I have a major problem with post nasal drip and have tried everything over the counter. I have been to the doctor 2 times and nothing he gave me helped. What can I do? it's driving me nuts.
Julie from Watertown, NY
Go to a chiropractor, a good one. I work for one and was a patient years ago. You would be amazed at what will work once your spine is in line. Make sure he/she is principled chiropractic though. (01/17/2006)
By Lynn Marler
I have used a product called Little Noses, which is a baby product that my daughter's doctor told her to use for her baby when she had a cold. I tried it myself and found it to work great for my post nasal drip. I found it at Walmart. I figured if it was safe for baby it would be safe for me. It is a spray that you spray up your nose.
(01/17/2006)
By Juanita
I guess mine is not a serious problem, but I find that using cough drops controls mine. (01/17/2006)
By Pat
One thing that has helped me is to irrigate my sinuses. I use a small ear syringe and mild, warm, salt water. I fill the syringe and squeeze it directly up in your nose and sinuses. If you do it right some of the solution will come out of your mouth. Mild salt water is like 1 tsp. salt to 1 pint water. The water should be warm to the touch on the wrist, not hot. (01/17/2006)
By suzq
Although my Dr. wasn't sure what I had going on, I know I felt something running down the back of my throat and I had terrible phlegm at the back of my throat. I would cough and sometimes it even interfered with speaking. I also feel I had a sinus infection at the same time. I was on an antibiotic, but it didn't help.
Dr. gave me Allegra samples to try, but that only dried me up really badly. He gave me some Nasonex samples and that seemed to help. I am not sure if that cured me or it just finally ran it's course, but I'm not having the problem anymore. Nasonex is by prescription and is a nose spray. It says it's for nasal allergies. I hope I never have that problem again because it was sure the pits. Oh, and at the same time I had a stuffed nose and woke up with headaches and my nose all full and crusted over, yuck. I hope you find relief. (01/17/2006)
I have had a drip all of my life. I get allergy shots and take Sudafed (with pseudophedrine). It never makes me tired. Only take one every 4-6 hours. It is the only thing that stops the drip. (01/17/2006)
By allison
Editor's Note: Sudafed is now a prescription medication in some areas, so your doctor will have to prescribe.
The baby products like Little Noses are usually just saline solution (salt water). You could dissolve salt in warm water and using an eyedropper drip solution into nose with head tilted back. You can also buy nasal sprays that are just saline also.
I agree with Lynn from California, sometimes post nasal drip is a sign of dehydration. Make sure you're drinking your 8 glasses of water. It really will make a difference. (01/17/2006)
By Cheryl from MO
Try gargling with salt water several times a day. Also irrigate your sinuses with salt water by squirting it up with a bulb syringe or as I do just sniff it up out of your hand. This won't necessarily stop the drainage, especially if it is, as mine is caused by my cats, but it will certainly lessen the irritation to your throat and decrease the amount.
TC in MO (01/17/2006)
By Timmie
This may be tough to do, but I bet it will work. Eliminate all milk products for one week. Avoid exposing yourself to scented products. Then evaluate you condition. You probably won't have a "condition" anymore. Good luck.
(01/18/2006)
By Margie
Do you smoke or are around cigarette/cigar smoke? It took me a number of years to figure it out. My doctor couldn't help me. Apparently, I'm allergic to smoke. I didn't smoke, but if I'm near anyone who did, I have problems. I know it is impossible to stay completely away from smoking. If I am around smoking, I take a decongestant and it usually helps me. (01/20/2006)
By it's.only.me
I suggest gargling the warm salty water mix (1/2 tsp to 8 oz.), drink warm water with lemon juice, soothing decaf teas, lay off lactose rich food and drink (ie. milk), lay off antihistamines because they can dry you out. Irrigate the nasal cavity with the saline solution, drink a lot of water, and blow your nose frequently (not too irritate though). Lozenges are good for temp relief. Use vitamin c and eat antioxidant rich foods (ie. blueberries) to thwart infection. Hope you feel better. (01/31/2006)
By Matt B.
A tablespoon of cider vinegar made from fermented apples only in a glass of water, 2 times a day should dry up the runny nose. It can be a lack of potassium in the diet that can cause too much mucus. Another option is taking a teaspoon of straight honey twice a day both of these are high in natural potassium. For a phlegmy throat I suggest gargling and then swallowing the cider vinegar this heals sore throats and will break up any phlegm which you can spit out. This works for me.These ideas have been natural medicines in Vermont for many years. It was in a book written by a doctor there. Hope that helps. (02/02/2006)
Am thinking you might want to irrigate your sinuses and take nettle pills. Nettles help to minimize allergic reactions. Unless you had a bad cold and are simply feeling the after effects, you might be having a prolonged allergy bout. The longer it goes on, the worse it gets.
