What Is the Connection Between Post Nasal Drip and Cough?
Post nasal drip and cough can irritate the throat, disrupt sleep and generally make the sufferer feel miserable. Frequently, post nasal drip is the cause of a persistent cough as mucus drains from the sinuses and adheres to the back of the throat. The cough reflex is the body’s attempt to dislodge this mucus, but more often, it serves only to further irritate the throat. Mucus is produced by the sinuses to help regulate air moisture and to trap particles such as dust, preventing them from entering the lungs. Normally, relatively small amounts of mucus are produced and go unnoticed. When the sinuses become sufficiently irritated, though, they will overproduce, and the excess will lead to post nasal drip and cough.
