Post nasal drip is the drainage of fluid in the back of the throat that requires repeated swallowing to relieve. It can also be experienced as a dry sore throat from the drip of mucus that accompanies the common cold or allergic reaction. For some people, this condition can be triggered by being in the cold, eating spicy food, taking certain medications, gastroesophageal reflux, the common cold, allergies, fluctuating hormones or a sinus infection. To initiate the correct remedy, a reason for post nasal drip should be identified.
Diet
Dr. Andrew Weil, an author and physician with 30 years experience in integrative medicine, teaches his patients that dairy products increase the amount of mucus production in the nose and gastrointestinal tract. By reducing or eliminating dairy products, individuals can experience dramatic improvements in post nasal drip and a reduction in the aggravation of asthma, sinusitis, allergies and bronchitis. Drinking enough water to stay hydrated will reduce any irritation in the nasal passages that can result from increased mucus production, according to MayoClinic.com.
Rinse Nasal Passages
Rinsing the nasal passages using a specially designed bottle with normal saline or clean water is the most effective daily treatment for nonallergic rhinitis and resulting post nasal drip, according to MayoClinic.com. The treatment is called nasal lavage and keeps the nose and sinuses free of irritants and allergic proteins.
Gargling
Weil recommends that his patients gargle with salt water to relieve the irritation and sore throat that often accompanies post nasal drip. By relieving the throat irritation, the individual will also decrease the amount of mucus production in the nose and throat.
Medications
The American Academy of Otolaryngology recommends using medications to treat specific post nasal drip causes. For examples, post nasal drip caused by bacterial infections should be treated with antibiotics. The root causes of allergies should be removed and antihistamines or decongestants prescribed. If late night meals are suspected as a contributing factor, the patient should avoid late eating that results in gastroesophageal reflux and take antacids to decrease acid in the nasal passages. Decongestants can be used for the duration of a common cold to help manage post nasal drip.
Surgery
In the case of structural abnormalities, Ear, Nose and Throat Associates of Corpus Christi, Texas recommend surgical correction. Septal deviation can prevent normal drainage and contribute to the development of chronic post nasal drip. A spur can cause irritation in the nasal passage, while a hole can result in crusting inside the nose. Surgeons will not always be able to determine if the structural abnormality is causing the post nasal drip, but when all other medical treatments fail, surgery may be considered.