Nettles are also called 'stinging nettles' in the health food store and come in liquid and pill form.
When my allergies get going, I use a multi-pronged approach: nettles, bromelain pills, nasal irrigation (or just "Ocean" brand saline nasal spray daily), drink lots of water, run the air filter cleaners in every room I am in for a prolonged period of time. If you can't take an air filter cleaner to work, then running one in your bedroom might help. Sears is the best for these air cleaners, because they carry the filters long after the cleaner machine has been discontinued, so you don't have to get additional filters via mail order. Get the best one you can afford.
Take the nettle pills several times a day. Also, use NasalCrom (no longer a prescription) to calm those allergies in your nose. Although the back of your throat might be the involved party, the NasalCrom might help to substantially minimize the side effects.
Many years ago, the allergic child of a friend was prescribed NasalCrom by the allergist. This seems to have made a huge difference in the quality of his well being. When it became available to the general public, I tried it, too, and have been quite pleased. The instructions say you can take it year round, if need be. Might be worth $12 for you to try it. Target has their in house brand of this item for a little less money. (02/18/2006)
By Holly
I use grapefruit seed extract in the form of a nasal spray and it keeps me from catching colds too. (03/05/2006)
By Chris
If saline makes you cough when you use it as a nasal irrigant you can try a 3% solution of sugar instead. The idea is to get a solution that is isotonic so that it does not sting your sensitive mucous membranes. (09/17/2006)
By Tom H.
Flixonase Nasal Spray plus an antihistamine should help. Also cut out dairy products, sugar, and coffee as much as possible. I've been there and I know it's hell, so good luck. (04/04/2007)
I have the same thing, post nasal drip for over a year now. It started with a simple cold. If I don't start gargling with salt/cayenne pepper I also get throat problems due to the mucus. (12/28/2007)
By MG
For post nasal drip help, read the article at the following website (it's copyrighted or I'd post it here).
Having suffered for weeks, and nearly strangling to death 3 times, I followed the articles ideas and used the nasal moisturizer "Nasal Comfort" from CVS for $10 (by the makers of Zicam), a hot wet cloth under my eyes and over the top of my nose plus a hot cup of tea. Two hours later I'm breathing fine, the stuff in my throat is almost gone and I can tell that the mucus from my nose is no longer flowing slow and thick as it had been. In fact, at one point I noticed the mucus seemed to be accelerating, but not congregating in my throat.
I hope whatever method you use takes care of the problem for you. (04/13/2008)
By Al
For the people recommending the grapefruit seed extract, be careful. Both of the brands/sites mentioned here have been implicated in selling tainted products. Furthermore, GSE is not known as an antimicrobial to any good extent on its own. There are some reports on these snake oil salesmen who make the stuff that say they have tainted it with antimicrobial chemicals that are not good for humans, though they may help the problem.
Hot liquids seem to help, and also hard alcohol. If you're over 21 take a shot, or notice how during a night of drinking the hard liquor you'll have no throat drip. This is because ethyl alcohol (aka booze) found in high levels in hard alcohol kills bacteria. Do not drink beer for this problem, it has low alcohol and also contains yeast and which aggravates post nasal symptoms. (05/09/2008)
By Kevin
I've had this problem all of my life. Three things that really work for me are nasal irrigation, Mucinex (1200 mg twice a day, per my ENT doc), and cough syrup with codeine if I absolutely can't get it to quit. Once it starts it can keep going because everything becomes so irritated from the coughing. The cough syrup keeps me from coughing at night, and I can control it with Mucinex, nasal irrigation during the day. Also, dairy is terrible, at least for me. One bite or drink of something with dairy can set me off, so I avoid dairy now. (06/17/2008)
By Kim
I love studying herbs and medicine. I had a friend with severe sinus problems. She would sleep with a hanky in her pillow, sneeze all day. It got so aggravating. So, I thought on it and then realized in my studying that zinc would help. I told her to try it. She says she is "free" from the trouble. It has been over 4 years. She said every once in a while the symptoms come back then she takes the zinc for about a week or two. Then she is back to be free from sinus issues.
