Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTreatmentComplicationsDiagnosisWhen to See a Healthcare ProviderFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Treatment
Complications
Diagnosis
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Frequently Asked Questions
Postnasal dripoccurs when your body produces too muchmucus. This mucus then drips down the back of your nose and gather in your throat.
This can cause chronic coughing or throat clearing, and produces a dry, sore throat.
Having mucus in the back of your throat is normal. The glands in your nose and throat produce about 1–2 quarts of mucus per day. This process works to moisten and clear your nasal lining, and trap what is inhaled to protect your lungs from debris and infection.
The process of mucus draining down your throat usually occurs without your knowledge. However, it becomes a problem when your body produces more mucus than it needs.
Postnasal drip can occur as a symptom of many types of conditions. Finding the source of the problem can help identify the right treatment.
This article explains the common symptoms of postnasal drip. It also covers causes, how they’re treated, and when you should seek medical advice.
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Symptoms of Postnasal Drip
Postnasal drip results when you haveexcess mucus productionin your nose or sinuses. This causes the mucus to accumulate at the back of your throat. The condition triggers a set of reactions that cause irritation and discomfort.
Common symptoms of postnasal drip include:
In addition to having more mucus, the quality of your mucus may change with postnasal drip. For instance, mucus that is thicker than usual can add to the discomfort of having a higher than normal quantity of the substance.
Symptoms of Postnasal Drip in Children
Throwing Up Mucus: Why It Happens and What to Do
Causes of Postnasal Drip
Postnasal drip often occurs as a symptom of anotheracute or chronichealth condition. It can also result fromstructural abnormalitiesof your sinuses and nose. Often, identifying and treating the underlying cause of postnasal drip resolves the problem. Here are common causes of postnasal drip:
Allergies
Your body triggers an allergic reaction when it becomes hypersensitive to a specific substance, called anallergen. When you encounter an allergen, yourimmune systemoverreacts. It triggers the overproduction of antibodies to protect you from perceived harm.
This causes your body to produce extra mucus to eliminate the foreign substance. The mucus also changes from its normally thin and pale consistency into a thicker, sometimes yellowish, liquid.
How to Detect an Allergen and Remove It From Your Home
Infections
The germs that trigger sinusitis or an infection of the mucous membranes of the nose and airway can cause inflammation and swelling. The swelling traps the thicker, diseased mucus in the sinuses and pathways from the nose to the throat, where it can cause excess mucus production and irritation.
Symptoms of a Sinus Infection
Acid reflux
Gastroesophageal refluxdisease (GERD), or acid reflux, is also linked to postnasal drip. It occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. The contents of the stomach acid can cause inflammation and damage the respiratory tract or esophagus.
GERD is worse when you lie down. This position makes it easier for the acid to return to the esophagus and into the back of the throat. When this occurs, symptoms of postnasal drip, including coughing, hoarseness, and throat irritation, can worsen.
Dysphagia in GERDDifficulty swallowing, ordysphagia, occurs when food doesn’t pass from the mouth to the stomach normally. If you experience a feeling of food getting stuck in youresophagus, seek immediate medical attention. When enough food and stomach acid become lodged in the esophagus, there is a risk of the substances traveling into the lungs. This can cause pneumonia and respiratory failure, which can be fatal.
Dysphagia in GERD
Difficulty swallowing, ordysphagia, occurs when food doesn’t pass from the mouth to the stomach normally. If you experience a feeling of food getting stuck in youresophagus, seek immediate medical attention. When enough food and stomach acid become lodged in the esophagus, there is a risk of the substances traveling into the lungs. This can cause pneumonia and respiratory failure, which can be fatal.
What Is Dysphagia?
What Medications Can Cause Postnasal Drip?
Certain medications can cause or irritate nasal symptoms, which can lead to postnasal drip. These medications include:
Changing Medications
How to Treat Postnasal Drip
Treatment for postnasal drip varies based on the underlying cause of the problem. Your healthcare provider can determine the most appropriate treatment based on your age, medical history, current condition, and other symptoms.
What Are My Allergy Treatment Options?
Bacterial infections usually require treatment with a prescription antibiotic. Symptoms of all types of infections may improve with the following treatments:
How Sinus Infection Is Treated
When postnasal drip persists and doesn’t improve with treatment, your condition may be related to a structural abnormality in your airway. In this case, surgical intervention may be advised to correct the problem and treat your postnasal drip.
Common types of surgery for postnasal drip include:
Complications and Risk Factors Associated with Postnasal Drip
In some cases, postnasal drip may be a symptom ofnasal polyps. These growths develop when the mucous membranes in the nasal passages and sinuses remain inflamed.
Having one or more of the following characteristics increases your risk of developing postnasal drip:
Are There Tests to Diagnose Postnasal Drip?
Diagnosing postnasal drip usually begins with a complete physical examination, including medical history, to determine the cause of your symptoms.
