Why do I get post-nasal drip at night?

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Post-nasal drip - mucus from the nose and sinuses sliding down the back of the throat - is a daytime annoyance that turns into a nighttime problem for mechanical reasons: upright, gravity pulls mucus forward where you swallow it unnoticed; lying flat, it pools on the throat, coats the voice box, and triggers the tickle, throat clearing, and the cough that starts ten minutes after your head hits the pillow. ENT Health lists cough, throat clearing, and the sensation of dripping as the signature symptoms, and the drivers are usually allergies, lingering cold or sinus inflammation, dry air, or reflux irritating the same throat.

The bedtime routine that helps: rinse the nose with saline before bed - a spray or rinse clears the mucus at the source; run a humidifier, since dry air thickens mucus; elevate the head of the bed slightly; and treat the underlying driver - antihistamines for the allergy pattern, earlier dinners and less evening alcohol for the reflux pattern. Medicated decongestant sprays work for a few nights but rebound if used past three to five days.

When drip means more: one-sided bloody discharge, facial pain with fever and thick colored mucus past ten days - the bacterial sinus pattern - or drip with persistent hoarseness or swallowing trouble. Chronic drip that shrugs off a month of routine treatment deserves an ENT look, since structural causes like a deviated septum or nasal polyps keep the cycle running.

Pymander is a free AI doctor, 24/7 by text. Describe your nights and your congestion, and it can help you pick the driver.

Why do I get post-nasal drip at night?

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