How To Stop Postnasal Drip
A combination of preventative measures and medications can help put a stop to postnasal drip. Healthcare providers may recommend:
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Staying hydrated, which can also help to thin mucus
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Use a humidifier or vaporizer to keep the air moist
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Propping yourself up with extra pillows when you sleep, so the mucus doesnt collect in the back of your throat
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An oral medication such as guaifenesin , which can thin mucus
Its important to keep in mind that treatment for postnasal drip usually depends on what might be causing it. For instance, if your symptoms are caused by allergies, the first step might be trying to pinpoint what you are allergic to and avoiding those foods or triggers to the extent possible.
As a next step, there are several over-the-counter and prescription medications that can provide additional relief. They can help treat postnasal drip by calming down inflammation and thinning or drying up the mucus. Lets take a look at the different types of medications that you and a healthcare provider can consider to help stop postnasal drip.
Oral And Nasal Decongestants
Over-the-counter decongestants work by shrinking blood vessels inside the nose. There are both oral and nasal formulations.
Sudafed is an oral decongestant used to relieve nasal or sinus congestion caused by the common cold, sinusitis, and respiratory allergies. Do not use Sudafed for longer than three days as it can also lead to rebound congestion.
While Sudafed is available without a prescription, it is kept behind the pharmacy counter and requires an ID to obtain. A similar drug called Sudafed PE can be purchased without hindrance but has not proven to be anywhere near as effective as pseudoephedrine.
Nasal decongestant sprays like Afrin also provide short-term relief of a stuffy nose. It should also not be used for longer than three days due to the risk of rebound congestion .
Saline Nasal Sprays And Irrigations
Other safe ways to help relieve sinus and nasal congestion and postnasal drip include nasal sprays and irrigations that contain saline solution. Saline solution is water that contains sodium chloride . There are many OTC saline nasal sprays that can be used to keep the nose moist and curb symptoms.
Nasal irrigation on the other hand, involves flushing your sinuses with a larger volume of saline solution. You can make your own irrigation solution with sodium chloride packets mixed with boiled or distilled water, or buy a pre-prepared saline wash kit at the pharmacy.
It is very important not to use tap or shower water to make your saline wash, unless the water has been boiled. Although rare, flushing your sinuses with unboiled tap water can lead to a serious infection that can potentially affect the brain.
Instead, you can use a bulb syringe, bottle sprayer, or neti pot for nasal irrigation. For best results, its recommended that you wash out each side of your nose with at least 200 mL of warmed saline solution. Check with your healthcare provider to see how often you should irrigate your sinuses.
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How To Treat A Cold
Symptoms of a head cold include nasal and sinus congestion, sneezing, coughing, runny nose, headache, and minor pains. These can be uncomfortable and get in the way of your day. Since most people will recover on their own, medicine for a cold usually consists of over the counter remedies to help you cope with the discomfort. CVS offers a wide selection of the best cold and cough medicine to temporarily relieve your symptoms. Cough medicine is formulated with ingredients that act as a cough suppressant. These are usually available in a non-drowsy formula for daytime use, and in a drowsy formula to help control your symptoms at night. You may also wish to take an expectorant, which loosens mucus and makes it easier to cough up. For a severe cough, we recommend selecting a product specially formulated for intense symptoms, such as Mucinex. If your throat is sore from coughing, a soothing tea may bring relief. CVS carries a selection of the best cough remedies, so you can choose what works best for you.
What Are The Best Home Remedies For A Cough
While there are many medicines available to help ease your cough, there are also a number of things you can do at home that dont require medication and can be very effective. Cough remedies include:
Most of the time over-the-counter and home remedies will effectively combat an irritating cough but if the cough persists or gets worse you should make an appointment with your healthcare provider. And its always a good idea to consult your healthcare provider when taking any medications, whether they are OTC or prescription, especially before giving them to children.
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What Are Other Ways To Treat And Prevent The Flu
Antiviral prescription medicines and an annual flu vaccine are available for treating and preventing the flu.
Prescription anti-flu medicines include amantadine , rimantadine , zanamivir and oseltamivir . These drugs do not cure the flu, but they can make the symptoms milder and make you feel better more quickly. They are only effective when used in the first 48 hours of flu-like symptoms.
