Postnasal drip

From WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia

Postnasal drip is a condition where excess mucus accumulates in the back of the nose and throat, leading to a feeling of mucus dripping down from the back of the nose. This is a normal process but can be problematic when it is excessive or thick.

Causes[edit | edit source]

Postnasal drip can be caused by various conditions including:

Allergies
Sinusitis
Common cold
Flu
Pregnancy
Certain medications
Deviated septum
Changing weather
Certain foods
GERD

Symptoms[edit | edit source]

The symptoms of postnasal drip include:

Feeling of mucus dripping down the back of the throat
Frequent swallowing or clearing of the throat
Cough
Sore throat
Hoarseness
Difficulty swallowing
Nausea

Treatment[edit | edit source]

Treatment for postnasal drip depends on the cause. It may include:

Over-the-counter medications such as decongestants and antihistamines
Prescription medications such as steroids and antibiotics
Nasal irrigation
Avoiding triggers such as allergens and irritants
Drinking plenty of fluids to thin the mucus

See also[edit | edit source]

Postnasal drip Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? WikiMD's DocFinder can help find general and specialist physicians.	Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Diseases of the respiratory system

Upper RT
(including URTIs,
common cold)

Head	sinuses Sinusitis nose Rhinitis Vasomotor rhinitis Atrophic rhinitis Hay fever Nasal polyp Rhinorrhea nasal septum Nasal septum deviation Nasal septum perforation Nasal septal hematoma tonsil Tonsillitis Adenoid hypertrophy Peritonsillar abscess
Neck	pharynx Pharyngitis Strep throat Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) Retropharyngeal abscess larynx Croup Laryngomalacia Laryngeal cyst Laryngitis Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) Laryngospasm vocal cords Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) Vocal fold nodule Vocal fold paresis Vocal cord dysfunction epiglottis Epiglottitis trachea Tracheitis Laryngotracheal stenosis

Lower RT/
lung disease
(including LRTIs)

Bronchial/
obstructive

acute: Acute bronchitis

chronic

Chronic bronchitis

Acute exacerbation of COPD)

Asthma (Status asthmaticus

Exercise-induced

Cystic fibrosis

unspecified

Bronchiolitis obliterans

Diffuse panbronchiolitis

Interstitial/
restrictive
(fibrosis)

External agents/ occupational lung disease	Pneumoconiosis Aluminosis Asbestosis Baritosis Bauxite fibrosis Berylliosis Caplan's syndrome Chalicosis Coalworker's pneumoconiosis Siderosis Silicosis Talcosis Byssinosis Hypersensitivity pneumonitis Bagassosis Bird fancier's lung Farmer's lung Lycoperdonosis
Other	ARDS Combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema Pulmonary edema Löffler's syndrome/Eosinophilic pneumonia Respiratory hypersensitivity Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis Hamman–Rich syndrome Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis Sarcoidosis Vaping-associated pulmonary injury

Obstructive /
Restrictive

Pneumonia/
pneumonitis

By pathogen	Viral Bacterial Pneumococcal Klebsiella Atypical bacterial Mycoplasma Legionnaires' disease Chlamydiae Fungal Pneumocystis Parasitic noninfectious Chemical/Mendelson's syndrome Aspiration/Lipid
By vector/route	Community-acquired Healthcare-associated Hospital-acquired
By distribution	Broncho- Lobar
IIP	UIP DIP BOOP-COP NSIP RB

Other

Atelectasis
circulatory
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Pulmonary embolism
Lung abscess

Pleural cavity/
mediastinum

Pleural disease	Pleuritis/pleurisy Pneumothorax/Hemopneumothorax Pleural effusion Hemothorax Hydrothorax Chylothorax Empyema/pyothorax Malignant Fibrothorax
Mediastinal disease	Mediastinitis Mediastinal emphysema

Other/general

Signs and symptoms

v t e Symptoms and signs relating to the cardiovascular system
Chest pain	Referred pain Angina
Auscultation	Heart sounds Split S2 S3 S4 Gallop rhythm Heart murmur Systolic Diastolic Continuous Pericardial friction rub Heart click Bruit carotid
Pulse	Tachycardia Bradycardia Pulsus tardus et parvus Pulsus paradoxus doubled Pulsus bisferiens Dicrotic pulse Pulsus bigeminus Pulsus alternans Pulse deficit
Vascular disease	Gangrene
Other	Palpitations Apex beat Cœur en sabot Jugular venous pressure Cannon A waves Hyperaemia
Shock	Cardiogenic Obstructive Hypovolemic Distributive Septic Neurogenic Refractory vasodilatory shock

