Are Wheezing and Shortness of Breath a Complication of Postnasal Drip?

When it’s not treated or managed well, postnasal drip can cause asthma-like symptoms, such as wheezing and shortness of breath.

Postnasal drip happens when extra mucus produced in your nose and upper throat leaks further down into your throat. It’s often a temporary symptom of exposure to cold weather or spicy foods but can also be a symptom of:

Postnasal drip can make it feel like you have something stuck in your throat and cause you to clear your throat, cough, or have a distinct odor to your breath. It can also cause asthma-like symptoms, such as wheezing and shortness of breath if it’s not treated.

Read on to learn why postnasal drip can cause wheezing or shortness of breath, other symptoms postnasal drip can cause, and when to seek treatment for this condition.

Postnasal drip has been linked to wheezing, especially if you already have asthma or asthma-like symptoms.

A 2021 study with 91 people with asthma suggests that postnasal drip could increase not only how often you cough but also how long a persistent cough lasts before it starts to go away on its own (this is known as cough duration).

And the longer you have a cough that doesn’t go away, the more likely your airways may get inflamed and make it harder for air to pass through. This may lead to the distinct harsh whistling sound associated with wheezing.

There’s not a lot of strong evidence that links postnasal drip directly to shortness of breath, but a close association has been suggested by animal research — especially when you’re asleep.

A 2009 mouse study looked at how a saline solution and glycerin meant to imitate postnasal drip behaved after it was injected into the mice’s noses.

Researchers found that the solution moved from the mice’s sinuses into their windpipes and lungs most noticeably in the first hour after injection and most quickly during sleep.

These findings suggest that postnasal drip may build up quickly in your airways and make it feel difficult to breathe. But research on humans is needed to confirm this.

Postnasal drip is linked to other asthma-like symptoms triggered by the coughing and airway inflammation that postnasal drip can cause.

Some of these symptoms can include:

• persistent coughing
• sore throat
• difficulty breathing
• itching in your throat

Sinusitis (swelling in your sinus cavities), which causes postnasal drip, can also cause asthma-like symptoms or worsen symptoms of asthma.

Some of the most common symptoms of postnasal drip include:

• always feeling like you have to swallow or clear your throat
• a constant cough that gets more disruptive at night
• feeling sick as mucus drips into your stomach
• a constantly sore or scratchy throat
• bad breath, even when you observe good dental hygiene

Postnasal drip and its associated symptoms often go away on their own if they have a temporary cause, such as exposure to cold air or spicy food.

But you should get medical help if you experience postnasal drip for more than 10 days or if you have any of the following symptoms for an extended period:

• breath odor that’s especially strong or suddenly worse than usual
• hoarse voice
• fever
• noticeable wheezing or trouble breathing
• feeling extremely nauseated for a long period
• yellow or green mucus
• extremely sore throat
• difficulty swallowing

Here are answers to some of the most common questions about postnasal drip.

What causes postnasal drip?

Allergies are the most common cause of postnasal drip. When your sinuses create mucus to help wash away irritants in your nasal passages, the excess mucus often drains down the back of your throat.

A deviated septum can also lead to postnasal drip. A deviated septum is when the cartilage between your nostril is too far over to one side, which can stop mucus from draining properly from the nose.

There are many other temporary causes of postnasal drip, including:

• exposure to cold air
• cold or flu infections
• sinus infections
• pregnancy
• pressure or temperature changes caused by the weather
• lack of moisture in the air
• eating something spicy
• taking certain blood pressure and birth control medications
• gastric reflux that makes it hard to swallow

How do you treat postnasal drip?

Some common ways to manage or treat postnasal drip include:

• sleeping with your head elevated to reduce drainage
• taking over-the-counter (OTC) decongestants, like pseudoephedrine, on a short-term basis
• clearing out your nasal passages with saline nasal sprays
• using nasal irrigation devices, such as neti pots
• allergy medications if allergies are the cause
• consuming hot liquids, like tea or soup
• staying hydrated
• using air purifiers to keep the air clear of irritants
• dusting and cleaning your living spaces regularly to reduce buildup of dust and irritants
• quitting smoking cigarettes or other inhaled products, like e-cigarettes or vapes, if applicable
• antibiotics for bacterial sinus infections
• surgery to correct a deviated septum (septoplasty) or other surgical procedure

What happens if postnasal drip is left untreated?

Some possible complications of postnasal drip if it’s left untreated include:

• ear infections from blockages of your eustachian tubes
• frequent sinus infections
• long-term damage to your throat from coughing

Postnasal drip can lead to shortness of breath and wheezing.

Postnasal drip often goes away on its own once the cause is resolved or treated. But get medical help if you have postnasal drip for longer than 10 days or start noticing any additional symptoms.

Last medically reviewed on April 13, 2023

How we reviewed this article:

Austra Health has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

• Iwata T, et al. (2015). Mechanical stimulation by postnasal drip evokes cough.
  journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0141823
• Kogahara T, et al. (2009). Evidence for passing down of postnasal drip into respiratory organs.
  iv.iiarjournals.org/content/23/2/297
• Nakajima T, et al. (2021). Retrospective study of the effects of post-nasal drip symptoms on cough duration.
  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8193296/
• Unified airway model. (2019).
  clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03937427

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.