucus down your throat.
- Deviated septum: A crooked or off-center septum usually blocks one or both of your nostrils. A C-shaped or S-shaped septum can increase your post nasal drip.
- Environmental irritants: If you have postnasal drip, take a look at the air around your home and workplace. Exposure to smoke, chemicals, and other environmental irritants can cause you to suffer from postnasal drip.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): If you suffer from acid being forced back up into your esophagus, you will also suffer from throat irritation. Lifestyle changes can help this condition.
If you are in need of relief from postnasal drip, you may need sinus surgery to correct some of the issues above. We are one of the best sinus offices in the state, so contact Westside Sinus to experience relief.
