Duration of a PNDS
The duration of a postnasal drip syndrome depends not only on the cause of the disease and its course, but above all on the therapy used. If the cause of the disease is not properly treated, it can lead to the development of a chronic cough or bronchitis and in the worst case to bronchial asthma. If the symptoms are caused by a cyst or a tumor in the area of the paranasal sinuses, PNDS remains until surgical removal is performed.
Causes
The cause of the development of a postnasal drip syndrome is that the mucous glands in the nasal mucosa and the sinuses of the head produce too much secretion. Normally, the mucous secretion protects the mucosa from the penetration of pathogenic viruses and bacteria. The trigger for excessive mucus production is usually an inflammation of the nasal mucosa (rhinitis), the sinuses (sinusitis) or a combination of these two forms (rhinosinusitis).
The postnasal drip syndrome can accordingly occur in the context of a cold, flu or sinusitis. But allergies or anatomical malpositions of the nose can also lead to PNDS.Furthermore, some drugs and foods or external stimuli, such as chemicals or exhaust fumes (including cigarette smoke) can trigger postnasal drip syndrome. A postnasal drip syndrome can also occur temporarily during pregnancy due to the hormonal changes. As the mucus leaks into the throat, the secretion flows into the lower airways, where it can lead to infections of the lungs (e.g. bronchitis) and throat. This phenomenon is known as “floor change” and is typical for PNDS: although the origin of the disease is in the upper airways, in the course of the disease an infection of the lower airways occurs.
I can tell by these symptoms that I am ill with
The most characteristic symptom of postnasal drip syndrome is the constant flow of mucus from the nose into the throat. The affected persons notice that they have to swallow or spit out mucus. Clearing the throat and coughing dryly is an attempt to transport the mucus from the lower airways back up the throat, which is why a chronic cough is often a concomitant symptom of PNDS.
In this case, coughing is a protective mechanism of the body that tries to prevent the mucus from entering the lungs by coughing up. PNDS also causes itching in the throat, which occurs mainly at night when lying down, and can lead to hoarseness and a busy voice. Typically, the nose is also congested and nasal breathing is impaired, even leading to shortness of breath.
Other symptoms depend on the cause of the postnasal drip syndrome. However, since most of the time there is an allergic or non-allergic inflammation of the nasal mucous membranes, the result is a runny nose, headaches, toothache and a limited ability to smell. The swallowed mucus can also lead to inflammation of the lower respiratory tract (acute bronchitis).
- Sniffles
- Swollen nasal mucosa
- Burning in the nose
