Post-Nasal Drip

Mucus draining down the back of the throat — causing throat clearing, a tickling cough (especially at night), and a lump-in-throat sensation. It is a symptom, not a diagnosis: allergic rhinitis, chronic sinusitis, reflux, and viral aftermath are the usual sources, and treating the source works better than suppressing the drip.

Evidence synthesis: Allergic rhinitis is the dominant driver, and intranasal corticosteroids have strong randomised-trial evidence for reducing rhinitis symptoms including post-nasal drainage; antihistamines add benefit in allergic cases. Saline nasal irrigation has Cochrane support for symptom relief in chronic rhinosinusitis. Laryngopharyngeal reflux (silent reflux) accounts for a substantial share of chronic throat clearing and responds to reflux management in trials. Quercetin, a natural mast-cell stabiliser, has small trials in allergic rhinitis showing reduced symptoms, though evidence is modest. Red flags — unilateral persistent drainage, blood-streaked mucus, or symptoms beyond 12 weeks — warrant ENT evaluation to exclude structural or (rarely) more serious causes.