How to Treat Postnasal Drip

Anyone who has suffered with allergies, upper respiratory infections like a cold, or bacterial and sinus infections, knows about postnasal drip. Most of us find that postnasal drip is the congestion that ends up running down your throat and making your life miserable. Let's look at some ways that postnasal drip can be treated:

What Postnasal Drip Is
When excess mucus begins to accumulate in the back of our nose and throats and solidifies in layers, postnasal drip occurs. It runs down the back of the throat and down to the esophagus. Postnasal drip will usually cause excessive throat clearing and a chronic sore throat. Postnasal drip can be acute and last a short time, such as after a cold or flu. It can become chronic and last longer if you are allergic to something that continues to be around you.

Natural Remedies for Postnasal Drip
If you are suffering from an acute or short term bout there are herbs that you can take to help relieve postnasal drip. Using eucalyptus oil as an inhalant has shown to help alleviate postnasal drip. Take a few drops of the eucalyptus oil and add to a pot of boiling water. Remove the pot from the heat and cover your head over the pot to inhale the fumes.

If you are suffering from a chronic or long-term bout with postnasal drip, you might want to begin adjusting your diet. Remove all wheat and dairy from your diet, as this is what most people tend to be allergic towards. If you notice a difference and seem to be getting better, see your physician as you may need to be tested for other food allergies. If not, your chronic postnasal drip may originate in your home. To eliminate these allergens, vacuum and dust regularly, and keep your pets from your bedroom as well.

Traditional Remedies for Postnasal Drip
Saline nasal irrigation is the most common traditional remedy for postnasal drip. Many over the counter treatments are available. By using a squeeze bottle for positive pressure, you can push the liquid into the nasal passages to gently rinse them with saline solution. A neti pot which uses gravity pressure, also gently rinses the nasal passages with saline solution.

If allergies are what are causing your postnasal drip, rinsing will only relieve the symptoms for a short while. Many experts recommend that you begin taking supplements to help with the allergies. Begin taking vitamin C, vitamin A, zinc, and bromelain along with removing the allergens from your home.