Everyone experiences post nasal drip at some point in their life, but that doesn’t make the symptoms any less annoying. If you’re experiencing symptoms such as the constant need to clear your throat, a cough that worsens at night, excessive mucus swallowing, and a sore, scratchy throat, you may have post nasal drip. It’s no fun, but there are a number of post nasal drip remedies you can do right at home! They’ll ease your symptoms, making you feel better and get back to your normal self. Check out our favourite home treatments for post nasal drip!
What Is Post Nasal Drip?
Post nasal drip is a common diagnosis. It occurs when your body produces excess mucus that causes a sore throat. The glands in your nose and throat continuously produce mucus in order to fight infection, moisten nasal membranes and get rid of foreign matter, but when there’s excess mucus, you’ll feel it accumulate in the back of your throat. When you feel it dripping down your throat from your nose, this is called post nasal drip. It affects everyone at some point in their life, and there are easy remedies you can make at home to help!
What Are the Symptoms of Post Nasal Drip?
Common symptoms of post nasal drip include the following:
- The constant need to clear your throat or swallow
- A cough that worsens at night
- A sore, scratchy throat
- Bad breath
- Nausea (this results from excess mucus moving into your stomach)
- Excessive spitting up or swallowing mucus
- Horseness or wheezing when breathing in
What Causes Post Nasal Drip?
Post nasal drip can be caused by a number of different changes in the environment and body. It’s often associated with the common head cold, but there are a number of possible causes. These include allergies, sinusitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (acid reflux), hormonal causes such as pregnancy, an overuse of nasal spray, irritating chemicals from perfumes and cleaning products, smoke, medications such as birth control, and cold, dry air.
Allergies are one of the most common causes of post nasal drip, especially seasonal allergies when the body produces extra mucus to try to eliminate pollen spores. Cold weather and dry air can also lead to post nasal drip, as both these things can irritate your nose and throat. When this happens, your body creates mucus to humidify and warm the passages and ease this irritation. Viral infections like the flu, cold and sinus infections can also cause post nasal drip as creating extra mucus is your body’s way of flushing out germs and infections.
6 Post Nasal Drip Remedies that Work
1. Use a Neti Pot
Rinsing your sinuses is one of the most effective remedies for post-nasal drip, and you can do this easily at home. Use a Neti Pot to rinse your naval cavity – this washes irritants or allergens out of your nasal passages, ridding your body of extra junk that’s triggering the process of mucus production. Draining your sinuses is especially effective if your post nasal drip is due to allergies or pollution.
2. Do a Steam
Steaming is another awesome home treatment for post nasal drip. It loosens and clears mucus from the back of your throat, easing the symptoms of post nasal drip. Fill a sink or bowl with hot water, put a towel over your head, and inhale the steam. You can also place a few drops of an essential oil such as eucalyptus oil or peppermint oil to help clear your nasal passages.
3. Be Careful What You Drink
Certain drinks are not ideal when you have post nasal drip. Dairy drinks, and dairy products in general, can make mucus thicker, so it’s definitely best to avoid them. Dehydrating beverages, such as those that contain caffeine or alcohol should also be avoided. Drink lots of water (six to eight glasses a day), as hydration can thin thickened mucus, relieving post nasal drip symptoms.
4. Sleep with Your Head Raised
One of the causes of post nasal drip is gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as acid reflux. This occurs when acid from the stomach regurgitates back up into the esophagus. This can cause a burning sensation in your chest and irritate the back of your throat. Use a wedge pillow to prop you up while you’re sleeping at night. This will ensure your stomach acid flows down instead of up when you sleep, helping to ease your post nasal drip symptoms.
5. Increase Your Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that boosts the immune system and helps the body ward off different infections. Lemon is a great source of vitamin C, and happens to be an amazing remedy you can use for post nasal drip. Squeeze half a lemon into warm water, and add honey as well, which is known for its antibacterial and antiviral properties.
6. Whip Up Some Chicken Soup
Chicken soup may be an old school remedy, but it works! Chicken soup can ease the symptoms of upper-respiratory tract infections and can reduce the risk of inflammation. It also helps with soreness in your throat. Chicken soup has been shown to increase your energy and boost your immune system, ridding you of post nasal drip symptoms.
If you’re experiencing post nasal drip, don’t fret! Use these home remedies to ease your symptoms quickly and effectively!