Reader’s Digest Canada – September 2019

I

T MAY BE kind of gross to think

about, but your nose is continually

making mucus—and that’s a good

thing. This sticky secretion traps and

neutralizes dust, pollution and germs,

which helps protect you against infec-

tions and airway irritation. It also

humidifies the air you breathe and

moisturizes your nose, preventing its

lining from drying out and cracking.

Under normal, healthy circum-

stances, nasal mucus simply gets swal-

lowed without causing discomfort. But

when it’s especially thick or copious,

you can become conscious of it drain-

ing from your nose into your throat.

You can also experience coughing,

soreness, tickling, a raspy voice or a

frequent need to clear your throat.

Known as postnasal drip, this annoy-

ing symptom can be caused by a wide

variety of conditions. Common trig-

gers include hay fever, colds and flus,

all of which prompt the body to prod-

uce more mucus or make changes to

the usual texture in an effort to rid

itself of pathogens (or what it mistakes

for pathogens, in the case of allergies).

BY Samantha Rideout

illustration by sabrina chianelli

Postnasal drip: what it is

and how to get rid of it

Led by

the Nose

reader’s digest

20 september 2019

HEALTH