Treating post nasal drip usually involves identifying the allergens causing it and avoiding them altogether. An allergen is a substance or an antigen (a protein molecule) that can cause an abnormal hypersensitive reaction in your body. Some known allergens are mold, pollen, cat and dog dander, dust mites, house dust, and unfortunately some of your favorite foods.
Your best treatment option to stop post-nasal drip is to avoid contact with these allergens. The big problem besides avoiding them however, is identifying which of these allergens are causing your post nasal drip problem. Your doctor can help you by looking at your medical history which gives details of any possible exposure to any of the known allergens or irritants, both at work and at home. While your detailed medical history can be an important tool to identify the causes, it may still fail to reveal the right allergic trigger. If this is your case, then you may have to see an allergy specialist or immunologist who will perform skin tests to identify the particular allergen that has been causing you problems.
Some simple tricks to help you avoid allergens include installing air purifiers or humidifier, cleaning or changing heating and air conditioning filters, using synthetic materials or cotton in beddings and pillows, using a pollen mask while cleaning around the house or mowing the grass in your garden, getting rid of house plants, keeping your windows close when pollens abound, and frequent bathing of your pets to eliminate dander. You can also take medications to treat your post-nasal drip such as steroid nasal sprays, oral steroids, antihistamines, decongestant sprays, and oral decongestants. You can also take medications for thinning the mucus and allergy shots. Combinations of these medications have also been developed. Such combinations include an antihistamine and a decongestant, and others like mucus thinner and anti-cough medicines. These combinations are designed to work together so you can get the most benefits.
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