Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Post Nasal Drip - The How And Why

You know how it is, you're about to embark on something good and, bingo the old problem of post nasal drip comes up.

Sniff it away if you must, but the pesky drip is gong to come back again and again.

The malady is common; It's extremely annoying but yes, it can be treated.

If taken lightly as to seasonal fluctuations or not treated, post nasal drip becomes chronic and with it come associated problems:

Bad breath - halitosis - is often blamed because of post nasal drip. Another problem is that of hoarseness. To sufferers these are embarrassing and they do not want any truck with these nasties.

All sorts of things are - and sometimes wrongly - attributed to PND.

Hay fever, a cold, dust, pollen etc. On top of that there's infection which can cause inflammation of the sinuses and even being p[regnant can cause pregnancy rhinus, a condition where the nasal passages are inflamed by the hormones going each and every which way.

Heard Of GERD?

Another reason for PNDis a nice, long medical term called, gastro esophageal reflux disease, Short title GERD. Victims know when they've got it because problems such as heartburn, regurgitation and trouble swallowing are prevalent.

Folks who have deviated septum -An abnormal condition in which the top of the cartilaginous ridge leans left or right, causing obstruction of the affected nasal passage - are also victims of post nasal drip.

When do you suspect you have It?

Well, according to some experts. Some people complain of having mucous adhering to the back of the throat bringing on a dry, persistent cough which manifests itself in the morning or when you're flat on your back at night. PND is also blamed for causing sleep troubles, and yes, even snoring. Victims often complain to their GP about lack of sleep and nausea caused by the mucous build-up. The dripping nose is there too.

You Can Fight It.

A lot of people ask what can they do combat this problem.

    Improve hydration and help combat the post nasal drip by having a humidifier operating at night, this aids in thinning out the thick mucous that causes post nasal drip. A good idea is to try this out before going for the over-the-counter medicines or aids.

    Drink more water - water virtually the panacea for a lot of ills and a good way to help beat post nasal drip.

    When on the water treatment ask your chemist/druggist about Guaifenesin-based medicines (such as Mucinex) - medicines that can be sold over-the-counter as either syrup or tablets. However! Please check with your doctor before doing so.

    Beat it through the nose. Yes, the good old nasal saline spray can work wonders.

Not all the remedies will work. Give the natural remedies and the drugstore supplied medication first. Give it a week and if symptoms persist, take a visit to your GP to sort out the problem. There are many causes of post nasal drip, but for your own peace of mind and well being, get your doctor to rule out nasal polyps, septum and other anatomical problems.

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