For chronic cough and bad breath, try a specialty post-nasal drip treatment

In the past few months, a number of little respiratory bugs have been going around. Coughs, fevers and stuffy noses, many of them lasting just 24 hours. However, others tend to go on much longer, including the chronic-cough-and-halitosis syndrome known as post-nasal drip. This affliction can be a real drag, especially if it lasts for weeks on end.

However, by using a specialty post-nasal drip treatment, you can knock out the cough and the stench in no time.

The difference between post-nasal drip and sinusitis

Unlike a stuffy nose or sinusitis, post-nasal drip isn't necessarily an illness. In fact, this problem may not be a nose and throat disease at all. Instead, it's usually considered an ailment or a syndrome - upper airway cough syndrome (UACS), to be precise - because it doesn't need bacteria or viruses to get it going.

Instead, post-nasal drip can be caused by any little irritation of the nasal passages, like pollen, dust, dander, mold or secondhand smoke.

Exposure to these things causes the nose to produce a thin mucus that runs down the back of the throat, causing a dry cough and bad breath. By contrast, rhinitis and sinusitis lead to thicker mucus, the kind associated with stuffy noses and colds.

Post-nasal drip treatments can dry up the drip

Instead of enduring UACS, which is what many people do, consider looking into post-nasal drip treatments. A simple specialty nose spray can alleviate the irritation and even neutralize the odors caused by the trickle of moisture.

Also, you can try a specialty mouthwash or periotherapy rinse, which hits the drip from the other end. Together, these products can rinse away the drip and leave your mouth odor-free.