How Do You Know if Your Post Nasal Drip Is Caused by Cold
We've all been there—that moment when you wake up and something merely doesn't feel right. There's a tingling in your throat. It'due south uncomfortable to swallow. You have a cough that but won't quit.
While both a sore throat and post-nasal drip are common symptoms of various ailments—including allergies, colds, and flus—they crave unlike treatments depending on the crusade.
What is post-nasal drip?
Generally, y'all swallow mucus, along with saliva, without even realizing information technology, in tiny increments throughout the day. It's easy to call up of mucus as something that occurs merely when you're sick, but it's really crucial to your respiratory health. It moistens and cleanses your nasal lining, keeps the air passing through moist, and helps fight infection by filtering out bacteria and viruses when you inhale.
The bug begin when your nose starts producing more fungus than it should (or mucus that'south thicker than usual), making it hard for it to drain properly. Sometimes the extra fungus exits through your nostrils, resulting in a runny olfactory organ. When the mucus drips downward the dorsum of your nose down into your throat, though, information technology'south known as post-nasal drip.
Postal service-nasal drip tin be acquired by a lot of different things. Like we said before, allergies, colds, and flus are mutual triggers, simply they can also be induced by:
- Cold, dry weather
- Deviated septum, which almost often occurs when the wall betwixt your nostrils is crooked
- Foods or drinks that put fungus-product into overdrive (like spicy foods or dairy)
- Sinus infections, or inflamed sinuses
- Sinus headaches or migraine headaches
And what is a sore pharynx?
A sore throat (known in medical lingo as pharyngitis) is most ordinarily caused by a viral infection, like the common cold or the flu, or a bacterial infection, like strep.
The treatment often depends on the cause. For example, sore throats from colds and flus ofttimes get away on their own—though you may desire to try different medications and home remedies to relieve the pain until information technology does—while sore throats from a bacterial infection crave antibiotics.
Tin postal service-nasal drip feel like a sore throat?
Post-nasal drip can admittedly feel similar a sore throat, especially since many mutual respiratory illnesses atomic number 82 to both.
How practise I know if I accept post-nasal drip or a sore throat?
When information technology comes to figuring out whether you lot have post-nasal drip or a sore throat, in that location are certain symptoms to look for. While both may include a burning or scratchy sensation in the throat and a persistent coughing, each has a unique set of symptoms as well.
Post-nasal drip symptoms may include:
- Feeling the need to spit or swallow mucus
- Throat clearing (and feeling excessive fungus, or a lump in the throat, fifty-fifty after clearing your throat)
- Hoarseness
- Mucus in the back of your pharynx or mucus stuck between your nose and throat
Sore pharynx symptoms may include:
- Pain in throat when speaking or opening and closing your mouth
- Pain when swallowing
- Red or swollen tonsils
- Throat feels tender to the touch
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Is post-nasal drip a symptom of COVID-19?
Information technology'due south true that at that place'south a lot of overlapping symptoms among COVID-19 and colds, flus, allergies, and bacterial and sinus infections, just post-nasal drip isn't i of them. According to the World Wellness Organization (WHO), the most common symptoms of COVID-xix are dry out cough, fever, tiredness, and in some cases, aches and pains, nasal congestion, sore pharynx, and runny nose.
Of form, even if you're pretty sure what you have is post-nasal drip, if you recall there's a take a chance y'all have COVID-19, you should go tested and quarantine until you have your results. And if the cause of your post-nasal drip ends upwards being something contagious like a cold or flu, as opposed to allergies or a deviated septum, it's a skilful idea to limit interactions with other people and so you don't get them ill.
How should I treat my sore throat?
How you lot treat your sore throat symptoms will depend on what's causing them. There is some overlap with how to manage a sore throat acquired past post-nasal drip and ane not caused by post-nasal drip. In both cases, you should avoid pollution and irritants (such as cigarette smoke and beingness likewise shut to cleaning products), gargle with warm water and salt, and utilise a humidifier and/or HEPA filter.
What helps soothe an irritated throat from post-nasal baste?
The best way to gainsay a sore pharynx acquired by post-nasal drip is to assault the source by treating the post-nasal drip itself. In add-on to the solutions mentioned to a higher place, you can also:
- Take advantage of gravity by keeping your head elevated so fungus volition drain from your nasal passages. For example, attempt sleeping on two pillows instead of i.
- Inhale steam to thin fungus and moisten your nose and throat, all of which will make information technology easier to bleed. Yeah, we're giving you permission to have a long, hot shower.
- Apply a nasal rinse production like a Neti pot or squeeze bottle (make certain to always employ distilled, sterile, or boiled water once it's cooled downwards)
- Attempt saline or steroid nasal sprays
What helps soothe an irritated pharynx non caused by mail service-nasal baste?
If information technology turns out your sore throat isn't the consequence of post-nasal baste, your treatment options volition exist a bit unlike. On top of avoiding pollution and irritants, gargling with saltwater, and using a humidifier, yous should also:
- Potable warm liquids like soup broth and tea with beloved
- Eat common cold foods similar popsicles
- Get plenty of residual
- Suck on lozenges
- Try not to speak too much to give your pharynx a residuum
Okay, I recall I've got information technology—now what?
Both mail service-nasal drip and sore throats will frequently go abroad on their ain, merely each can be a symptom of a larger status. If the above treatments don't help, schedule an appointment with your dr.. If it turns out you lot're experiencing post-nasal drip and sore throat symptoms from allergies, then Picnic can aid! We offer a number of allergy treatments, including a nasal spray designed to tackle symptoms like postal service-nasal baste and throat lozenges. Read our guide on decongestants for allergies and take our quiz to detect out which post-nasal drip medicine will —wait for it—accident your allergies away.
Source: https://picnicallergy.com/learn/sore-throat-post-nasal-drip-symptoms
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