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Question: What can I do about post-nasal drip?
My doctor says I have allergic rhinitis, but that my lungs are fine. (I am assuming this means no asthma.) However, the post-nasal drip is making me cough until I can't breathe and I have to clear my throat all the time. I have year round allergies, but the breathing problem starts around ragweed season. What can I do to make the cough go away? I am up all night with it and it is a dry, hacking cough at first, then it turns into a very wet cough that I can't stop. Dr. Martha Vetter White responds:
Sorry you're having problems. Allergies, which affect 20 to 25 percent of the population, cause watery itchy eyes, nasal congestion with sneezing, itching and runny nose, post-nasal drip, itchy sore throat with cough, and sinus pressure, among other symptoms. It's not unusual to feel a tightness in your throat with post-nasal drip, since the extra thick mucous takes up a little space. The key, though, is to recognize that it's post-nasal drip causing the symptoms, and not something more dangerous. There are excellent medications available to treat your allergies. An allergist can help you to find out what you're allergic to and suggest ways to avoid exposure (closing the windows to keep pollen outside will help). Two types of medications, often used together, are available. The first, nasal corticosteroid sprays, help to prevent the allergic reaction and keep the nasal and sinus tissues "quiet". The second, antihistamines with or without decongestants, fights the symptoms of allergy, but doesn't block the actual reaction in the nose. If your symptoms are bothersome enough, you might want to consider allergy shots. They work slowly to change your immune system so that you stop being allergic. Most people require three to five years for allergy shots to have maximal effect. Sometimes people stop too soon, and that's a shame since they often quit before experiencing the benefits of their allergy shots. I usually suggest starting with medications, then making a decision about whether shots are right for you. Good luck, Dr. White -- Dr. Martha Vetter White, MD, is cofounder and director of research at the Institute for Asthma &Allergy in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, one of the nation's most active clinical research centers devoted to allergy, asthma, and sinusitis.
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First published October 4, 2004
Last updated June 23, 2008
Copyright © 2003 Consumer Health Interactive
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