any help would be appreciated

[RUGENYES]

Recently I was diagnosed with a chest infection, which has now cleared.  Now I have what I assume may be a sinus related problem.  When I awake most mornings I have a slight nasal congestion, which slowly clears.  I also snore.  The main problem is that I have this constant mucous which I cannot clear. It feels as if it is deep inside my head somewhere.  I can neither cough it up or snort it up, just this constant feeling that I need to swallow, but no matter how many times I swallow it does not move.  It is constantly there, between my nose and my throat.  I drink plenty of water, I do not smoke, and have limited the amount of dairy produce I eat.  But nothing helps.  Could it be a symptom of the chest infection or a sinus realted problem.  Anyone who has had this and has successfully cured it. I would love to hear from you or anyone with suggestions on how to move this mucous, it really is annoying.

[National Jewish]

The virus that caused your chest infection could have effected your nose and sinuses also.  An infection can cause inflammation of your nose and sinuses as well as your chest.  Even after the infection has cleared, it is possible for the inflammation to linger.

Sinusitis is an inflammation, or swelling, of the mucous membranes that line the sinus cavities.  Inflammation of the sinuses could be due to an allergy, an infection, or ongoing exposure to an irritant, such as pollution or smoke.  Symptoms can include a headache or pressure in the area of the sinuses, slight nasal congestion, achy teeth, postnasal drip, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, constant low fever, and mucus that just won’t move.  A CT scan of the sinuses is the best way to identify this problem.

This inflammation can block sinus drainage and cause increased mucus production.  The mucus can settle in your sinuses or between your nose and throat and fester sinusitis.  This may cause you to constantly feel the need to swallow.  Check with your doctor to see if a decongestant like Sudafed® (pseudoephedrine) would help relieve your blocked sinuses so the mucus drains better.

When the mucus is thick it may not move with coughing or snorting.  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.

A nasal wash helps remove mucus from the nose and sinuses.  This can temporarily help your sinuses to drain better.  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.

If your symptoms continue, your doctor may recommend a prescription nasal steroid spray.  This can decrease inflammation in the nose and sinuses and the mucus production.  This generally provides a more lasting improvement in sinus drainage.  To get the most help from a nasal steroid spray use it after doing a nasal wash.  A nasal steroid spray does not provide immediate relief of symptoms.  It may take several weeks of routine use to become effective.

You will need to see your doctor to learn what is causing your symptoms and what treatment would be best for you.  Please read our Sinusitis MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/sinus.html for further information.  An ENT would be the type of specialist to identify if blocked sinuses are causing your symptoms to continue and the best treatment.