Asthma and post nasal drip: An unpleasant combination
'Tis the season for the common cold and the flu, and for the 25 million Americans who suffer from asthma, this can mean a worsening of the symptoms they already experience on a regular basis. One particularly uncomfortable combination is the chronic respiratory disease and post nasal drip.
The human body produces between one and two quarts of mucus each day, says WebMD, and most of the time this viscous substance actually works with you rather than against you, trapping bacteria and viruses and eliminating them before they can make you sick.
During the winter when the weather is drier and people are more susceptible to the common cold, however, the body may produce thicker mucus in larger quantities that can cause your nose to be runny and your throat to become blocked. When you feel the mucus in your throat, that's postnasal drip.
For those who have asthma, postnasal drip can be particularly unpleasant. With mucus clogging the nose, people are forced to breathe through their mouth which can trigger an asthma attack.
According to Dr. Harold Katz, director of the California Breath Clinics and a leading researcher on oral health, the combination of post nasal drip and asthma could lead to sinobronchial syndrome, which is caused by allergies and untreated infections. It can also lead to more serious complications such as bronchitis and even pneumonia.
If you suffer from asthma, you may want to take even more precautions during the winter than you normally do, as your body is more susceptible to viruses and bacteria that can trigger your symptoms. In addition to following advice from your doctor, you may want to invest in a whole house air purifier, a product that can make your home more comfortable by removing allergens directly from the air.
- Improper nasal irrigation use could harm allergy sufferers
- Dry nasal spray receives FDA stamp of approval
- How to determine whether symptoms are from a cold or allergies
- “Ditch the Drip” program aims to promote allergy awareness with May-Treanor
- New drugs reducing excess mucus in the airway could mean relief for people with asthma