What is Postnatal Drip?

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Running nose, and sudden sneezing? it embarrassing when you are in the middle of the crowd or in place that lots of people around you, it’s like you are spreading the virus, so, what you can do is to stay in the house, that is if you can, what if you have a work that you cannot leave, so, disgusting. It comes to my mind why we got this water like flowing in our nose, where this mucus that we sneeze comes; I thought it comes from our brain going down to our nose? The other mucus comes down to your throats that cause itching.
Every day, glands in the lining of our nose, throat, airways, stomach, and intestinal tract produce about 1 to 2 quarts of mucus, a thick, wet substance, that moistens these areas and helps trap and destroy foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses before they can get into our body and cause infection. On our day to day life we didn’t notice this, mucus from your nose because it mixes with saliva and drips harmlessly down the back of our throat to be swallowed gradually and continuously throughout the day.


When our body produces more mucus than usual or the mucus is thicker than normal does it become more noticeable?

The Excess mucus will come out in the front of our nose in the form of a runny nose. When that mucus runs down in the back of the nose to the throat, it's called Postnasal Drip.


What Causes Postnasal Drip?

It has a number of possible causes. Such as, Colds Flu Allergies also called allergic postnasal drip, Sinus infection or sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses) Object stuck in the nose like boggier (more common in children) birth control pills for women and blood pressure medications, Deviated septum an abnormal placement of the wall that separates the two nostrils after operation. Some problem that affects the sinuses like Changing weather fronts, cold temperatures, or excess dryness in the air. Certain foods for example, spicy foods can trigger mucus flow, Fumes from chemicals, perfumes, cleaning products, smoke, or other irritants Sometimes the problem is not that you're producing too much mucus, but rather that it's not being cleared away effectively. Swallowing problems can cause a build-up of liquids in the throat, which can feel like postnasal drip. These problems can occur with age, a blockage, or conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).


Symptoms of Postnasal Drip

• Annoying feeling that makes you want to constantly clear your throat.
• Irritation feeling like there is a liquid in your throat and contains inflammatory substances,
• Postnasal drip also can trigger a cough, which often gets worse at night.
• Excess mucus running down your throat may also make you feel hoarse and give you a sore throat. If the mucus plugs up the Eustachian tube the tube that connects the throat to the middle ear it can lead to a painful ear infection. When mucus blocks the sinus passages, it can lead to a sinus infection.

Treatments for Postnasal Drip

• Treatment depends on the cause of the problem. If Bacterial infections it can be treated with antibiotics.
• But if it color green or yellow mucus it’s not necessarily proof of a bacterial infection. Colds can also turn the mucus these colors and they are caused by viruses, which don't respond to antibiotics.
• An Antihistamines and decongestants can help with postnasal drip caused by sinusitis and viral infections.
• Use nasal sprays, for postnasal drip caused by allergies.
• Over-the-Counter, newer generation of antihistamines (Clarinex, Allegra, and Xyzal) may be better options, and are less likely to cause drowsiness.
• Drink more water it to thin your mucus and helps prevent blockages in the ears and sinuses, which can lead to infections.

It's a good idea to check with your doctor before treating your postnasal drip. Or try the mucus-thinning medication such as guaifenesin (Mucinex)

• Use saline nasal sprays or nasal irrigation (such as a neti pot) to flush excess mucus, bacteria, allergens, and other irritating substances out of the sinuses
• Turn on your vaporizer or humidifier to increase the moisture in the air
• Try propping up your pillows at night so that the mucus doesn't pool or collect in the back of your throat.

For allergies Postnatal Drip a ways to reduce your triggers.

• Covering your mattresses and pillowcases with dust-proof covers
• Washing all sheets, pillowcases, and mattress covers often in hot water
• Using special HEPA air filters in your home Dusting and vacuuming regularly
• Call your doctor if the nasal drainage is foul smelling, you have a fever, you're wheezing, or your symptoms last for 10 days or more, it might be a bacterial infection.

Let your doctor know right away if you notice blood in your postnasal drip. If medication isn't helping your postnasal drip, see an otolaryngologist for evaluation and test.


Source:WebMD