Symptoms and signs: cognition, perception, emotional state and behaviour

Alteration of consciousness	Confusion (Delirium) Obtundation Psychosis Delusions Somnolence Stupor Sopor Unconsciousness Coma Persistent vegetative state Sleep Syncope
Fainting/Syncope	Carotid sinus syncope Heat syncope Vasovagal episode
Other	Amnesia Anterograde amnesia Retrograde amnesia Convulsion Dizziness Disequilibrium Presyncope/Lightheadedness Vertigo

Emotional state

Perception/
sensation
disorder

Hallucination (Auditory hallucination)

Olfaction
- Anosmia
- Hyposmia
- Dysosmia
- Parosmia
- Phantosmia
- Hyperosmia

Synesthesia

Taste

v t e Symptoms and signs relating to the digestive system or abdomen
Upper	Nausea Vomiting Heartburn Aerophagia Dysphagia oropharyngeal esophageal Odynophagia Halitosis Xerostomia Hypersalivation Burping Wet burp
Defecation	Flatulence Fecal incontinence Encopresis Blood: Fecal occult blood Rectal tenesmus Constipation Obstructed defecation Diarrhea Rectal discharge Psoas sign Obturator sign Rovsing's sign Hamburger sign Heel tap sign Aure-Rozanova's sign Dunphy sign Alder's sign Lockwood's sign Rosenstein's sign
Abdomen	Abdominal pain Acute abdomen Colic Baby colic Abdominal guarding Rebound tenderness Abdominal distension Bloating Ascites Tympanites Shifting dullness Bulging flanks Fluid wave test Abdominal mass Hepatosplenomegaly Hepatomegaly Splenomegaly Jaundice Mallet-Guy sign Puddle sign

Symptoms and signs that are general or constitutional

heat	Fever of unknown origin drug-induced postoperative Hyperthermia Hyperhidrosis Night sweats
cold	Chills Hypothermia

Aches and pains

Malaise and fatigue

Miscellaneous

Flu-like symptoms

Thyroid disease

Iodine deficiency
Cretinism
- Congenital hypothyroidism
Myxedema
Myxedema coma
Euthyroid sick syndrome
Van Wyk-Grumbach syndrome
Signs and symptoms
Thyroid dyshormonogenesis
Pickardt syndrome
Hypothyroid myopathy
- KDSS
- Hoffmann syndrome
- CMS
- Atrophic type

Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroxinemia
- Thyroid hormone resistance
- Familial dysalbuminemic hyperthyroxinemia
Hashitoxicosis
Thyrotoxicosis factitia
Thyroid storm
Amiodarone induced thyrotoxicosis
Hyperthyroid myopathy

Graves' disease	Signs and symptoms Abadie's sign of exophthalmic goiter Boston's sign Dalrymple's sign Stellwag's sign lid lag Griffith's sign Möbius sign Pretibial myxedema Graves' ophthalmopathy

Enlargement

Signs and symptoms relating to the respiratory system

Stethoscope
Respiratory sounds
- Stridor
- Wheeze
- Crackles
- Rhonchi
- Stertor
- Squawk
- Pleural friction rub
- Fremitus
- Bronchophony
- Death rattle
Elicited findings

Rate	Apnea Prematurity Dyspnea Hyperventilation Hypoventilation Hyperpnea Tachypnea Hypopnea Bradypnea
Pattern	Agonal respiration Biot's respiration Cheyne–Stokes respiration Kussmaul breathing Ataxic respiration
Other	Respiratory distress Respiratory arrest Orthopnea/Platypnea Trepopnea Aerophagia Asphyxia Breath holding Mouth breathing Snoring

Other

v t e Signs and symptoms relating to skin and subcutaneous tissue
Disturbances of skin sensation	Hypoesthesia Paresthesia Formication Hyperesthesia Hypoalgesia Hyperalgesia
Circulation	Cyanosis Pallor Livedo Livedo reticularis Flushing Petechia Blanching
Edema	Peripheral edema Anasarca
Other	Rash Desquamation Induration Diaphoresis Mass Neck mass
Skin	Asboe-Hansen sign Auspitz's sign Borsari's sign Braverman's sign Crowe sign Dennie–Morgan fold Darier's sign Fitzpatrick's sign Florid cutaneous papillomatosis Gottron's sign Hutchinson's sign Janeway lesion Kerr's sign Koebner's phenomenon Koplik's spots Leser-Trelat sign Nikolsky's sign Pastia's sign Russell's sign Wickham striae Wolf's isotopic response Munro's microabscess
Nails	Aldrich-Mees' lines Beau's lines Muehrcke's lines Terry's nails

