Q. How do I stop post-nasal drip? It seems every night it starts and it drives my wife and I nuts. I have to clear my throat for about 1/2 hour each night.

A. Post-nasal drip as you describe can be quite irritating. They key to treatment will be to determine the cause and explore treatment options. It is a common condition, often a manifestation of allergy to pollen, dust, or other particles in the air. Some people have similar symptoms in which allergy testing cannot identify a cause.

Start with a visit to your doctor for an exam and possibly some laboratory testing. A specialist in allergy or E.N.T. may be consulted as well. A combination of environmental measures and medication will likely be helpful after this evaluation.

http://www.aaaai.org/public/fastfacts/allergies.stm

http://www.familydoctor.org/handouts/679.html

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