Post-nasal drip is a condition that comes under Otorhinolaryngology. Otorhinolaryngology deals with conditions related to ear, nose and throat (ENT) and parts of head and neck. When excessive mucus is produced by the nasal mucosa, it gets accumulated in the throat or behind the nose, causing post-nasal drip.

Mucus is an important substance in our body that humidifies the air we breathe so we don’t feel the discomfort. But when our body produces more mucus than normal or required, it comes out in the form of running nose. However, not always does mucus come out from the nose. We often feel the mucus running back down the nose in the throat. This is called post-nasal drip.

Post-nasal drip is not a life-threatening medical condition but can lead to serious medical condition if it prolongs. It could also be one of the symptoms of certain medical conditions that cause excess mucus production. Post-nasal drip can occur when nasal glands produce excess mucus to clean the nose while fighting against infection and trap the dust particles. For post-nasal drip treatments, understanding the causes is important. Here are more causes of the condition:

Viral infection
Rhinitis
Pollens allergy
Sinus infection or sinusitis
Other bacterial infections
Certain medications
Pregnancy
Extreme weathers (dry or cold)
Spicy food can trigger this condition
Pollution
Reflux
Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Post-nasal drip treatments can be based on the causes and triggers of this condition.

Viral infection or sinusitis:
Decongestants and antihistamines can be an effective post-nasal drip treatment when the condition occurs due to viral infection or sinusitis. These medicines are over-the-counter medications and don’t need a prescription.

Allergies:
If the condition has occurred due to allergies, the post-nasal drip treatments you can try are nasal sprays and steroid medications.

Salt-water gargle:
Gargling with warm salt water helps in treating post-nasal drip. 7-10 gargle sips of warm salt-water twice a day can relieve the congestion, discomfort causes due to the excess mucus. It also gradually improves your over all condition by treating post-nasal drip.

Staying hydrated:
Whatever be the cause of your post-nasal drip, staying hydrated is one of the most effective post-nasal treatments. You must try and keep yourself hydrated through the day when you are facing this condition for all the other treatments to work well. Dehydration will only make the entire treatment process slow.

As these are all home-remedies, if you see that your post-nasal drip is not getting treated despite all efforts, you must go visit an otorhinolaryngologist. If you spot blood in the mucus, make sure you mention it to your doctor right away as it could be because of some other medical complication that might need serious medical attention.