The nose and sinuses produce mucus in an attempt to keep the area clean. It moves dust and dirt, clears infection, and moistens nasal tissue and inhaled air—all without any work on your part. But when that mucus changes consistency (temporarily or chronically), it can cause post nasal drip, resulting in coughing, hoarseness, irritation, and a sensation of a lump in the throat. Is this something to worry about?
What Causes Post Nasal Drip?
One aspect of determining whether or not post nasal drip is something to worry about is what’s causing it. It could be a short lived issue, like the common cold or hormone changes from pregnancy. Or, it could be something more chronic such as sinus issues (hay fever or nonallergic rhinitis, for example), swallowing disorders, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). And these can be serious.
Serious Primary Issues
According to the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery; when swallowing disorders are present, “the nerves and muscles in the mouth, throat, and food passage (esophagus) aren?t interacting properly [and] overflow secretions can spill into the voice box (larynx) and breathing passages (trachea and bronchi).” Dysphagia, a swallowing disorder, occurs more often in older adults and requires medical assistance. You could wind up with food in the airways, which can cause respiratory issues, like pneumonia.
Another potentially serious cause of post nasal drip is a foreign object stuck in the nasal cavity. This is more common in young children prone to lodging crayons, beans, and seeds up their noses and certainly merits medical help if the object is lodged out of reach.
Treatment Influence
In any case, whatever the underlying issue is, you’re likely going to require treatment. Even mild allergies that are only seasonally problematic can illicit a post nasal drip that can certainly be obnoxious. Antihistamines and decongestants may be sufficient for managing the excess mucus, but not always. Chronic sinusitis may require surgical interventions, like endoscopic sinus surgery. Post nasal drip can cause a chronic cough, hoarseness, and a constant sore throat brought on by irritation or inflammation of the tonsils and other sinus anatomy.
Chronic Infection
In some cases, your post nasal drip may be the result of recurrent infections. These infections can wreak havoc on the immune system and do damage to the respiratory system, particularly if they become extreme. If the coughing becomes extremely chronic, you notice a change in your voice beyond mild hoarseness, any expelled mucus has a bloody hue, or extreme congestion, talk to your doctor or an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) quickly, because your post nasal drip could be serious.