Protein-energy
malnutrition

Vitamin deficiency

B vitamins	B₁ Beriberi Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome Wernicke's encephalopathy Korsakoff's syndrome B₂ Riboflavin deficiency B₃ Pellagra B₆ Pyridoxine deficiency B₇ Biotin deficiency B₉ Folate deficiency B₁₂ Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency
Other	A: Vitamin A deficiency Bitot's spots C: Scurvy D: Vitamin D deficiency Rickets Osteomalacia Harrison's groove E: Vitamin E deficiency K: Vitamin K deficiency

Mineral deficiency

General

v t e Signs and symptoms relating to the urinary system
Pain	Dysuria Renal colic Costovertebral angle tenderness Vesical tenesmus
Control	Urinary incontinence Enuresis Diurnal enuresis Giggling Nocturnal enuresis Post-void dribbling Stress Urge Overflow Urinary retention
Volume	Oliguria Anuria Polyuria
Other	Lower urinary tract symptoms Nocturia urgency frequency Extravasation of urine Uremia
Eponymous	Addis count Brewer infarcts Lloyd's sign Mathe's sign

v t e Symptoms and signs relating to infectious diseases
Bacterial disease	syphilis Hutchinson's teeth Hutchinson's triad Abelin reaction Westphal's sign Clutton's joints Dennie-Marfan syndrome
Viral disease	measles Koplik's spots Warthin-Finkeldey cell yellow fever Councilman body Tzanck test Inclusion bodies: poxvirus Downie bodies/A Guarnieri bodies/B rabies Negri bodies Cowdry bodies Liebermeister's rule Faget sign
Parasitic disease	Chagas disease (Romana's sign) African trypanosomiasis (Winterbottom's sign) malaria (Schüffner's dots)

v t e Symptoms and signs relating to the eye
Adnexa	lacrimal: Schirmer's test eyelid: Abadie's sign of exophthalmic goiter Boston's sign Dalrymple's sign Stellwag's sign
Globe	pupil: Argyll Robertson pupils Adie pupil Marcus Gunn pupil cornea: Fleischer ring Kayser–Fleischer ring Hudson–Stahli line iris: Brushfield spots Lisch nodule conjunctiva: Bitot's spots Arlt's line retina: Hollenhorst plaque Roth's spot Fuchs spot others: Alexander's law Hirschberg test Siegrist streaks

v t e Symptoms and signs in obstetrics
Pregnancy	Abderhalden reaction Chadwick sign Goodell's sign Hegar's sign Ladin's sign Piskacek's sign Von Braun-Fernwald's sign
Other	Apgar score Braxton Hicks contractions hydrops fetalis (Hemoglobin Barts) ectopic pregnancy (Spiegelberg criteria) fetal death (Spalding's sign) Leopold's maneuvers

v t e Signs and symptoms relating to the reproductive system
Female	Cervical motion tenderness Strawberry cervix Boggy uterus Adnexal mass Vaginal discharge Vaginal Odor Cramping Endometrium Arias-Stella phenomenon Canga's bead symptom
Male	Testicular pain sudden Discharge from penis Inflammation/Redness Swollen testicles Prehn's sign

Signs and symptoms relating to the nervous system

Neurological examination · Cranial nerve examination

Central nervous system

Head	Battle's sign Kernig's sign Macewen's sign Myerson's sign Stroop test Hirano body
Other	increased intracranial pressure Cushing's triad Lhermitte's sign Charcot's neurologic triad

Peripheral nervous system

Combination	Jendrassik maneuver
Legs	Plantar reflex Chaddock reflex Oppenheim's sign Westphal's sign
Arms	Hoffmann's sign

Other

Arms	Froment's sign carpal tunnel syndrome Tinel sign Phalen maneuver
Legs	Gowers' sign Hoover's sign Lasègue's sign Trendelenburg's sign
Torso	Beevor's sign
General	Pain stimulus

Signs and symptoms, and syndromes associated with lesions of the brain and brainstem

Cerebral cortex

ACA syndrome
MCA syndrome
PCA syndrome
Aphasia
Frontal lobe
- Expressive aphasia
- Abulia
Parietal lobe
Occipital lobe
Temporal lobe
- Cortical deafness
- Prosopagnosia

