How to Stop a Cough from Post Nasal Drip
Take mucus-thinning medications., Use a saline nasal spray., Suck on cough drops to get rid of your cough., Combat allergies with over-the-counter antihistamines., Try ‘new generation’ antihistamines.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Take mucus-thinning medications.
Mucus-thinning medications are also known as expectorant medications.
This sort of medication causes the mucus to become thin and move up from your throat and into your mouth (you can then spit it out).
It increases the amount of mucus you have, but thins it out so that your body—in particular the ciliated hairs in your throat—have an easier time getting out of your throat.
When the mucus is removed, your cough will stop.Guaifenesin, which also referred to as glyceryl guaiacolate, is one of the most common mucus-thinning medications available. -
Step 2: Use a saline nasal spray.
Saline just means saltwater.
Nasal sprays send a mist of saline water directly up and into your nose.
Saline nasal sprays and nasal irrigation devices flush out excess mucus, allergens and irritating substances from your nasal passages and throat.
When all of these things get flushed out of your body, your cough will stop., A cough drop contains ingredients like benzocaine, eucalyptus oil, menthol, peppermint oil, spearmint or honey.
All of these ingredients soothe irritated nerves and mucous membranes in your throat.
When these nerves and membranes are soothed, your cough impulse will go away.
There are many different kinds of cough drops out there.
You can purchase them over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. , If your post nasal drip is caused by allergies, as most post nasal drips are, you should take antihistamines to reduce your allergy symptoms.
Your body produces histamine when it thinks your body is being attacked by something.
While this is good if your body is actually being attacked, allergies are caused by your body mistakenly thinking something like pollen is trying to attack your cells.
Antihistamines stop your body from wrongly producing histamine.Chlorpheniramine:
This antihistamine is usually taken as a 4 mg tablet.
As an adult, you can take a maximum of 24 mg a day.
Children should only take 12 mg a day.
This sort of antihistamine may cause drowsiness.
Diphenhydramine:
This antihistamine is most commonly known as Benadryl.
Generally you should only take one tablet of this antihistamine in a 24 hour period.
Benadryl can cause serious drowsiness in some people. , New generation antihistamines have less side effects than the older antihistamines listed in the previous step.
However, some people have found that they are less effective—it all depends on your own personal allergies.
Try them out and see if they work for you.Desloratadine:
This antihistamine comes in both tablet and syrup form.
It is non-drowsy so you can take it and still function.
It is non-drowsy because it does not delve deeply into your body and affect your central nervous system, as older generation antihistamines do.
Fexofenadine:
This antihistamine also remains outside the central nervous system.
It comes in tablet form. -
Step 3: Suck on cough drops to get rid of your cough.
-
Step 4: Combat allergies with over-the-counter antihistamines.
-
Step 5: Try ‘new generation’ antihistamines.
Detailed Guide
Mucus-thinning medications are also known as expectorant medications.
This sort of medication causes the mucus to become thin and move up from your throat and into your mouth (you can then spit it out).
It increases the amount of mucus you have, but thins it out so that your body—in particular the ciliated hairs in your throat—have an easier time getting out of your throat.
When the mucus is removed, your cough will stop.Guaifenesin, which also referred to as glyceryl guaiacolate, is one of the most common mucus-thinning medications available.
Saline just means saltwater.
Nasal sprays send a mist of saline water directly up and into your nose.
Saline nasal sprays and nasal irrigation devices flush out excess mucus, allergens and irritating substances from your nasal passages and throat.
When all of these things get flushed out of your body, your cough will stop., A cough drop contains ingredients like benzocaine, eucalyptus oil, menthol, peppermint oil, spearmint or honey.
All of these ingredients soothe irritated nerves and mucous membranes in your throat.
When these nerves and membranes are soothed, your cough impulse will go away.
There are many different kinds of cough drops out there.
You can purchase them over-the-counter at your local pharmacy. , If your post nasal drip is caused by allergies, as most post nasal drips are, you should take antihistamines to reduce your allergy symptoms.
Your body produces histamine when it thinks your body is being attacked by something.
While this is good if your body is actually being attacked, allergies are caused by your body mistakenly thinking something like pollen is trying to attack your cells.
Antihistamines stop your body from wrongly producing histamine.Chlorpheniramine:
This antihistamine is usually taken as a 4 mg tablet.
As an adult, you can take a maximum of 24 mg a day.
Children should only take 12 mg a day.
This sort of antihistamine may cause drowsiness.
Diphenhydramine:
This antihistamine is most commonly known as Benadryl.
Generally you should only take one tablet of this antihistamine in a 24 hour period.
Benadryl can cause serious drowsiness in some people. , New generation antihistamines have less side effects than the older antihistamines listed in the previous step.
However, some people have found that they are less effective—it all depends on your own personal allergies.
Try them out and see if they work for you.Desloratadine:
This antihistamine comes in both tablet and syrup form.
It is non-drowsy so you can take it and still function.
It is non-drowsy because it does not delve deeply into your body and affect your central nervous system, as older generation antihistamines do.
Fexofenadine:
This antihistamine also remains outside the central nervous system.
It comes in tablet form.
About the Author
Joan Sanchez
Creates helpful guides on organization to inspire and educate readers.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: