

Then little hairs called cilia go to work. Bacteria land on the mucus-lined surface of the lungs and get trapped. In the next hour, you’re going to inhale thousands of bacteria. “Anything that you breathe in gets stuck in the mucus, like flypaper.” Mucus at Work Andrew Lane, an ear, nose, and throat expert at Johns Hopkins University.

“Mucus is very important for filtering out materials that you breathe in through your nose, such as dust and allergens and microorganisms,” says Dr. It serves as a lubricant to keep tissues from drying out. Even your eyes are coated with a thin layer of mucus. Mucus lines the moist surfaces of your body like the lungs, sinuses The hollow spaces in your skull around your nose, eyes, and forehead., mouth, stomach, and intestines. But in truth, mucus really is the interface between you and the outside world.” “People think about it as something you’re supposed to cough up and get out. Richard Boucher, a lung expert at the University of North Carolina. “Mucus and phlegm get sort of a bad reputation,” says Dr. And it plays an important role in keeping you healthy. But mucus is so much more than a runny nose. Or phlegm, the gunk that can clog your lungs and make you cough. Snot, the sticky goo that pours from your nose during a cold. At this time, problem tissue or polyps that may be causing the nasal blockage can be removed.Mucus has several names. A flexible tube is inserted into the nasal passages and fiber-optic light allows the doctor to see the smallest of abnormalities in the sinuses. This procedure is less invasive than traditional surgery to restore normal sinus drainage and the benefits may include less pain, bleeding and swelling with a quicker return to normal activities.Įndoscopic Sinus Surgery - When treatments or medications aren't effective, endoscopic sinus surgery may be an option. In addition to some of the treatments above, chronic nonallergic sinusitis may be treated with:īalloon Sinuplasty - Similar to balloon angioplasty used to break up blood clots in the arteries in the heart, balloon sinuplasty utilizes small balloons to expand the openings of the sinuses. An increase in the consumption of water, juice or decaffeinated beverages.
Post nasal drip without runny nose free#
Nasal rinses to keep the nose free of irritants.Nasal sprays - saline, antihistamine, decongestant nasal sprays.If symptoms are mild, patients may find relief with over-the-counter remedies such as: Hormones - Pregnancy, menstruation, menopause, hypothyroidism and oral contraceptive use may trigger a nonallergic sinusitis reaction.ĭiet - Alcoholic beverages and hot, spicy foods may result in a nonallergic sinusitis attack.ĭrugs - Anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen, beta-blockers, sedatives, antidepressants, erectile dysfunction drugs and, in many cases, overuse of decongestant nasal sprays, may bring on nonallergic sinusitis Though the attack may last a short time, patients often experience ongoing post-nasal drip, discolored mucus, facial pressure and pain. Infections - Viral infections, such as a cold or flu, may trigger nonallergic sinusitis.
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Temperature changes, along with changes in humidity and stress may also be triggers. People who are sensitive to dust, smog, smoke, strong odors and chemicals may experience nonallergic sinusitis.

In some cases, no relief may be found or symptoms worsen with the use of over-the-counter medications.
