Every day I cough up what looks like a scab with ugly mucous and blood

So, I was suffering from thick post nasal drip that sticks in my upper throat ánd these scabs for 15 months now. Visited 3 ENT's because it was driving my crazy. 3rd ENT advised me to do nasal rinsing with xylitol/baking soda/salt mixture for a month, since xylitol is known to break down biofilm. After the second day of rinsing a huge thick mucus glob (yellow/green with blood) was dislodged from deep inside my nose/sinuses. It felt so good afterwards and since then my nose is actually running like crazy and I blow out tons of green snot. No thick, sticky post nasal drip all of a sudden, but everything is coming out at the front like it should. It's crazy to be so happy with having a cold, or at least it feels like that. The rinse made everything move, that's for sure. I'm 2,5 weeks in now and still everyday thick mucus globs come out after the rinse, some of them are shaped just like the scabs. I need to hack it up via my nose into my throat. In case you haven't tried the xylitol rinse, give it a try! Starting to think that these globs of mucus were stuck somewhere and prevented/blocked normal mucus draining. It's too early to get my hopes up that this is the end of the PND horror and the scab, but who knows. Seems like there was an infection high up there all along. See picture for the sachets that I use.

I have neoplasm and abnormal tissue growth after nasopharynx surgery. I dry heave constantly I feel like I'm dying. Can't talk or eat without extreme pain. Need help:(

Hello r4d. I don't have experience in this area but wanted to let you know that I and others have heard you and wish you the best and are thinking of you and wishing for the support you need soon, and we are here with prayers and positive thoughts (whichever you prefer).

@moreinfo did you ever find a diagnosis or resolution? I have this exact problem as you and how you described it.

@jasonjbj did you ever find a diagnosis or resolution? Your photos is exactly what I have going on.

@steelerfan did the humidifier resolve your issue?

@jackswife did you ever find a resolution? I have the exact same problem.

Nope never did. Still an ongoing promlem 16 nearly 17 years. I have seen ents .immune dept .
All I was left with was treat with antibiotics.
Samples all came back with staph or different infections . I know when it’s there I use stemar nasal sprays and I manage to get it loose. Then few weeks later it returns .kinda of live with it now seems no way of stoping it. Get in touch if u need more info etc

may i ask what are your symptoms , do your nose block alternate sides lying down? i did about the same thing but only found relief for one side. gives me chronic headaches also...thanks

Hi All. I have read this entire thread from start to finish and I am afraid I am also a sufferer of this condition.

Mine developed after having High Altitude Pulmonary Edema from a holiday in Bolivia in 2022. I am otherwise a very healthy non smoker, non drinker in my 30s. This condition is constant and awful - we must find a way of living with it at the very least.

Here’s where I am with it after reading every single post.

- Generally it seems that humidity may help - this doesn’t apply to all cases but seems to be a recurring theme.

- There does not seem to be a common cause - with many people citing different things that have led to the condition starting - for some it is surgery, for others they think it may have been mould, for others they may have had a bad cough, etc etc.

- There does not seem to be a clear diagnosis though many have raised the possibility of it being Nasopharyngeal Bursitis, and reading articles on this, it looks possible.

What has helped people so far?

- Some people have reported success in using oils like Ponaris and Coldastop dripped down the nose to the sinuses

- Some people have reported benefits from adopting a daily sinus rinse ritual of mixing baby shampoo with mupironcin, budesonide and the normal saline wash. Then dripping the aforementioned oil in the nose afterwards to make sure the nose doesn’t dry out. Please note some people use xylitol in the rinse instead of mupironcin and budesonide.

- People have reported benefits from both taking antibiotics and antifungals. Though the condition seems to return when the treatment is stopped.

- Some have reported benefits from using a humidifier.

- Staying hydrated in general is important.

What has not helped?

- Removal of the adenoids appears to have been futile in the comments people have made so far.

What are my thoughts on what’s going on here?

I am not a Doctor and I am yet to see my ENT yet for this. So these are my own thoughts from reading the masses of comments…

HYPOTHESIS 1

At the moment my key hypothesis is that somehow we have all damaged our cilia cells in our nasopharyngeal area.

The cilia cells are essential for sweeping the mucus away and perhaps we have each had different experiences that have damaged those cells? Mine was the Edema.

As the mucus is not being swept away properly, I believe this is the reason it’s getting really thick (as it dries) and forming the drip and the pooling. The staph that lives in the throat naturally is then forming a biofilm over the thick mucus pool and this is the scab.

HYPOTHESIS 2

We all have some sort of pocket that other people don’t have which is collecting mucus. Perhaps we have a strange anatomy in our nasopharyngeal area?

Something caused this pocket to be expressed in adulthood, perhaps.

Perhaps the only way forward is some sort of medical intervention like the electrocauterization described in the article about Nasopharyngeal Bursitis? I would love to hear from anyone who has had this.

Someone did mention autoimmune diseases - whether this may be a cause - ie perhaps we all have Sjogrens or something else. I already have 1 confirmed autoimmune condition - Hashimotos Hypothyroidism, so it is possible to develop another which perhaps then may attack another part of our anatomy creating these pockets or drying us out? No idea… but it’s something we can test for. You can do an autoimmune antibody blood test.

HYPOTHESIS 3

We all have some sort of bacterial or fungal infection which is in a hard to reach area and none of us have managed to take a long enough course of antibiotics / antifungals to nip it in the bud for good.

—

What am I going to do about my condition?

I’m going to start with hypothesis 1, and try to repair my cilia cells. I will:

- Use a humidifier to maintain 50% humidity when sleeping

- Do the aforementioned rinse with xylitol, and oil routine

- Take a course of anti fungal medication. Please note I cannot get access to an antibiotic without seeing a doctor so this part would have to wait.

- Use a steroid nose spray prescribed by my GP

- Use the Weleda aloe Vera nasal spray to always keep the area moist

- Stay hydrated

I’ll keep you posted. Hope this helps somewhat 🙂