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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Excessive clearing of throat
Answered by
This forum is for questions and support regarding lung and respiratory issues such as: Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Colds - Flu, Chronic Cough, COPD, Cystic Fibrosis, Emphysema, Fibrosis, Lung Abscess, Nasal Polyps, Pleurisy, Pneumonia, Sarcoidosis, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis.
Excessive clearing of throat
by persia7777, Nov 28, 2004 12:00AM
A few weeks ago I was sick with a standard sinusitis that I always seem to get everytime I get sick. I have been diagnosed with severe allergies, I've gotten shots and I take claritin d every day. Afterwards I have noticed the need to excessively clear my throat. I feel sometimes like I am drowning and cannot breathe. I have noticed that my husband also is having this problem even though he wasn't sick. Could this be an airborne problem? Or have we both come down with some weird infection that only attacks the throat. We get some nasal congestion at night, but nothing that I feel is abnormal for me with my allergies.
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Dec 07, 2004 12:00AM
, Dec 07, 2004 12:00AM
The feeling that you are drowning and cannot breathe could be coming from postnasal drip. This is drainage from the nose and sinuses dripping down the back of the throat. There could be several reasons for this drainage. One reason is an allergy. A second reason is a non-allergic, non-infectious inflammation in the sinuses that can linger after a cold. A third reason is the standard sinusitis you had a few weeks ago
Postnasal drip can cause breathing difficulty as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs. You may experience the postnasal drip as a constant feeling of mucus at the back of your throat. Typically this is worse at night when you lay down to sleep. Generally this irritation feels the worst when you wake up and gets better as the day goes on.
The fat content in dairy products can thicken mucus. Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful. Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the mucus so that it moves more easily. As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily. Clearing your throat can irritate your throat and make it sore. When you feel the need to clear your throat sip some water to clear the mucus.
An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip. However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move. A decongestant like SudafedŽ (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your doctor to see which would help you more.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from your nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen breathing difficulty. It is most helpful when done daily before using any nasal spray. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases mucus production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses. This may prevent the postnasal drip and breathing difficulty. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may need to be used every day for several weeks to months for it to help. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering you. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
Postnasal drip can cause breathing difficulty as a result of irritation of the throat and lungs. You may experience the postnasal drip as a constant feeling of mucus at the back of your throat. Typically this is worse at night when you lay down to sleep. Generally this irritation feels the worst when you wake up and gets better as the day goes on.
The fat content in dairy products can thicken mucus. Generally eating dairy products with less fat content is helpful. Drinking plenty of water will help to thin the mucus so that it moves more easily. As long as you are not on a fluid restriction you should be drinking 6 to 8 8-ounce glasses of non-caffeine non-alcoholic fluid daily. Clearing your throat can irritate your throat and make it sore. When you feel the need to clear your throat sip some water to clear the mucus.
An antihistamine can dry up the postnasal drip. However, it may make the mucus thicker and more difficult to move. A decongestant like SudafedŽ (pseudoephedrine) can thin the postnasal drip and decrease the swelling so it drains easier. A combination antihistamine-decongestant will do both. Check with your doctor to see which would help you more.
A nasal wash helps remove mucus and germs from your nose and sinuses. This can temporarily decrease the postnasal drip and lessen breathing difficulty. It is most helpful when done daily before using any nasal spray. A prescription nasal steroid spray decreases mucus production by decreasing the inflammation of the nose and sinuses. This may prevent the postnasal drip and breathing difficulty. A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms. It may need to be used every day for several weeks to months for it to help. Sometimes it takes the antihistamine, the decongestant, and the nasal wash followed by the nasal steroid spray ALL used routinely to keep the postnasal drip from bothering you. Please read our Nasal Wash MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/nasal.html for more information about this technique. Share this information with your doctor to see if you would benefit from this daily treatment.