Additional diagnostic tests used to determine the cause of postnasal drip may include:
Contact your healthcare provider if you have signs of postnasal drip and/or any of the following symptoms:
Summary
Postnasal drip can cause a chronic dry, sore throat with frequent coughing or throat clearing. It can make you feel like there is a constant drip at the back of your throat.
The discomfort that results can make it hard to get quality sleep, which can affect your health and well-being. The chronic sore throat can also make you irritable and unable to eat the right foods.
Postnasal drip occurs as a symptom of allergies and other chronic health problems. Finding and treating the underlying problem can often improve your throat and nasal symptoms. Home remedies and prescription drugs can also provide relief.
When drugs and other treatments don’t help, surgery may be advised. The type of surgery used depends on the problem that needs to be fixed.
A Word From Verywell
Postnasal drip can make you uncomfortable during the day and restless at night. It can lead to irritability and frustration, as well.
Seeking an accurate diagnosis is the first step toward achieving relief from your symptoms. Your healthcare provider can determine whether your symptoms are related to an allergy, chronic health condition, or physical abnormality. Based on your diagnosis, they can advise the right therapies for your symptoms.
Proven treatments for postnasal drip can make a significant difference in the way you feel during the day and the rest you get at night.
Many people succeed in treating post nasal drip with home remedies. However, if your postnasal drip persists despite treatment, you should consult your healthcare provider. You should also seek medical advice before starting home remedies if you’re at an advanced age, take prescription medication or have an underlying health condition.Learn MoreNatural Home Remedies for Postnasal Drip
Many people succeed in treating post nasal drip with home remedies. However, if your postnasal drip persists despite treatment, you should consult your healthcare provider. You should also seek medical advice before starting home remedies if you’re at an advanced age, take prescription medication or have an underlying health condition.
Learn MoreNatural Home Remedies for Postnasal Drip
Learn MoreWhat Are the Symptoms of an Infection?
Learn MoreSimple Tricks to Drink More Water
13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.Post-nasal drip.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Nasal allergies (rhinitis).UpToDate.Patient education: Allergic rhinitis (beyond the basics).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection.NIH News in Health.Marvels of mucus and plegm.International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Symptoms of GERD.International Foundation of Gastrointestinal Disorders.Diet & lifestyle changes.School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin-Madison.Swallowing problems increase risk of death, nursing home admissions.UpToDate.Patient education: Nonallergic rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose).Akhouri S, House SA.Allergic rhinitis. StatPearls Publishing.Prasad S, Varshney S, Bist SS, Mishra S, Kabdwal N.Correlation study between nasal septal deviation and rhinosinusitis.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013;65(4):363–366. doi:10.1007/s12070-013-0665-3American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Sinusitis.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.
13 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.Post-nasal drip.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Nasal allergies (rhinitis).UpToDate.Patient education: Allergic rhinitis (beyond the basics).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection.NIH News in Health.Marvels of mucus and plegm.International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Symptoms of GERD.International Foundation of Gastrointestinal Disorders.Diet & lifestyle changes.School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin-Madison.Swallowing problems increase risk of death, nursing home admissions.UpToDate.Patient education: Nonallergic rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose).Akhouri S, House SA.Allergic rhinitis. StatPearls Publishing.Prasad S, Varshney S, Bist SS, Mishra S, Kabdwal N.Correlation study between nasal septal deviation and rhinosinusitis.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013;65(4):363–366. doi:10.1007/s12070-013-0665-3American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Sinusitis.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.Post-nasal drip.Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Nasal allergies (rhinitis).UpToDate.Patient education: Allergic rhinitis (beyond the basics).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection.NIH News in Health.Marvels of mucus and plegm.International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Symptoms of GERD.International Foundation of Gastrointestinal Disorders.Diet & lifestyle changes.School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin-Madison.Swallowing problems increase risk of death, nursing home admissions.UpToDate.Patient education: Nonallergic rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose).Akhouri S, House SA.Allergic rhinitis. StatPearls Publishing.Prasad S, Varshney S, Bist SS, Mishra S, Kabdwal N.Correlation study between nasal septal deviation and rhinosinusitis.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013;65(4):363–366. doi:10.1007/s12070-013-0665-3American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Sinusitis.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.
American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.Post-nasal drip.
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.Nasal allergies (rhinitis).
UpToDate.Patient education: Allergic rhinitis (beyond the basics).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sinus infection.
NIH News in Health.Marvels of mucus and plegm.
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Symptoms of GERD.
International Foundation of Gastrointestinal Disorders.Diet & lifestyle changes.
School of Medicine and Public Health University of Wisconsin-Madison.Swallowing problems increase risk of death, nursing home admissions.
UpToDate.Patient education: Nonallergic rhinitis (runny or stuffy nose).
Akhouri S, House SA.Allergic rhinitis. StatPearls Publishing.
Prasad S, Varshney S, Bist SS, Mishra S, Kabdwal N.Correlation study between nasal septal deviation and rhinosinusitis.Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2013;65(4):363–366. doi:10.1007/s12070-013-0665-3
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.Sinusitis.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Sinusitis.
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