If you notice that your mucus tends to flow backward, even into your throat, what could be the reason? A medical professor explains a few possible conditions:

Nasal Pathology: Your nasal cavity might be in a pathological state, producing a large amount of purulent discharge. This discharge can flow out from the front of the nasal cavity or back into it, which is a common occurrence. Sinusitis can also cause purulent discharge, which, when the nasal cavity is stimulated, can flow out. If there's a tumor in the nasopharynx or nasal cavity, it can not only produce purulent discharge but also bloody discharge that flows from the posterior nasal orifice.

Sinusitis: The discharge produced by sinusitis can easily flow out from the back of the nasal cavity due to its location in the rear part of the nasal passages. For example, ethmoid and sphenoid sinusitis are located towards the back, and even maxillary sinusitis occurs at the rear end of the middle nasal passage. Therefore, such discharges flowing backward are a clinical manifestation of sinusitis.

Physiological Features: The cilia in the nasal cavity naturally swing backward, and there’s a layer of mucus known as the mucous blanket. This mucus layer traps a lot of pollutants and bacteria, which are then moved towards the throat by the cilia to be expelled. This is an essential self-cleaning function of the nasal cavity. When this function is well-maintained, it goes unnoticed, so most people don't experience postnasal drip. However, if there is no sinusitis, no nasal tumor, and this function is normal, the flow of discharge from the posterior nasal orifice generally isn’t noticeable. But symptoms of postnasal drip may arise if there’s disease or even pharyngeal pouch inflammation.

This symptom is rare during childhood or early adulthood. If a child’s nasal cavity is not healthy, with increasing age—around 30 to 40 or 50 years—such issues may occur. Two groups of people might experience this:

1. Young Children: Particularly small children who haven’t yet learned to blow their nose might have secretions flow back into their throat. If the child has a disease causing excessive secretions, these might all flow into the throat, sometimes even being swallowed and leading to digestive or throat issues.

2. Adults (30-40 years): As people age, the nasal cavity's self-cleaning function may weaken. In such cases, instead of discharge flowing out, it often flows into the throat, causing discomfort, especially when speaking or eating.

The nasal cavity’s self-cleaning function is supported by ciliary movement. However, you might feel the discharge in two scenarios:

Excessive Secretions: Due to inflammation or tumors, abnormal secretions make the mucous blanket feel noticeable.

Insufficient Secretions: With age, cellular secretion decreases, causing dryness in the nasal cavity, especially in dry environments. This dryness reduces the fluidity of the mucus, making it feel like there's discharge in the throat.

Medical examinations can reveal this. Doctors can determine whether excessive airflow or insufficient airflow in the nasal cavity is causing this dryness. For example, snorers or those with sleep apnea might experience rapid airflow through a narrowed airway, leading to morning dryness and postnasal drip. The key takeaway is to protect your nasal cavity, especially as you age.

What Should You Do?

For minor cases, maintaining nasal moisture through adequate hydration and possibly nasal irrigation can help. If using nasal irrigation, ensure the water temperature is suitable. Some nasal drops containing agar may retain moisture in the nasal cavity for longer, while certain oils might also help, though they should be used cautiously.

If serious conditions are suspected, medical intervention might be necessary, although the effectiveness of such interventions might be limited. Preventive measures and lifestyle adjustments are crucial in managing these symptoms.

Common Medical Examinations

1. Nasal Endoscopy: Doctors will check for the presence of secretions in the posterior nasal orifice, their characteristics, and whether they are due to excessive or insufficient secretions.

2. Imaging Tests: If necessary, imaging such as a CT scan of the sinuses may be done to check for inflammation in the sphenoid or ethmoid sinuses, or the maxillary sinus.

This thorough analysis aims to reassure individuals that, while postnasal drip can be uncomfortable, it is often related to aging or benign conditions rather than severe health issues.