Postnasal Drip: Causes and How to Get Relief

Drainage of Mucus Down the Back of Your Throat

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Postnasal drip occurs when mucus in your nose drains down the back of your throat. This may happen because your body produces more mucus than it needs or is not able to clear it as quickly as usual.

Mucus itself isn't harmful and actually protects you from illness and provides lubrication. That said, postnasal drip can be bothersome if it causes itchiness or a tickle in your throat, a cough, frequent throat clearing, or hoarseness.

Symptoms of Postnasal Drip
Verywell / Cindy Chung

Postnasal drip may be temporary—for example, it often will clear up after an infection passes. It can also become chronic, such as if you have allergies or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Treatment for postnasal drip can help with symptoms as well as addressing the underlying cause. 

This article explains the symptoms and causes of postnasal drip, as well as how it's diagnosed and treated.

Postnasal Drip Symptoms

The symptoms of postnasal drip are generally mild and include:

These symptoms can get better or worse throughout the day. For example, you may feel worse after lying down for a while or after talking for a long time.

Postnasal drip generally lasts for a few days or weeks, depending on the cause. If it becomes chronic, you may have it for months.

Postnasal drip is not dangerous. However, some activities—like skiing or scuba diving, which require wearing a mask—can be uncomfortable if you have postnasal drip.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If you have postnasal drip a few times per year and it gets better on its own, you probably don’t need to worry about it. 

However, if you have postnasal drip often or for more than a few weeks, you should talk to your healthcare provider. You should also call your provider if you have postnasal drip in conjunction with: 

  • Difficulty swallowing, trouble breathing, or a choking feeling
  • Moderate to heavy blood in your nasal secretions
  • Dyspnea (shortness of breath)
  • Foul-smelling mucus
  • Wheezing
  • Fever, vomiting, or ear pain (signs of an infection that needs medical treatment)

What Causes Postnasal Drip?

The cause of postnasal drip can be categorized as short-term conditions, sudden triggers, or longer-lasting (chronic) issues.

Temporary Conditions

Some temporary conditions that can cause postnasal drip include: 

Sudden Triggers

Sudden triggers that can cause postnasal drip include: 

Chronic Conditions

Chronic causes of postnasal drip include: 

  • GERD, or chronic acid reflux
  • Allergies to mold, dust, or dander
  • Anatomical abnormalities such as a deviated septum or enlarged turbinates
  • Medications such as birth control and drugs to lower blood pressure
  • Rebound congestion due to overuse of pseudoephedrine nasal sprays
  • Swallowing problems

Diagnosis

Postnasal drip is usually diagnosed based on your symptoms and a physical exam. If your provider is unsure of the diagnosis, they may want you to have allergy testing, imaging, or other tests to look for a cause.

Physical Examination

If you have a fever, your postnasal drip could be caused by an infection. Your provider will look in the back of your throat to see if there is any redness or swelling and ask if you have any other signs of infection (such as headaches, fever, chills, and muscle aches).

If your phlegm is tinged with blood, it could be a sign of a more serious infection. For example, your provider may need to do other tests to look for problems in your lungs.

Allergy Testing

If your postnasal drip symptoms tend to come back every few days or weeks and get better between episodes, then you could be having an allergic reaction or sensitivity to something in your environment (e.g., pollen, food). 

Your provider may want you to keep a diary of your symptoms and note what you ate and what you were doing before your symptoms happened. (For example, were you gardening outside or playing with your pets?) Allergy testing can also help pinpoint postnasal drip triggers.

Imaging

If you have postnasal drip most of the time, it could be from an anatomical cause, such as a deviated septum.

You will need a physical exam and imaging tests to look for any shape or size variations in parts of your body (like your nose) that could be causing your symptoms.

Interventional Tests

If your provider thinks you have something like GERD, you might need special tests such as:  

  • Direct laryngoscopy to look at your upper throat with a scope
  • 24-hour pH probe to test for acid reflux 
  • Esophagogastroduodenoscopy to check the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine

How to Stop Postnasal Drip

There are several strategies for treating postnasal drip. If it’s mild and you don’t have it all the time, you can probably manage postnasal drip symptoms at home. If it’s more of a constant or severe problem, you might need medication or surgery to fix the cause of postnasal drip.

Home Remedies

There are some general lifestyle tips you can try that may make it easier to deal with postnasal drip, no matter what’s causing it.

  • Drink plenty of water to lubricate your throat and keep your mucus thin (and less bothersome).
  • Use a cool-mist humidifier at night while you sleep.
  • Try rinsing your nasal passageways with a neti pot.
  • Use a vaporizer or diffuser with essential oils, such as peppermint or eucalyptus.

What About Chicken Soup?

In one often-cited study, classic chicken soup lowered white blood cells (neutrophils) in the upper airways of people with colds, which seemed to help with symptoms. Experts say that any hot liquid (not just soup) can thin mucus and may help with postnasal drip.

Over-the-Counter Treatments

If you also have symptoms like congestion, sore throat, and cough along with postnasal drip, you can try some over-the-counter (OTC) treatments including:

  • Tylenol (acetaminophen) or cough lozenges for sore throat
  • Claritin (loratadine) and Benadryl (diphenhydramine), antihistamines that can ease allergy symptoms
  • Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) for congestion
  • Medicated nasal spray, such as Afrin (oxymetazoline), to make breathing more comfortable
  • Mucinex (guaifenesin) to loosen up mucus
  • Saline nasal spray to clear blocked nasal passages
  • Vapor rubs to help you breathe easier
  • Nasal irrigation (with a neti pot or another method)

Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist before using any new treatments or medications, even those you get OTC. You should not use decongestants for more than three days in a row. 

Prescription Medications

There are also prescription medications that can be used to treat postnasal drip or the underlying cause of it. 

For persistent postnasal drip or postnasal drip that’s complicated by asthma, a provider may prescribe a medication called Atrovent (ipratropium bromide) or a steroid. If you have a bacterial or fungal respiratory infection, you may need antibiotics or antifungals to treat it.

GERD needs a treatment strategy that includes medications and lifestyle changes, such as avoiding fatty and spicy foods, taking acid-reducing medications, and sleeping with your head slightly elevated.

Surgery

It's a big leap from occasional postnasal drip to surgery, but if your symptoms are hard to treat or the cause is anatomical (e.g., the structure of your sinuses), it could be fixed with a procedure. 

Surgeries that may be done for various causes of postnasal drip include:

Summary

Many people have postnasal drip from time to time and it's usually nothing to worry about. The symptoms, like an itchy throat, coughing, hoarseness, and watery eyes, can be irritating but are usually not serious. 

Postnasal drip usually goes away on its own. If it doesn’t, or the symptoms get worse, see your provider to find out what’s causing it. In some cases, treating postnasal drip comes down to avoiding triggers, making lifestyle changes, or treating an underlying condition. If you have postnasal drip because of a structural problem, you might need surgery to fix it.

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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Additional Reading
Kristin Hayes

By Kristin Hayes, RN
Kristin Hayes, RN, is a registered nurse specializing in ear, nose, and throat disorders for both adults and children.