What I found in my studies: first of all, sinus troubles come from the immune system not being up to par. The best way to get it back to par is with zinc. And just to get you thinking about it, think about why the doctor is telling you to take something. Then google that issue. Study the organ, why it works, how it works, what other organs/parts effect it, what helps it to work and what hurts it. The body is a fascinating thing if you just break it down into sections. Just like a car, bike, computer. Some things help it some don't. But to make it run at top performance you have to "think like it works". Learn. (07/26/2008)
By Kathy
Zyrtec and lots of water. It took me two years to find this cure. Make sure that in is not Zyrtec-D, though. That makes it even worse. (08/12/2008)
By Dripping in FL
Post nasal drip is very common and affects more than 33% of the population. My story is like most of yours, but I found probably the best cure I have ever experienced. Although water helps, you have to retrain the cilia in your nose to pass impurities through correctly. I have been working with an allergist and we have concluded that I suffer from 2 conditions:
The first is silent acid reflux. It can give the sensation of post nasal drip in the throat without any sign of heartburn. It can also cause a chronic cough. Prilosec is what I will take temporarily and I am avoiding acidic foods and drinks while I heal my stomach and esophagus.
The second is sinus disease. Any caffeine/alcohol drinkers out there? These can cause the mucous membranes in the nasal cavity to virtually "dry up". I bought the NeilMed Nasal Rinse bottle and have been "rinsing" with it 3 to 4 times per day until this is under control.
Guess what? After 6 to 8 weeks of this regimen, the chronic cough is gone and I can breathe freely. The sad part is, I never realized my nose was congested. The nasal rinse is a little gross in the beginning, but I look forward to it because it makes me feel great.
Note: I was tested for allergies, asthma, lung problems, and sinus deformities and everything came up negative. Good luck. (11/03/2008)
By Love2Draw
OK, this may taste not the greatest, but better then some of the syrup remedies out there. Take some ginger root and lime or lemon juice and make a hot tea with this. Add a little salt and drink about 5 or so cups then have a hot shower with steam and should help clear up some. (01/03/2009)
By Amanda From Saskatoon
You all need to try Therabreath Nasal Drops by Dr Harold Katz. It's a miracle cure for PNS and bad breath. (01/09/2009)
By Lisa
This is my second year of having this problem of PND, I never had it in my life, I lived in North Africa
(Algeria for 26 years), moved to California after 3 years and started having allergies to pollen, I have this only on March and April. I can't sleep, sometimes I think I am going to die, I wanted to advise everyone about using salt, because salt adjusts pression in our cells by concentration.
The amount of salt that you put in water to rinse your sinus is very important, even critical. If you put too much, you may cause problems if you put less, it will not help you. You need to use slightly higher concentration of salt than we have in our blood, this is called Plasmolyse. Water in our body and even in vitro moves always from concentrated to less concentrated area. That is why salt in water will stop the dripping mucus/water from the cell to outside the cells, and keep the water inside the cell, this is a Isotonic equilibrium, that way the drips stops. Thanks. (04/13/2009)
By smail
I am a college student and I have suffered from PND for about 3 and a half years now and it has been really embarrassing. But I'm here to tell you that I have been cured. I used to frequently read forums to try different methods, but they never worked. After being so embarrassed by the symptoms (drippy throat, horrible breath, being choked up) I demanded that my doctor do something about it.
She finally prescribed something called Z-Pack. It was a five day pill treatment that is kinda expensive, but well worth it. She also told me to use Clariton-D and make sure that it had the D label. The combination of both of these medicines had me cleared up within 10 days. It worked and I'm relieved. The total cost for both was about $70 it is well worth it.
I'm sorry I don't know the real name of the medicine, because I threw the packaging away, but a doctor should know. I'm now living a normal life and I'm not embarrassed to talk to people close range anymore. Please don't give up. I hope it works for you. Also make sure to drink water frequently to prevent its return. (05/17/2009)
By mdball76
Astelin (antihistamine nasal spray) seems to work. The drawbacks are the price ($130) and it makes me drowsy. (But the drowsiness is moderate, compared to that caused by over-the-counter antihistamine pills) This is prescription med. Antihistamine pills do not work at all, but this nasal spray does. I does not "cure" the problem, but it keeps the symptoms under control. I really do not know what causes my PND, but since this antihistamine spray works, it's probably an allergy (my doc says so). (07/26/2009)
By SallyK123
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