The interconnection between the nose, ears, and throat is something most individuals are fairly familiar with. Air travels freely between all three. That’s why you can “pop” your ears by closing your mouth, plugging your nose, and pushing air in. Unfortunately, air isn’t the only thing that can travel between your ears, nose, and throat. So can mucus.
Typically, travel will move most easily down your throat. It’s a symptom called “post-nasal drip”. The common cold, allergies, or sinus infections are all potential causes of post-nasal-drip. Typically, post-nasal drip is fairly harmless (though uncomfortable). But in some situations, it can bring about related illnesses. Bronchitis is one such illness.
You will have a better understanding of bronchitis symptoms and how to prevent them if you are aware of its relationship with post-nasal-drip.
Post-Nasal-Drip – What is it?
Even when you’re not sick, about one quart of mucus is produced by your nose every day. Luckily, most people’s bodies are capable of dealing with that amount of mucus. However, your body will begin to produce too much mucus to deal with when you’re sick.
When there’s too much mucus in your nose, it tends to drip down the back of your throat (it just follows gravity). Some of this post-nasal-drip will inevitably find its way into portions of your respiratory system. It isn’t really anything you want to occur. Does post-nasal drip get into the lungs? Certainly. Post-nasal-drip can lead to several conditions, from a soar throat to pneumonia, because of this.
Post-nasal drip will normally resolve itself when the underlying cause is also resolved.
What is bronchitis?
When the bronchial tubes become irritated and inflamed, it’s generally known as bronchitis. The bronchial tubes are, essentially, the tubes that carry oxygen to and from your lungs. When they become infected or inflamed, it can grow harder to breathe. Sore throat, coughing, and chest congestion are all symptoms of bronchitis.
Bronchitis comes in two types:
- Acute bronchitis: This is when a bacterial or viral infection is the source of bronchitis. Typically, acute bronchitis will go away on its own in a matter of days.
- Chronic bronchitis: This is persistent bronchitis that doesn’t get better. Chronic bronchitis can’t be cured but it can be managed. This form of bronchitis is not caused by post-nasal-drip (and is usually instead caused by long-term exposure to dangerous toxins or chemicals). However, persistent post-nasal-drip, known as post-nasal-drip syndrome, can result in chronic bronchitis.
Does post-nasal-drip cause bronchitis?
As phlegm and mucus travel through your body, it doesn’t always do so harmlessly. Other parts of your body will often have an immune response to the presence of these fluids. That’s certainly the case with regard to the bronchial tubes.
This immune response usually leads to inflammation, or swelling, and irritation. Because of this, your bronchial tubes frequently become uncomfortable. This results in coughing, chest tightness, and other bronchitis symptoms. In this way, post-nasal drip triggers bronchitis in some people.
How can you tell if bronchitis will be the result of a sinus infection in advance? Well, you can’t always. But there are a few things that can make the development of bronchitis from post-nasal-drip more likely. Here are a few examples of things that can raise your risk factor:
- You’re immune system is compromised: If your immune system is compromised, your body will be less capable of fighting off infections, leading to more post-nasal drip (and, as a result, a higher risk of developing bronchitis).
- You’re a smoker: This can make the bronchial tubes (and the rest of your respiratory system) more susceptible to infection. Improved respiratory health can lead to better mucus drainage.
- You experience chronic sinus infections: You are increasingly more likely to experience bronchitis the more you have post-nasal-drip and sinus infections.
- You have allergies or asthma: If you are often exposed to allergies that result in a runny nose, you might experience post-nasal drip more often. As a result, bronchitis may occur more often.
How to lower your risk
Here are a few ways you can decrease your risk of developing bronchitis:
- Staying hydrated and drinking lots of water.
- Make use of throat lozenges when you get sick (this can help with swelling and discomfort).
- When the air is dry, make use of a humidifier.
- When you aren’t feeling well, get plenty of rest.
- Make use of over-the-counter remedies to help alleviate coughing and other symptoms.
If your bronchitis symptoms persist or recur frequently, set up an appointment to go over your treatment solutions. Bronchitis and other associated illnesses can be avoided by getting your post-nasal-drip under control.