These drugs are not needed for healthy people who get the flu. They are usually reserved for people who are very sick with the flu or those who are at risk of complications from the flu, such as people with long-term chronic medical conditions or older age.
Flu vaccine . Although there is currently no vaccine against the common cold, there is a vaccine to prevent the flu. The vaccine is available by both shot and nasal spray. It works by exposing the immune system to the viruses. The body responds by building antibodies against the flu. The flu shot contains dead flu viruses. The nasal spray contains live, but weakened, flu viruses. The nasal spray is only approved for healthy children and adults two to 49 years old and who are not pregnant.
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Dry Air Drying You Out Just Add Water
Another potential remedy for a stuffy nose is salt water, which eases congestion by moistening and clearing the nasal passages. Dry air can increase mucus production and thicken the mucus so that it accumulates in the sinuses, explains Auth. Other irritants that buildup in nasal passages can also lead to nasal inflammation if they arent flushed out.
The nose loves salt water, says Seidman. A home remedy I tell people about is to mix 1 quart of sterilized water, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon , and then run it up your nose.
Neti pots are nasal rinsing devices that have been around for thousands of years. While they’re generally considered safe, the FDA cautions that they must be used and cleaned properly to avoid the risk of infection. The FDA recommends using purchased distilled or sterile water, boiled and cooled tap water, or water passed through one of its recommended filters in any of these devices to reduce the risk of infection.
Engle says saline nasal sprays are a convenient option to moisten and help drain a stuffy nose because the contents are premixed and sterile, which reduces the potential for infection if used properly. For people squeamish about rinsing out their nose, experts say simply moistening the air around you can help.
A humidifier is a good thing for young children and people who dont want to use drugs, says Engle. Cool mist humidifiers are recommended in childrens bedrooms to reduce the risk of burns from warm mist versions.
Chest Congestion Remedies To Help You Feel Better
Each kind of congestion sounds and feels different. Inflammation and mucus in the nasal passages can cause nasal congestion when you have the cold or flu, making your nose feel stuffy. Sinus congestion can bring symptoms of pressure or pain around your forehead, or between your eyes. Chest congestion is entirely different and requires different treatment to bring you relief from this uncomfortable symptom. Read more to learn what chest congestion is and more importantlyâwhat chest congestion remedies and medicine will bring you relief while you have a cold or flu.
What Is Chest Congestion?
Chest congestion develops when mucus accumulates in the lungs and lower breathing tubes . When you have chest congestion it can be difficult to take a full, deep breath. You may also hear or feel wheezing or crackling sounds in your chest when you breathe in and out. A different kind of cough may happen when you develop chest congestion, too. This type of cough, known as a wet, or productive cough, has a different sound than a dry cough from an irritated throat, and brings up a lot of mucus.
Keep reading for 8 chest congestion remedies to bring you much-needed relief.
Water is necessary to thin the mucus and make it easier to cough up. Also, fighting an infection consumes energy, which increases your requirements for water. Fluids like hot tea and broth-y soups will provide the extra hydration your body needs. These hot beverages can also help soothe irritated airways.
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Why Am I Coughing At Night
The first step to stopping a nighttime cough is figuring out why you have it, says Apurvi Thekdi, MD, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Houston Methodist. Since treatments vary for different types of coughs, you need to know the root cause.
Dr. Thekdi says its also important to pay attention to the kind of cough you have , any related symptoms , and any possible triggers, such as changes to your diet or environment.
If youre ready to play detective, here are some of the common causes of coughing at night.
When To See A Doctor
In some cases, at-home remedies might not do the trick. If you arenât feeling better after a few days, have a fever that isnât going away, are wheezing, or canât seem to shake the infection, make an appointment with your doctor. Chest congestion may indicate a condition more serious than the common cold or bronchitis.
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How Does Cold Medicine Work
Each cold medicine works differently depending on the active ingredients included in it. Decongestants such as phenylephrine work by decreasing swelling in your nose and ears in order to reduce your discomfort. Antihistamines used to relieve cold symptoms such as chlorpheniramine work by blocking not only histamines but also acetylcholine, and are thought to help dry up certain bodily fluids and relieve symptoms like watery eyes and runny nose. Pain relievers and fever reducers like ibuprofen work to reduce inflammation by blocking your body’s production of certain natural substances, which in turns helps to decrease swelling, pain, and/or fever.