Subcortex

Basal ganglia
Thalamic syndrome

Lateral
Medial
- Cerebellar ataxia

Medulla	Lateral medullary syndrome/Wallenberg PICA Medial medullary syndrome/Dejerine ASA
Pons	Upper dorsal pontine syndrome/Raymond–Céstan syndrome Lateral pontine syndrome (AICA) (lateral) Medial pontine syndrome/Millard–Gubler syndrome/Foville's syndrome (basilar) Locked-in syndrome Internuclear ophthalmoplegia One and a half syndrome
Midbrain	Weber's syndrome ventral peduncle, PCA Benedikt syndrome ventral tegmentum, PCA Parinaud's syndrome dorsal, tumor Claude's syndrome
Other	Alternating hemiplegia

Other

v t e Signs and symptoms relating to movement and gait
Gait	Gait abnormality CNS Scissor gait Cerebellar ataxia Choreic gait Festinating gait/Parkinsonian gait Magnetic gait Marche à petit pas Propulsive gait Stomping gait Spastic gait Truncal ataxia Vestibular gait Muscular Myopathic gait/Waddling gait Trendelenburg gait Pigeon gait Foot drop Steppage gait Toe walking Asymmetric gait Leaping gait Asynchronous gait Gunslinger's gait Hemiparetic gait Limp Antalgic gait Deformity Lotus gait
Coordination	Ataxia Cerebellar ataxia Dysmetria Dysdiadochokinesia Pronator drift Dyssynergia Sensory ataxia Asterixis Abasia Hemimotor neglect
Abnormal movement	Athetosis Chorea Tremor Fasciculation Fibrillation Myokymia Myoclonus Hyperkinesia / Hypokinesia Myotonia / Pseudomyotonia Hypotonia Stereotypy Akathesia Echopraxia Echolalia
Posturing	Abnormal posturing Stooped posture Camptocormia Osteoporosis Opisthotonus Spasm Trismus Cramp Tetany Hypertonia Joint locking Catalepsy Waxy flexibility Grimacing Tonic immobility
Paralysis	Flaccid paralysis Periodic paralysis Spastic paraplegia Spastic diplegia Spastic paraplegia Syndromes Monoplegia Diplegia / Paraplegia Hemiplegia Triplegia Tetraplegia / Quadruplegia General causes Upper motor neuron lesion Lower motor neuron lesion Sleep paralysis
Weakness	Hemiparesis Gowers' sign Locomotive syndrome Ptosis
Range of motion	Contracture Bethlem sign Club foot Joint stiffness Ankylosis Hypermobility Gorlin sign EDS HSD Boutonniere deformity Swan neck deformity Scoliosis Kyphosis
Other	Rachitic rosary Flat feet Overpronation/Flexible flat feet Knock-knee Bow-leggedness Back knee Hyporeflexia Hyperreflexia Clasp-knife response Shivering Hypnic jerk Astasia-abasia Vertigo Motion sickness Conversion disorder Shell shock Stupor Catatonia Dancing mania

Disorders of hearing and balance

Symptoms

Hearing loss
Excessive response

Disease

Loss	Conductive hearing loss Otosclerosis Superior canal dehiscence Sensorineural hearing loss Presbycusis Cortical deafness Nonsyndromic deafness
Other	Deafblindness Wolfram syndrome Usher syndrome Auditory processing disorder Spatial hearing loss

Tests

Symptoms	Vertigo nystagmus
Disease	Balance disorder Peripheral Ménière's disease Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo Labyrinthitis Labyrinthine fistula
Tests	Dix–Hallpike test Unterberger test Romberg's test Vestibulo–ocular reflex

Navigation: Wellness - Encyclopedia - Health topics - Disease Index‏‎ - Drugs - World Directory - Gray's Anatomy - Keto diet - Recipes

Search WikiMD

Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD

WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. See full disclaimer.

Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.

Translate this page: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, தமிழ், తెలుగు, Urdu, ಕನ್ನಡ, Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, বাংলা
European español, Deutsch, français, Greek, português do Brasil, polski, română, русский, Nederlands, norsk, svenska, suomi, Italian
Middle Eastern & African عربى, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew, Afrikaans, isiZulu, Kiswahili,
Other Bulgarian, Hungarian, Czech, Swedish, മലയാളം, मराठी, ਪੰਜਾਬੀ, ગુજરાતી, Portuguese, Ukrainian

Retrieved from "https://wikimd.com/w/index.php?title=Postnasal_drip&oldid=5276941"

Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD