Glands in the nose and throat produce 1 to 2 qts. of mucus every day, according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Post-nasal drip describes the feeling of mucus accumulating in the back of the throat or dripping from the back of the nose, and the sensation can be caused by thick secretions, excessive thin secretions or a swallowing disorder. Post-nasal drip can lead to a sore throat and a chronic cough. Treatment of post-nasal drip depends on the cause.
Nasal Polyps
Nasal polyps are fleshy, usually noncancerous growths that can form on the inside of the nose and sinuses. Causes include sinus infections, cystic fibrosis and inflammation due to allergies, explains Merck Manual Online Medical Library. Nasal polyps block the nose and sinuses, resulting in post-nasal drip, coughing and sneezing, decrease or loss of the sense of smell, facial pain and itchy eyes. Treatment includes cortisone nasal spray or surgical removal of the polyps. Unless the underlying cause is also treated, the polyps tend to grow back.
Sinusitis
The sinuses are hollow cavities in the skull surrounding the nose that warm and moisten inhaled air. Sinusitis occurs when the sinuses become inflamed, producing symptoms such as pain, post-nasal drip, bad breath, thick mucus that can be yellow or green, a cough that becomes worse when lying down, headache, fever, toothache and tiredness. Infection can develop. Acute sinusitis can last up to three months and can become chronic sinusitis if it does not improve with antibiotic therapy. Chronic sinusitis can last for years and is characterized by a persistent cough, according to the University of Pennsylvania. Treatment of sinusitis requires antibiotic therapy and can include corticosteroid nasal sprays and saline nasal irrigation.
Foreign Object In the Nose
Occasionally children, the mentally retarded or psychiatric patients may put a foreign object in their nose. Nuts, insects, beans and batteries, which can cause chemical burns, are objects commonly put into the nose, according to the Merck Manual. Symptoms are post-nasal drip and foul-smelling, thick mucus that is sometimes bloody. If the object is not removed, the body will cover it with mineral salts, forming a rhinolith. There is a risk the object will be inhaled and block the airway. Removal of the object by a physician is required. Sometimes general anesthesia is necessary.