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Top 10 Best Over The Counter Sinus And Cough Medicine
Are you looking for best over the counter sinus and cough medicine, weve consulted top experts who has in-and-out knowledge about the over the counter sinus and cough medicine. We choose the top most quality product, which comes with amazing features youve never heard before. We have filter more than 100+ of product to give you top 10 list of best over the counter sinus and cough medicine.
This list is undoubtedly the best over the counter sinus and cough medicine available in the market today. However, if you dont want to spend more time on filtering and finding which one is good over the counter sinus and cough medicine, then you should absolutely go for our Top list of the winner. which comes with all the basic features one could expect in a over the counter sinus and cough medicine.
Types Of Cold Medicine
Every person and every cold is different.
When symptoms are mild, you may be able to tough it out.
But when you cant stop coughing, cant sleep due to discomfort, or simply want relief, you may want to consider cold medicine.
Keep in mind, these medications do not make a cold go away faster.
They only treat the symptoms and do not treat the underlying illness.
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The Best Medicine For Nagging Cough:
Cough suppressants, known as antitussives, inhibit the cough reflex in the brain. The common cough suppressant dextromethorphan can be found alone in products such as Robitussin Cough Gels and CVS Health Tussin Cough Liquid Gels, or in combination with other active ingredients as in Vicks Dayquil Cough and Delsym Adult DM Cough + Chest Congestion Relief Liquid.
Expectorants such as guaifenesin work chiefly by thinning mucus so it is easier to cough up and out.
Antihistamines block histamine, a chemical the body releases that triggers runny nose and watery eyes. Coughs can be caused by postnasal drip a trickle of mucus and other secretions that stimulates nerves in the back of the throat in which case drying up the source with an antihistamine is the best way to treat it, says Dr. Favini. Widely used brands include Benadryl Allergy & Cold and Actifed Cold.
Safety Guide For Phenylephrine
Phenylephrine is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is safe and effective when used according to the Drug Facts label.
Ask a healthcare provider before use if:
For nasal decongestants:
- You have heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, or difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- Before giving a topical nasal decongestant in children under 2 years old.
For hemorrhoid medicines:
- You have heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, or difficulty urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You are taking a prescription medicine for high blood pressure or depression.
- Before using a topical hemorrhoid treatment containing phenylephrine on a child under the age of 12.
Do not use if:
For nasal decongestants:
- Never use an oral medicine containing phenylephrine at the same time as a topical nasal decongestant that also contains phenylephrine.
- You are currently taking a prescription monoamine oxidase inhibitor or you stopped taking an MAOI less than two weeks ago.
- You are currently taking certain drugs for depression or a psychiatric or emotional condition.
- Do not give an oral decongestant or cough and cold medicine containing phenylephrine to a child under the age of 4.
- Some topical nasal decongestants may be used in children aged 2 and older. Read the Drug Facts label carefully for accurate dosing information.
For hemorrhoid medicines:
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Fever And Pain Reducers
If you have a fever and/or pain, take two acetaminophen tablets. After four hours, if you still have pain or fever, take two ibuprofen tablets. You can rotate these every four hours.
Valdez said it is very important to be careful when combining all these medicines to make sure you are not doubling up on a single agent. “Some of these medications may contain a lower dose of any of the above mentioned agents, so check the labels carefully.”
Remember those agents are: acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever/pain, dextromethorphan for cough and pseudoephedrine or phenylephrine and guaifenesin for decongestants and expectorants.
Lastly, Valdez said to keep the following in mind:
- If you have a fever, do not go into work or school you should be fever free for 24 hours.
- Rest is the best medicine. Let the virus run its course if your body is run down it will take it longer to fight off the infection.
- To prevent sinus infections, get a flu shot , wash your hands often and cover your cough and sneeze.
Mucinex Expectorant And Cough Suppressant Tablets
Another top pick for chest congestion medicine comes from the same brand Mucinex. The main difference between Mucinex DM Maximum Strenght 12-Hour Expectorant and Cough Suppressant and the first on the list is that they work differently on chest congestion. This product works to suppress a cough stopping any chest irritation that might be causing you to cough in the first place.
This product effectively loosens mucus with guaifenesin and prevents the coughing reflex with dextromethorphan an ingredient lacking in the first option. Mucinex is particularly ideal for people with chest congestion who experience irritating, persistent, and troubling coughing episodes.
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