Mucus in throat but lungs and sinuses clear

Posted by bjlevine99 @bjlevine99, Sep 25, 2018

I have a problem that has been going on for months now. Mucus build in my lower throat. I can feel it rattling if I breathe through my mouth but not if I breathe through my nose. My sinuses are clear and my lungs seem fine. I cough up clear or occasionally light yellow tinged mucus. Worse at night when I am horizontal. I live in Florida where we have nearly year round pollen. Taking Zyrtec and Flonase. Not sure what to do about this.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

I live in Texas. With all the bad weather and who knows what falling from the sky, I have same issue. Dr says my lungs sound great

REPLY

I have the same problem. I learned I have LPR Larengo Pharengal Reflux, also called non-acid reflux on non-acid GERD. There is a great book called "Stomach Acid is good for you" that helped me a lot. My G.i. refused to test my stomach acid, but I found out my stomach acid is low, so things back up and irritate my throat, which reacts by creating mucus. I also take digestive enzymes. For me, with the clear sinus and clear lungs, but chocking on mucus, and constantly coughing it up, that 's what it turned out to be for me. It might be different for you.

REPLY

I have had what Mayo Rochester calls Non-Allergic Rhinitis that started about 2011 and I have the small symptoms of a runny nose sometimes, and a little unexplained sneezing, and some sinus drainage, however the worse symptom is the throbbing pain in my lower nose area near my upper teeth. They call that the vasomotor symptom of Non-Allergic Rhinitis. It has gotten progressively worse over the years since then. They checked me for allergies, and I am not allergic to anything, and my sinuses are clear, but this throbbing in my face is the worse, which is pretty good most of the day until the latter part of the day, so was told to take a little Lorazapam for it, but really nothing that can be done about it, and they don't know what causes it. They also said to use Ocean Spray. However, it gets worse with stress. After all these years I am beginning to wonder if it is really Non-Allergic Rhinitis (I call it NAR). I have my own teeth on the bottom, but when only about 19, I had a car accident where someone was going too fast and ran into me, and I was flown out of the vehicle (before seat belts were in use), and after that I had drainage in my nose, and a nose doctor said I had teeth problems, so went to a dentist, and he said I had three front teeth that were abscessed, and unfortunately, I went to the wrong dentist, and he said he had to pull them, and also the rest of the top teeth because they would just wear down from eventually from the three that are replaced with hooks of some sort! I was young and "stupid" and believed him, and he pulled all the top teeth and put in false ones! 🙁 And I had such beautiful teeth.

Fortunately, I go to a terrific dentist at Mayo Rochester and he does a beautiful job whenever I need new ones. However, I have not gone back since 2003, and I just found out that waiting that long could have started a problem in my gum area! So I am in the process of getting new ones and hope to see if the NAR problem is from the teeth area, and it will be resolved. I have noticed, especially lately, that when I relax my upper teeth, it relieves some of the pain of the NAR. However, even if it was from the teeth area, maybe it is too late to reverse that damage. Also, no one ever sees me without my upper teeth because I was so young when I got them, and so vain about it, and I also never take them out at night. I probably need to remove them in the middle of the night also to benefit the gum area somehow. However, the dentist was amazed at how good my gum and bone structure is, and said I was one in a million with such good structure after all this time. This is my first time ever to be online trying to do a discussion. Don't be afraid to teach me something! 🙂 MY QUESTION IS: DOES ANYONE ELSE OUT THERE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH NAR OR UPPER TEETH PROBLEMS TO CAUSE SOMETHING LIKE THIS?

Thank you so much, Lueeeez

REPLY

@bjlevine99 You may actually have a stomach or esophagus disorder causing stomach mucosa to come up into your esopahgus. I would see a gastroenterologist and discuss what is going on. You may need a swallowing test, endoscopy, and other test to figure out what is going on.
Zaroga

REPLY

My ent prescribed cevimeline 30 mg cap 3 times a day to thin the mucus it thins it but hasn't reduced the amount generating
Daily .was using Dollar store children's allergy relief same as benadryl . but I still have this constant thick mucus. I should mention too, I have nothing through the mouth as I have dysphasia (swallowing disorder)from head and neck cancer survivor of over 8 years ago. This last January my left jaw broke (due to osteoradionecrosis radiation long term effect) Loyola oral and plastic surgeons took my left fibula and gave me a new jaw at Loyola in Maywood, Illinois but I have not been able to take anything through the mouth and the mucus is worse. Looking forward to coming to mayo clinic to see if they can come up with Solution for constant mucas.

REPLY

You mentioned its worst at night when horizontal. Suggest waiting minimum 2 hours after food or liquids before lying down horizontal. If you feel you have to go to sleep prior to 2 hour wait time, sleep upright in lazy boy chair or prop pillows behind back to keep chest upright.

REPLY

I think the teeth is a big problem I hand some bad teeth and the dentist one tooth was bad it should be pulled and said that the ones next to are going to get bad also so they should pull two on each side , young and dumb I said O.K. and that they would put a bridge in later next thing I know they were pulling all my teeth and now I have all dentures and nothing has ever been the same. It has wrecked my life. But can not find any help for nothing.

REPLY

I have the same problem with mucus in lower throat area trouble is I can't cough it up just sticks there and is extremely uncomfortable. Started August of 2018 after 9 doctors 5 nurses and numerous pharmacists still have no diagnosis. I'm at my wits end been given omeprazole and carbasteine nothing works. Had chest xray twice that was clear. Had to beg for xray by the way just seems I'm fobbed off all the time. I am asthmatic and have also been given different inhalers three times over this period no difference.

REPLY

I agree with “sarahtoo” about you probably having LPR. I was diagnosed with it by an allergy doctor.

REPLY

I basically have the same problem in Indiana and it seems like it's worse now with the pollen season !

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.