Postnasal drip can feel like a runny nose in reverse: an unpleasant sensation of mucus frequently flowing down your throat. At ENT Medical Associates, dedicated board-certified ENT specialists use the latest leading-edge technology to diagnose and treat your postnasal drip. Treating the underlying issue ensures you get permanent postnasal drip relief. Call the Boston, Massachusetts, office or make your appointment online now.

What is postnasal drip?

Postnasal drip describes the sensation of mucus dripping down your throat. Adults produce up to 1.5 quarts of mucus every day, and it’s normal for it to move unnoticed down your throat for elimination through the digestive system.

But, when your mucus is thicker than normal or when you make excessive amounts of it, the feeling of mucus drainage is much more obvious.

What symptoms does postnasal drip cause?

Postnasal drip can become quite uncomfortable, often leading to problems like:

Sore throat
Hoarse voice
Cough
Bad breath
Nausea and vomiting
Constant need to clear your throat
Constant need to swallow

Your sinuses and ears are connected, so it’s fairly common for postnasal drip to cause eustachian tube dysfunction. This happens when mucus accumulates and blocks the ends of the eustachian tube, causing clogging and preventing normal drainage.

What caused my postnasal drip?

Postnasal drip often happens with temporary illnesses like common colds and the flu. Those short-term illnesses resolve quickly, and so does the postnasal drip.

But, when you have chronic problems, such as sinusitis or a deviated septum, it’s common to experience frequent postnasal drip or even live with it on a daily basis.

Chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), pregnancy, cold dry air, and some medications can also cause postnasal drip.

When do I need treatment for postnasal drip?

If postnasal drip is an ongoing problem and symptoms are causing significant discomfort, you need treatment.

ENT Medical Associates often uses state-of-the-art technology like wireless nasal endoscopy to examine your nasal passages with a miniature camera.

This kind of technology allows doctors to diagnose the problem, discuss the results with you in real time, and plan your treatment on the spot.

There are many treatment options for postnasal drip. It all depends on the root cause of your issues. One common example is minimally invasive office-based procedures like balloon sinuplasty, which treats conditions like sinusitis and deviated septum.

In-office procedures can treat your underlying condition, so they provide relief for both postnasal drip and other intrusive issues like snoring and Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Procedures generally take less than an hour and require only local anesthesia so you can return home immediately.

If constant postnasal drip is driving you crazy, there’s no reason to live with it for a moment longer. Call ENT Medical Associates or click the online scheduler to connect with a highly skilled ENT expert now.

Jennifer Lord

Postnasal Drip Q&A