Postnasal Drip: Causes, Treatments, and How It Connects to Allergies and Sinus Issues

When your nose makes too much mucus and it drips down the back of your throat, that’s postnasal drip, a common condition where excess mucus accumulates and irritates the throat, often causing coughing, soreness, or a lump feeling. Also known as nasal drip, it’s not a disease itself—it’s a symptom of something else going on in your sinuses or airways. You might notice it more in the morning, after eating spicy food, or during allergy season. It’s not dangerous, but it’s annoying enough to make you feel like you’re always clearing your throat or swallowing mucus.

What causes it? Three big ones: allergies, an immune reaction to pollen, dust, or pet dander that triggers mucus overproduction, sinus infections, bacterial or viral inflammation that thickens mucus and slows its clearance, and nasal congestion, blocked nasal passages that force mucus to drain backward instead of out the front. Sometimes, acid reflux can mimic it—stomach acid creeping up irritates the throat and makes you feel like you have mucus when you don’t. And cold, dry air? That dries out mucus, making it stickier and harder to clear.

Most people try antihistamines or decongestants, but they don’t always help—and sometimes make things worse. If your drip is from allergies, an antihistamine might dry things up too much, leaving you with crusty, irritating mucus. If it’s from a sinus infection, you might need antibiotics, but only if it’s bacterial. Saltwater rinses? Those actually work. Staying hydrated? Crucial. Thinner mucus moves better. And if you’re using nasal sprays for more than three days, you could be causing rebound congestion, which makes the drip worse. It’s not about suppressing symptoms—it’s about fixing the root cause.

What you’ll find below are real, practical articles that connect directly to your experience. Some explain how postnasal drip ties into asthma and eye inflammation—yes, the same triggers can affect your lungs and eyes. Others show how certain medications, like beta-blocker eye drops or antihistamines, might be helping or hurting your drip. There’s even a piece on how heat affects drug delivery, which matters if you’re using patches or inhalers while dealing with chronic congestion. You won’t find fluff here. Just clear, tested info on what actually helps—and what’s just a waste of time and money.